How to Turn Off Ads in Windows 11 With 7 Built-In Settings

Windows 11 keeps showing ads in places you can’t easily switch off: “fun facts” on the lock screen, suggested apps in Start, OneDrive pitches in File Explorer, promo cards in Settings, sponsored stories in Widgets, and sponsored tiles in Edge. There is no single master switch, but seven groups of built-in settings turn off most of it, usually without admin rights or third-party tools.

Quick Answer: The 7-Spot Checklist

• Lock screen: Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. Switch from Windows spotlight to Picture or Slideshow, then uncheck Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen.
• Start menu: Settings > Personalization > Start. Turn off Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more and Show account-related notifications.
• File Explorer: … menu > Options > View tab. Uncheck Show sync provider notifications.
• Settings app and tips: Settings > Privacy & security > General (or Recommendations & offers). Turn off suggested content. Then go to Settings > System > Notifications > Additional settings and uncheck the welcome, setup, and tips boxes.
• Widgets: Turn off the news feed inside the widgets board, or switch off Widgets in Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.
• Advertising ID and personalized offers: Settings > Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers. Turn off Personalized offers and Advertising ID. On older versions, use General for the advertising ID and Diagnostics & feedback for Tailored experiences.
• Microsoft Edge: Open a new tab, click the gear icon, and turn off sponsored quick links and the content feed.

If a path doesn’t match your PC, type the setting’s name into the Settings search box. Microsoft moves these toggles between feature updates.

Version note: These steps follow the setting names Microsoft Support documents for Windows 11 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2, checked in October 2026. Microsoft rolls some controls out gradually, so the Widgets, Start, and Edge options in particular can be labeled differently or missing on your PC.

Where Windows 11 Shows Ads (and Why There’s No One Switch)

Windows 11 doesn’t show banner ads like a website. It puts promotions inside features that also do useful things. Spotlight shows a wallpaper and a tip. Start shows your recent files and a suggested app. Each feature owns its own switch, so one master toggle would also break the useful parts.

Microsoft also moves these controls around. Its own support pages describe two layouts. Some builds have a Recommendations & offers page under Privacy & security. Others keep the same controls under Privacy & security > General (Microsoft Support: Recommendations & offers; Microsoft Support: General privacy settings, both retrieved October 6, 2026). Each fix below lists the keyword to search if your menu looks different.

This guide covers the main built-in ad surfaces. Promotions that come from individual apps, such as Microsoft Store or OneDrive app notifications and Microsoft 365 subscription prompts, are controlled per app under Settings > System > Notifications or inside the app itself.

Before You Begin

• A PC running a currently supported Windows 11 feature update (24H2 or later matches these labels most closely)
• Your own user account, local or Microsoft (admin rights usually aren’t needed, because most of these are per-user settings)
• Microsoft Edge, if you want to clean up its new-tab page (Fix #7)

Requirement	Details
Device	Any Windows 11 desktop, laptop, or tablet
OS version	Windows 11, current supported feature updates; labels vary by build
Permissions	Usually a standard user is enough. No Group Policy or registry edits needed
Software	Built-in only: Settings, File Explorer, Microsoft Edge
Managed PCs	Work or school PCs may have some toggles grayed out by IT policy

Work laptop? If a toggle is grayed out with “Some of these settings are managed by your organization,” your IT department controls it. You can’t change it from your account. Ask IT instead.

Most of these are per-user settings. If several people share the PC, each person needs to repeat the steps while signed in to their own account.

Step-by-Step Guide

Fix #1: Switch the Lock Screen Away From Windows Spotlight

The lock screen is the first ad surface you see. Microsoft says Spotlight “displays a rotating set of images from Microsoft, along with tips, tricks, and notifications” (Microsoft Support: Customize the lock screen, retrieved October 8, 2026).

• Press Win + I to open Settings.
• Click Personalization > Lock screen. You can also press Win + R, type ms-settings:lockscreen, and press Enter.
• Open the Personalize your lock screen dropdown and choose Picture or Slideshow.

• Uncheck Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen. On most current builds this checkbox appears only after you pick Picture or Slideshow, which is why switching away from Spotlight is the reliable way to remove the tips.
• Set Lock screen status to None if it shows Weather and more. That option can add news, weather, and stock cards to the lock screen.

Expected result: Press Win + L. Your lock screen should show a static photo with only the clock and date, and no text overlay.

Tip: If you use Spotlight as your desktop background (Personalization > Background), a “Learn about this picture” icon appears on the desktop. Switch Personalize your background to Picture to remove it.

If the path has moved: search Settings for “lock screen”.

Fix #2: Turn Off Start Menu Recommendations

Start’s Recommended section mixes your recent files with suggested apps and Microsoft Store promotions. Some builds also show account prompts, such as nudges to back up your files or finish setting up your Microsoft account.

• Open Settings > Personalization > Start (or run ms-settings:personalization-start from Win + R).
• Turn off Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more. This toggle removes the promotions.
• Turn off Show account-related notifications if it appears. It only shows up on some builds and account types, so skip this step if it’s missing.
• Optional: Turn off Show recommended files in Start, recent files in File Explorer, and items in Jump Lists if you also want your own recent files hidden. This is a privacy choice, not an ad control, and it also clears the recent files list in File Explorer.

• Click Start to check the result.

Expected result: Suggested apps and promotional tiles are gone from Start. On some builds the Recommended area stays visible but empty. If so, choose the More pins layout on the same Settings page to shrink it. Newer Start menu designs can hide the section completely once every toggle is off.

If the path has moved: search Settings for “recommendations” or “Start settings”.

Fix #3: Stop OneDrive Pop-Ups in File Explorer

File Explorer shows banners above your files, such as reminders to back up to OneDrive or try Microsoft 365 storage plans. Windows calls these “sync provider notifications.”

• Open File Explorer (Win + E).
• Click the … (See more) button in the toolbar.
• Click Options. You can also press Win + R, type control folders, and press Enter to open the same dialog.
• Click the View tab.
• In the Advanced settings list, scroll down to Show sync provider notifications and uncheck it.

• Click Apply, then OK.

Expected result: The banners above your file list stop appearing. Close and reopen File Explorer if one is still visible.

This checkbox only affects File Explorer. It doesn’t stop OneDrive from syncing, and it doesn’t silence prompts from the OneDrive app itself. If you’d rather keep backups on an external SSD instead, you can also turn off folder backup in the OneDrive app’s settings.

Fix #4: Remove Promo Cards From Settings and Silence Windows Tips

The Settings home page can show cards that promote Microsoft services, such as Microsoft 365 or Game Pass, depending on your account and build. Separately, Windows shows “welcome” screens and setup nags after updates. Both are covered here because they live next to each other.

Part A: Turn off suggested content in Settings

• Open Settings. Look at the Home page so you know which promo cards your account currently shows.

• Click Privacy & security.
• If you see Recommendations & offers, click it and turn off Show me suggested content in the Settings app. To also stop activity-based offers, turn off Get personalized tips, ads, and recommendations based on my Windows activity (Personalized offers).
• If you only see General, click it and turn off Show me suggested content in the Settings app. Also turn off Show me notifications in the Settings app if it’s listed.

Expected result: Suggested content inside the Settings app should go away. This toggle doesn’t clear the whole Home page: account, subscription, and storage cards can stay because they’re tied to your account rather than to this setting.

Part B: Turn off Windows tips and post-update welcome screens

• Go to Settings > System > Notifications (or run ms-settings:notifications).
• Scroll down and expand Additional settings.
• Uncheck the boxes listed there. Microsoft’s support page documents the welcome experience and tips boxes, and most builds also show the setup suggestion box:
  • Show the Windows welcome experience after updates and when signed in to show what’s new and suggested
  • Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows and finish setting up this device
  • Get tips and suggestions when using Windows

Expected result: The full-screen “Let’s finish setting up your device” prompts and tip pop-ups should stop. Microsoft documents the welcome and tips controls in its Notifications and Do Not Disturb article (retrieved October 6, 2026).

If the path has moved: search Settings for “suggested content”, “offers”, or “tips”.

Fix #5: Clean Up (or Turn Off) the Widgets Board

The widgets board, opened from the weather icon on the left of the taskbar, includes a news feed with sponsored stories. The taskbar icon also flashes headlines and alert badges.

Option A: Keep widgets but hide the news feed

• Click the weather icon on the taskbar, or press Win + W.
• Click the Settings (gear) icon in the top-right corner of the board.
• Look for the feed control, labeled Show or hide feeds, Show feed, or Discover feed depending on your build, and turn the feed off.
• Under Notifications in the same Settings pane, turn off Show announcements and Show notification badges if they’re listed.

On some newer builds the feed and taskbar alerts are already off by default. Microsoft began testing quieter Widgets defaults with Windows Insiders in 2026 (Windows Latest), so skip any control you don’t see.

Expected result: The board shows only the widgets you pinned, such as weather or calendar, without sponsored stories.

Option B: Remove widgets from the taskbar

• Right-click an empty part of the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings (or run ms-settings:taskbar).
• Under Taskbar items, turn off Widgets.

Expected result: The weather icon is gone. Win + W may still open the board.

Widget labels change more often than any other area. If you can’t find the feed toggle, use Option B.

Fix #6: Turn Off the Advertising ID and Personalized Offers

This fix doesn’t remove an ad surface. It stops Windows and apps from personalizing ads with your activity. Microsoft states that turning off the advertising ID won’t reduce how many ads you see, only how targeted they are (Microsoft Support, retrieved October 6, 2026). That’s why you need Fixes #1–5 and #7 to actually remove the ads.

On Windows 11 builds with a Recommendations & offers page:

• Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers.
• Turn off Personalized offers (Get personalized tips, ads, and recommendations based on my Windows activity). This replaces the older Tailored experiences switch.
• Turn off Advertising ID (Let apps show my personalized ads by using my advertising ID).
• Optional: Turn off Let Windows improve Start and search results by tracking app launches if you don’t want app-launch history used for suggestions.

Microsoft lists these toggles on its Recommendations & offers support page.

On older Windows 11 builds with only a General page:

• Go to Settings > Privacy & security > General. You can also run ms-settings:privacy-general.
• Turn off Let apps show me personalized ads by using my advertising ID, and optionally Let Windows improve Start and search results by tracking app launches.
• Go back to Privacy & security and click Diagnostics & feedback.
• Expand Tailored experiences and turn off its toggle. Its full label reads Let Microsoft use your diagnostic data, excluding info about websites you browse, to enhance your product experiences with personalized tips, ads, and recommendations.

Expected result: Every toggle you changed shows Off. Nothing changes visibly right away, because this affects targeting behind the scenes.

If the path has moved: search Settings for “advertising ID”, “personalized offers”, or “tailored”.

Fix #7: Remove Sponsored Content From Edge’s New Tab Page

Edge is the default browser, so its new tab page is often the first place a new Windows 11 user sees ads. It shows sponsored quick-link tiles and a news feed with paid stories. These settings live inside Edge and don’t follow your Windows settings.

• Open Microsoft Edge and press Ctrl + T for a new tab.
• Click the gear icon (Page settings) in the top-right corner of the new tab page.
• Under Quick links, turn off Show sponsored links. Or turn off Quick links entirely if you don’t use them.

• In the same flyout, find the content or feed setting and set it to Off (or Content off, depending on your Edge version).
• Optional: Choose a plain background instead of the daily image, which links to Bing promotions.
• For more control, go to edge://settings and open Start, home, and new tab page.

Expected result: New tabs open with a search box and only the quick links you added, without sponsored tiles or news headlines.

Edge has more tracking and shopping settings under edge://settings if you want to go further.

Configuration: Settings at a Glance

Setting	Location	Typical default	Set to
Personalize your lock screen	Personalization > Lock screen	Windows spotlight	Picture or Slideshow
Get fun facts, tips, tricks…	Personalization > Lock screen	On	Off
Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps…	Personalization > Start	On	Off
Show account-related notifications	Personalization > Start	Varies, not on every build	Off
Show sync provider notifications	File Explorer > Options > View	On	Unchecked
Suggested content / Recommendations and offers in Settings	Privacy & security > General or Recommendations & offers	On	Off
Welcome experience, setup suggestions, tips	System > Notifications > Additional settings	On	All unchecked
Widgets feed / Widgets taskbar item	Widgets board settings / Personalization > Taskbar	On	Off
Advertising ID	Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers (older: General)	On	Off
Personalized offers (older: Tailored experiences)	Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers (older: Diagnostics & feedback)	On	Off
Sponsored links and content feed	Edge new tab > Page settings	On	Off

To return to any of these pages quickly, press Win + R and use the shortcuts listed in the fixes above (ms-settings:lockscreen, ms-settings:personalization-start, ms-settings:notifications, ms-settings:privacy-general, ms-settings:taskbar).

Tips and Troubleshooting

A toggle isn’t where this article says it is

Why it happens: Microsoft keeps reorganizing these pages. Some builds show Recommendations & offers under Privacy & security, while others keep the same switches under General. Microsoft documents both layouts.

Fix: Click the search box at the top-left of Settings and type a keyword such as “advertising ID”, “suggested content”, “recommendations”, “tips”, or “sync provider”. The search results point to the current location.

A toggle doesn’t appear at all

Why it happens: Some options depend on your Windows edition, feature update, region, or whether you sign in with a Microsoft account. Show account-related notifications is the most common example.

Fix: Skip it. A missing toggle means that feature doesn’t apply to your account.

Ads still appear after turning off the advertising ID

Why it happens: The advertising ID controls targeting, not volume. Microsoft says so directly.

Fix: Work through the location-specific fixes (#1–5 and #7). Those remove the actual ad surfaces.

Edge still shows sponsored tiles

Why it happens: Edge has its own settings, separate from Windows.

Fix: Use the gear icon on the new tab page (Fix #7). If you sign in to Edge on several PCs, check each one, because sync doesn’t always carry new-tab layout settings across devices.

Tips and welcome screens came back after an update

Why it happens: Feature updates can re-enable the boxes under System > Notifications > Additional settings.

Fix: Recheck that section after every major update.

Some toggles are grayed out

Why it happens: Your organization manages the PC through policy. IT departments use the Experience policy CSP and related controls documented on Microsoft Learn (both retrieved October 6, 2026) to lock these settings.

Fix: Ask your IT team. Policy overrides your personal settings.

Two more spots worth checking

• Search highlights: The search box can show trending searches and themed Bing artwork. Turn off Show search highlights under Settings > Privacy & security > Search permissions > More settings.
• Setting up a PC for family: Sign in with each person’s account and run the Quick Answer checklist before you hand the machine over.

Help & Answers

FAQ

5 questions

Will these changes come back after a Windows update?

Most stay put. Monthly security updates rarely touch them.

Feature updates are different, because they can reset some toggles or add new promo surfaces with new switches. Rerun the Quick Answer checklist after each feature update.

Is there a single master switch to turn off all Windows 11 ads?

No. Each feature has its own switch, which is why you need all seven fixes. Enterprise and Education editions can use IT policies to block consumer content more broadly, but on Home and Pro the per-feature toggles are the supported method. Third-party “debloat” tools change many settings at once, including registry tweaks that are hard to undo, and they can break features you actually use.

Does disabling these settings affect Windows security notifications?

No. Windows Security alerts (virus detections, firewall warnings, and similar) are controlled separately in Windows Security > Settings > Manage notifications. Windows Update restart prompts also still appear. None of the toggles above silence them.

Why do ads still show up after I turned off the advertising ID?

The advertising ID only controls personalization. Microsoft says turning it off doesn’t reduce the number of ads you see. To remove the ads themselves, use Fixes #1–5 and #7.

Where did “Recommendations & offers” or “Privacy & security > General” go on my PC?

It depends on your build. Newer installs group these toggles under Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers.

Others still list them under Privacy & security > General. Search Settings for “advertising ID” or “suggested content” to find the right page.

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Wrapping Up

Start with the Start menu (Fix #2) and the Settings and notification toggles (Fix #4), because those cover the promotions you see most often in daily use. Then work through the rest when you have time. Keep this checklist handy, because the next feature update may add an eighth. If pop-ups keep appearing outside these places, such as full-screen browser windows claiming your PC is infected or ads on the desktop from an app you don’t recognize, that’s adware. Run a full scan in Windows Security right away.

Step	Action	Applies To
Fix #1	Switch lock screen to Picture/Slideshow, turn off fun facts	Lock screen
Fix #2	Turn off Start recommendations and account notifications	Start menu
Fix #3	Uncheck Show sync provider notifications	File Explorer
Fix #4	Turn off suggested content and the welcome, setup, and tips checkboxes	Settings app, notifications
Fix #5	Turn off widgets feed or the Widgets taskbar item	Taskbar widgets
Fix #6	Turn off advertising ID and personalized offers	Ad personalization
Fix #7	Turn off sponsored links and content feed	Microsoft Edge

Resources

• Privacy settings for recommendations & offers in Windows 11 (Microsoft Support)
• General privacy settings in Windows (Microsoft Support)
• Notifications and Do Not Disturb in Windows (Microsoft Support)
• Manage connections from Windows operating system components to Microsoft services (Microsoft Learn)
• Policy CSP – Experience (Microsoft Learn, for IT-managed PCs)