The software behemoth is experimenting with inserting advertisements for its services into the Windows 11 sign-in screen… People are dissatisfied.
Microsoft appears adamant that it will get ads on your system regardless. Now, the company has been caught inserting advertisements into the sign-in menu to encourage users to create a Microsoft account or use OneDrive.
A New Prod From Microsoft
The news comes to us from Ars Technica, who saw it first on Twitter. A new entry in the Windows 11 sign-in menu prompts users to create a Microsoft account or use OneDrive, according to user @thebookisclosed.
Do we really need to stuff OneDrive promos in the user session flyout? Anything for that sweet sweet KPI ðŸ˜
Turns out OneDrive isn’t the only thing that can be advertised here, prompts for creating a Microsoft Account can appear as well 😔
Responses ranged from outright disgust at the new ads to users stating that it is something that can be turned off, so there is no need to be concerned. Response from Brandon LeBlanc, Senior Program Manager for Windows Insider, is noteworthy.
We documented we’re trying some variations of this out with Windows Insiders.
This, according to LeBlanc, was to be expected, as the team had informed users of the change in the patch notes. Others, however, were quick to point out that these small advertisements make use of the eye-catching “notification dot” that is usually reserved for important system-related actions such as updates. This makes the advertisements a little more intrusive than some would prefer.
Microsoft’s Major Revenue Issue
Microsoft is currently experiencing a monetization issue. Because of the slow adoption of Windows 11, as well as the free upgrade offered to users of older Windows versions, likely, Microsoft’s latest operating system isn’t making as much money as it hoped.
So, how does Microsoft get more money out of its existing Windows 11 users? The company has previously attempted to monetize Windows 11 apps, with the most recent example being the introduction of Clipchamp, a video editor that comes pre-installed with Windows 11. It was free to use, but if you wanted to render videos larger than 480p, you had to pay.
Unfortunately, the user response to this plan was negative. As a result, Microsoft changed the pricing tiers of Clipchamp so that users could render in 1080p for free. It was fantastic news for its users, but it meant that Clipchamp was not the money-making machine Microsoft had hoped for.
As a result, Microsoft has a user base that dislikes being forced to use a specific app and dislikes paying for pre-installed software. As a result, it is now turning to advertise within Windows, a strategy that we saw when Microsoft added ads to File Explorer.
With so much animosity toward these ads, it won’t be long before users figure out how to turn them off or disable the feature entirely. As a result, Microsoft’s efforts to profit from Windows 11 will continue.
Windows 11’s ad problems persist
With Microsoft testing new sign-in menu ads in Windows 11, more efforts to monetize the operating system will likely be made in the future. But, with such strong opposition to the plan, will Microsoft be able to turn Windows 11 into a profitable venture, or will users simply turn them off and ignore them?
