10 ways to stop annoying ads in Windows

It's time to take your PC back  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Windows Intelligence](#) [Windows Intelligence](#) Brought to you by: [1440 logo](=)​ Hello again! This week, I wanted to go beyond that Start menu advertising everyone is talking about. I've got a collection of tips to silence all kinds of annoying ads and other junk you'll see all over Windows. The settings are scattered, but after you change them, Microsoft will spend much less time bothering you. Thank you to everyone who voted in the inaugural poll last week! You'll find the results at the bottom of this newsletter. Now, I've got another question for you: 🗳️ [Which web browser is your favorite?](=) Cast your vote! [Chris Hoffman, AUthor] Chris Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 2 minutes ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 1 minute 30 seconds ⌚ Top Thurrott Thoughts: 30 seconds ⌚ Just for Fun: 20 seconds ​ [] [3 Things to Know This Week] ​ 1. The much-hyped Arc web browser is now on Windows ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: The Browser Company just released Arc for Windows to everyone. You can now install and try out the innovative "power-user" browser Mac users have been raving about. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Web browsers are the most popular type of application on PCs, but they haven't changed much. Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and even Brave all work pretty similarly. Arc tries to reimagine the web browser. - Arc encourages you to stop managing tabs, fusing together tabs and bookmarks into a combined tab-plus-bookmarks sidebar. It's a totally different way of using the web. - The browser also has a built-in split view feature, so you can pair two web pages you use frequently and quickly access them like you'd access a tab or bookmark. These are just two of Arc's unusual features — there are more! - Arc is only available on Windows 11 right now, but you can also use it on Macs, iPhones, and iPads. Windows 10 support is coming soon. The Browser Company is working on an Android app, but it's not out yet. 📌 READ MORE: Visit [Arc's website](=) to check it out. Or, take a look at [Paul Thurrott's recent review of Arc](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Windows 11 is having trouble replacing Windows 10 ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Despite what you may read online, Windows 11's market share probably isn't crashing. But it's definitely not gaining on Windows 10 as fast as Microsoft would like. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Data from Statcounter shows Windows 11 usage declining and Windows 10 usage increasing, with 3% of Windows PCs shifting from Windows 11 to Windows 10 over the past few months. - It's worth noting that Statcounter gets its data from tracking code on websites. In other words, it's all about web page views — if Windows 10 is strong in workplaces and people tend to load more web pages at work than at home, that could be propping up Windows 10's numbers. - Meanwhile, the Steam Hardware Survey shows the opposite, with Windows 11 gaining about 3% at Windows 10's expense over the past month. This isn't scientific, either, and it's more focused on PC gamers than the average PC user. - Still, one thing is sure: Windows 10 is still above Windows 11, and Windows 11 isn't gaining fast enough. I can't recall ever seeing a time when a version of Windows was this popular a year and a half from its "end of support" date. 📌 READ MORE: Take a look at the [Statcounter report](=) yourself, check out the [Steam Hardware Survey]( details. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Many of Windows 11's AI plans have leaked ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Microsoft is ramping up to announce Windows 11's AI features on May 20. But if you're interested in them now, the good news is that many of these details have already leaked. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Over at Windows Central, Zac Bowden has a great roundup of leaks from his sources about what to expect. - It's all about an "AI Explorer" that will run in the background and watch everything you do on your PC. Then, you can ask it for things later — web pages, emails, conversations, and more. - AI Explorer will have some sort of search box on the top of your screen where you can search for activities you've performed on your PC.​ - With "Screen Understanding," AI Explorer can see and understand everything on your screen. It works with every app on Windows. 📌 READ MORE: Take a look at [all the inside details](=). SPONSORED MESSAGE Why 3.5M trust this 1 daily news briefing 🗞️ [Two people sitting together and saying, "great news!"](=)​ You’re a free-thinking human, right? So why put up with biased news sources! ​[Subscribe to 1440](=). Read by 3.5 MILLION truth seekers, it’s a free, daily news email that’s edited to be as unbiased as humanly possible. Everyday, the 1440 ~humans~ (not AI) scour through 100+ sources, then send the top stories to your inbox. No editorializing, no clickbait, and no spin — just the facts! “1440 is the single best news curator, period. Absolutely no bias. I don’t need anyone’s opinion, I can form my own!” - Amy ➜ [Read what’s really happening in business, politics, and more in just 5 minutes!](=) [​​SUBSCRIBE TO 1440 FOR FREE!​​​​ ➜](=) ​ [] [3 Things to Try This Week] 1. Eliminate all the noisy ads and viral junk on your PC Microsoft has slowly slipped advertisement after advertisement onto your PC, scattering them throughout Windows. And there's all kinds of other junk in Windows that may or may not technically be "advertising," too. ➜ You can turn a lot of these obnoxious things off and embrace a calmer PC experience where Windows bothers you less. But Microsoft scatters the switches to control these features all over the place. ⌚ You can go through these settings in a minute or two. 💻 This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. 📌 Head to [my latest Computerworld column](=) to discover all the useful buried options. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Add your favorite folders to the Start menu Want easy access to your Downloads, Documents, and other folders in File Explorer in one click from your Start menu? There's a convenient way to make that happen. ➜ This built-in option lets you add little buttons to common folders on the bottom of your Start menu (on Windows 11) or the left side of your Start menu (on Windows 10.) ⌚ You can add some folders in 10 seconds. 💻 This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. 📌 Check out [this quick new guide of mine]( to see how to do it. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Activate a hidden task-ending taskbar option Did an application freeze? You normally have to launch the Task Manager to end it. But what if you could do that straight from the taskbar? Windows 11 has a hidden option for just that. ➜ You should close apps in the normal way if you can, but this can be a convenient troubleshooting feature to have close at hand. ⌚ You can turn this on in just 10 seconds. 💻 This option is only on Windows 11. (On Windows 10, you'll still have to open the Task Manager to find it.) To activate this taskbar option, open the Settings app on Windows 11 and head to System > For developers. Turn on "End task." [The "End Task "option under System > For developers.] Now, when you right-click an application icon on your taskbar, you'll see an "End task" option right next to "Close window." That could speed things up when dealing with frozen applications. But use it with caution! You could lose your data by force-closing an application if you click it accidentally. [The "End task" option on Windows 11's taskbar.] ​ [] [Top Thurrott Thoughts] Some standout links and expert analysis from our friends at Thurrott, who have been covering Windows since 1994: - ​[The Browser Company Answers Your Questions About Arc for Windows](=) - The Mac version will lose features. - ​[Fear of Google Pushed Microsoft to OpenAI Partnership]()​ - Interesting internal emails! - ​[A Tale of Two 24H2s (Premium)](=) - Here's where Windows 11 is going. - ​[Microsoft Acknowledges VPN Connection Issues on Windows 11 and Windows 10]() - Not good, but the problem seems rare. - ​[ChromeOS Flex: First Steps]() - ChromeOS for your old PC. - ​[The Missing Pieces of the Puzzle (Premium)](=)​ - Here's what Paul Thurrott misses from Windows when he uses a Mac. ​ [Subscribe]() [And Just for Funsies...] Imagine a computer that could brew you coffee with one press of a button. No, not a "smart coffee maker" — I'm talking about a coffee machine built into a desktop PC. That's exactly what the DIY-focused YouTube channel NerdForge created: [A desktop PC that can also brew coffee with the press of a button](=). It turns out there's a lot of room in those big desktop PC cases! Obviously, most people shouldn't try this at home. But also, it's such a cool PC DIY project. Someone shared this video with me, and I just have to share it with you: [[video preview]​](=) ​ Until next time... Enjoy your weekend! As I've mentioned before, there will be a lot of big news for Windows arriving on the 20th. If you're wondering why you should bother buying a new PC because your current PC works fine, the PC industry might have a better answer for you a few weeks from now. See you next week! --------------------------------------------------------------- 📊 Last week's poll results: In last week's Windows Intelligence poll, I asked what Windows version you use. The winner was Windows 11, with 38% off the vote. Windows 10 came up second at 31%. 27% of people use both Windows 11 and Windows 10. That's interesting — I personally use both, but it's a good reminder that most people are only using one or the other. Finally, 2% of respondents use an older version of Windows — and 1% don't use Windows at all! 🗳️ If you haven't already, be sure to [vote in this week's poll](=)! 🤚 Wait! Before you go: What'd you think of this issue? [Thumbs Up]( [Thumbs Down]() Hit the thumbs-up or thumbs-down to cast your vote and let me know. Want less email? [Update your reading preferences](=) to opt out of any individual publications or unsubscribe entirely. New here and not yet subscribed? Take two seconds to [sign up for our newsletters](): Windows Intelligence, Android Intelligence, or Cool Tools (or all three!). Hungry for even more? 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