Microsoft has introduced app suggestions from the Windows Store in the Start menu as part of a beta update.
This was announced as part of the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3495 beta update.
The update seeks to improve the convenience of the Start menu, which already groups recently-installed apps together, Microsoft said in a blog post.
“[W]e are now trying out recommendations to help you discover great apps from the Microsoft Store under Recommended on the Start menu,” they added.
This beta feature will only be available to a “small set” of “Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel in the US.”
Users can turn off the feature if they find it inconvenient.
This is done by going to Settings > Personalization > Start and then deselecting the toggle “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more”.
This is not the first time Microsoft has trialled ads on Windows.
Windows frequently tests features that may add value to the operating system with a small user base using Windows Insider, a software testing program for Windows.
However, this does not mean that there is any guarantee that the feature will be rolled out across all devices.
“As a reminder, we regularly try out new experiences and concepts that may never get released with Windows Insiders to get feedback,” Microsft added.
MyBroadband reported that Windows 11 experimented with ads for their services in the sign-out flyout menu in 2022.
A few months before this, Windows Insiders noticed ads for Microsoft products in the File Explorer app.
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