Getting rid of ads in Windows 11 isn’t exactly a walkabout at the beach, but it’s definitely doable—if you know where to look. Those annoying suggestions, promos, or tips can pop up all over, especially in the Start menu or notification area. Some folks find them handy, but most just want a cleaner, less cluttered screen. Here’s how to block a lot of that rubbish without messing around with dodgy third-party tools.
How to Remove Ads from Windows 11
Basically, you’re turning off the personalisation stuff and hiding those suggestions. They’re the main culprits for the ads.
Method 1: Tweak Privacy Settings
This one’s pretty easy. Windows ads often rely on the Advertising ID and some personalisation options. Turning them off helps clutter fewer targeted ads and makes the interface less busy.
Why bother? Because Windows uses your activity data to serve up suggestions and promos, so if you turn those off, less of that stuff will show up. When’s a good time? If you’re sick of seeing suggestions more annoying than helpful. Expect fewer targeted ads in places like the Start menu and Settings.
Head to Settings > Privacy & Security, then click on General. Find the option Let apps use advertising ID to make ads more interesting to you based on your app activity and uncheck it.
Sometimes, this doesn’t block everything — you might still see some suggestions. Tough luck, I guess. But it does help a lot.
Method 2: Turn off Suggestions in Start
Next, those pesky tips that pop up in your Start menu—beyond ads, I mean. They’re usually just suggestions or promos. To turn ’em off:
Go back to Settings, then to Personalisation > Start. Look for Show suggestions occasionally in Start and switch it off.
This one’s a biggie. On some setups, leaving this on means the “Recommended” section is full of ads or promos. Turning it off usually sorts it out. Sometimes you’ll need to restart or log out and back in for the changes to take effect. My experience? Sometimes it works instantly, other times a reboot is the trick. Windows can be a bit of a pain about it.
Method 3: Disable Tips & Notifications
Another annoyance is tips and notifications popping up in the system tray. To turn these down, go to Settings > System > Notifications & actions. Switch off Get tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows or similar options. This cuts down some prompts that feel a bit like ads, but not all of them.
Heads up: Some promos are built into Windows or come from third-party apps, so these steps only tidy up the in-OS clutter. If you still see ads or suggestions, check if any recent apps you’ve installed have notifications you can disable.
Method 4: Registry Tweaks (for the tech-savvy)
If nothing else works, some folks get stuck into the Registry to turn off suggestions or promos. But a word of warning: editing the Registry can be risky if you don’t know what you’re doing. Usually, you’d navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager and disable things like SubscribedContent-338388Content1. Changing certain DWORD values to 0 can hide suggestions.
Why bother? It can stop those persistent suggestion banners. But it’s not guaranteed to work perfectly and can cause issues if you go too far. Only try this if you’re comfortable editing the Registry, and make sure to back up first. Also, keep in mind that updates from Microsoft might undo or alter these tweaks.
More tips to keep your Windows nice and tidy
- Keep Windows up to date. Patches often adjust ad features or turn them off. Staying current helps avoid surprises.
- Use a browser ad blocker. Not everything’s Windows-specific—loads of ads appear on websites. Extensions like uBlock Origin or AdGuard do the job well.
- Check notification settings regularly, especially after installing new apps. Some might add their own prompts or promos.
- If it’s really doing your head in, consider third-party ad blockers or tweaks—just stick to reputable stuff.
- Watch out for new apps or bloatware. Some come with ad features, so uninstall or restrict permissions if you can.
FAQs — Just in case
How do I remove ads from the lock screen?
Head to Settings > Personalisation > Lock Screen. Change the background from Windows Spotlight to a picture or slideshow instead. That way, you won’t see those “discover Windows features” promos when the screen’s locked.
Can I disable all ads forever?
Nope, not entirely. Windows always has some promos built in. But turning off suggestions and personalisation gets you close. For complete removal, you might need third-party tools or registry hacks—just be aware it’s a bit risky.
Why do ads still pop up after I turned everything off?
This can happen because of browser ads, third-party apps, or sneaky Windows features. Sometimes updates re-enable certain promos. Checking app-specific notification settings often sorts it out.
Is this safe? Do these tweaks hurt privacy?
Turning off ad personalisation generally boosts your privacy by limiting data sharing with Microsoft. Registry tweaks are safe if you’re careful, but always back up first.
Are third-party ad blockers risky?
Some can be dodgy if you’re not careful. Stick to trusted ones like uBlock Origin and avoid shady extensions or apps. Better safe than sorry.
Quick summary
- Open Settings.
- Head to Privacy & Security and turn off ad personalisation.
- In Personalisation > Start, switch off suggestions.
- Disable tips/notifications in System > Notifications.
- If needed, tweak the Registry to block suggestions further.
Hopefully, this saves someone a few hours of frustration. Just remember, Windows isn’t perfect at hiding its promos, but with a bit of patience, it’s manageable. Good luck tidying up that interface—finally!