Microsoft is reportedly testing advertisements in the Windows 11 File Explorer, which might be one of Windows users’ worst nightmares.
This was identified in the most recent Windows 11 “Insider” release, which is available for everyone to test. On Twitter, a user noticed a promotion for Editor, a closed-source grammar-checking application developed by Microsoft. It is available in both free and paid versions, making its inclusion in the File Explorer even more aggravating.
The advertisement notification appears directly below the address bar, above the files and folders list.
The advertisement notification is displayed above the files and folders list, just below the address bar.
While advertisements in File Explorer may appear to users to be a bad idea in general, Microsoft has attempted it before. In 2016, Microsoft released a OneDrive ad that encouraged users to sign up for the cloud storage service.
Since the debut of Windows 8, Microsoft has also featured adverts in the Start menu, in addition to the File Explorer. The default Windows installation also encourages users to utilise Microsoft Edge, the company’s new Chromium-based browser.
The File Explorer commercials, on the other hand, may prove to be a divisive decision for the corporation. Several users have already started protesting on social media, with some suggesting that if Microsoft makes these advertising official, they will migrate to Linux.
Others resorted to memes to express their dismay and anger. Overall, it has not been well-received by Windows users so far, so Microsoft could possibly end this experiment if it heeds to the feedback.
