How to Disable Ads and Enhance Privacy on Windows 11
Windows 11 users can disable integrated advertisements and telemetry by modifying specific settings within the System and Privacy menus, according to technical guidance from DroidSans. These adjustments target “suggested content” in the Start menu, lock screen tips, and background data collection used for personalized advertising.
Disabling Start Menu and Lock Screen Advertisements
Microsoft integrates promotional content into the Windows 11 user interface, often labeled as suggestions. To remove these from the Start menu, users must navigate to Settings, select Personalization, and then click on Start. According to DroidSans, toggling off the option for “Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more” stops the system from displaying promoted applications and feature suggestions in the Start layout.
Lock screen advertisements, which appear as “fun facts” or tips, are managed under the Personalization menu. Users can disable these by selecting Lock screen and changing the “Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen” setting to off. This prevents the OS from pulling external content and advertisements onto the primary login screen.
Restricting System-Level Telemetry and Advertising IDs
Windows 11 assigns a unique advertising ID to each user to track app usage and deliver targeted ads. DroidSans reports that this can be disabled by going to Settings, selecting Privacy & security, and clicking on General. Turning off “Let apps use advertising ID to make ads more relevant to you” prevents third-party applications from utilizing this specific identifier for profiling.
The same Privacy & security menu contains the Diagnostics & feedback section. Microsoft collects basic diagnostic data by default, but users can limit this by ensuring only “Required diagnostic data” is sent. Disabling the “Tailored experiences” toggle in this menu stops Microsoft from using diagnostic data to provide personalized ads and suggestions across Windows services.
Managing Notification and App Permissions
System notifications often serve as a vector for promotional alerts. DroidSans instructs users to visit Settings, then System, and select Notifications. From here, users can scroll to the bottom of the list to find “Additional settings.” Unchecking the boxes for “Offer suggestions on how I can set up my device” and “Get tips and suggestions when using Windows” removes system-level promotional pop-ups.
Further privacy hardening involves the “App permissions” section within Privacy & security. This allows users to revoke access to the microphone, camera, and location for specific apps, reducing the amount of data available for behavioral tracking used in ad targeting.
Microsoft continues to update the placement of these settings in subsequent Windows 11 builds, meaning the exact menu paths may shift during OS updates.