I made Windows 11 totally ad-free by disabling these settings

• Turn off lock screen ads
• Clear ads out of Windows Search and File Explorer
• Turn off tips and suggestions from Windows

When you boot up Windows 11 for the first time, you’re greeted with tons of new features and customization options. Whether it’s the redesigned Start Menu, Microsoft Copilot, Phone Link, Widgets, or Snap Layouts, to name a few. However, one thing that really bothers me about Windows 11 is the number of ads and tips that Microsoft sneaks into different parts of the operating system.

Although the ads are subtle, they are noticeable and, in my opinion, heavily detract from the Windows experience. If you just booted up a laptop that cost you hundreds of dollars, recently upgraded to Windows 11, or paid $140 for Windows 11 Home or $200 for Windows 11 Pro, the last thing you probably want to see is ads being displayed on the operating system itself.

Fortunately, removing these ads is straightforward, and you don’t have to download any sketchy software from the internet to do it, as Microsoft allows you to disable all of them through various options buried in the Settings menu. Here’s how I easily made my Windows 11 PC ad-free, and how you can do it too.

The first place I ever noticed ads on Windows 11 was the Start Menu, and since I frequently use the Start Menu to open various apps on my PC and search for files, this is where I first sought to remove them.

When Windows 11 first launched, the Start Menu didn’t actually have this problem, but back in 2024, with its KB5036980 update, Microsoft decided to start including recommended apps from the Microsoft Store into the Start Menu “from a small set of curated developers.”

To get rid of these stealthy app recommendations, you’ll need to open the Settings menu, which you can do by searching for Settings or by pressing Win + I on your keyboard. Once you have Settings open, go to Personalization > Start. In the list of options under Start, you’ll see one that says “Show recommended files in Start, recent files in File Explorer, and items in Jump Lists” and another option that says “Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more.” Toggle both of those off, restart your PC, and your Start Menu will look a lot cleaner and ad-free.

Turn off lock screen ads

Windows Spotlight is nice, but it unfortunately has ads

When you turn on your PC, you’re greeted with the Windows 11 lock screen, which by default uses the Windows Spotlight feature. I’m actually quite a fan of this, and I like how it dynamically changes the lock screen image to different parts of the world. It makes the experience of using Windows feel different every time you boot up your PC, and you might even discover something new about the world while you’re doing it.

However, not all good things are perfect, as Microsoft has integrated ads and tips into the Windows 11 lock screen with Windows Spotlight. The only way to remove them is to, unfortunately, disable the Windows Spotlight feature and select your own background image.

To do this, head to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. From there, you’ll have to change the “Personalize your lock screen” option from “Windows Spotlight” to either your own picture or a slideshow. Once you’ve done that, you’ll see an option to toggle off “Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen,” which will effectively make your lock screen ad-free.

Clear ads out of Windows Search and File Explorer

You shouldn’t have to see ads when organizing files

Microsoft also has ads hiding in Windows Search and File Explorer, and while they are subtle, they are still a nuisance and not something I want to see while searching for and organizing files.

To hide ads in Windows Search, open Settings again and go to Privacy & security > Search. In the list of options, you’ll find one called “Show search highlights,” which adds “content suggestions” to Windows Search, which is just a fancy way of saying its sharing ads. Toggle off “Show search highlights,” and your Windows Search experience will be much more seamless and ad-free.

Moving on to File Explorer, I haven’t personally seen ads or recommendations displayed in mine, but some users have reported encountering them. To remove these ads, open File Explorer and click the ellipsis icon (the three dots) near the top of the menu, to the right of the Sort and View. From there, in the menu that pops up, click Options. A new menu called Folder Options will appear. Switch to the “View tab” in that menu, scroll down, and toggle off the “Show sync provider notifications” option. Then click “Apply” and “OK” to save your changes.

Even the place where you turn off ads has ads

Ironically, Microsoft also shows ads in the very place you go to turn them off: the Settings menu. Once again, these ads are subtle and typically feature product recommendations and offers, and you’ll probably see them at the top of different pages in the Settings app.

To prevent ads from showing up in your Windows Settings menu, open the Settings app and navigate to Privacy & Security > Recommendations offers. On that page, you’ll find an option called “Recommendations and offers in Settings” that you’ll want to turn off. This will stop ads or promotions from appearing in your Settings menu.

Additionally, in that same menu (Recommendations & offers), you can disable “Advertising ID,” which blocks third-party apps from showing you personalized ads based on your Windows Activity. Another option that is definitely worth disabling is “Personalized offers,” which shows you personalized tips, ads, and recommendations.

Turn off tips and suggestions from Windows

If you’re already experienced with Windows, its tips are unnecessary

Finally, besides Microsoft pushing ads into the Windows 11 experience, it has also added many tips and suggestions. If you’re new to Windows 11, these can genuinely be helpful, but if you’re an experienced Windows user who just got a new PC or performed a fresh installation of Windows, the flood of tips that Microsoft sends can quickly become annoying, just like the ads can be.

To stop receiving tips and suggestions from Windows, go to Settings > System > Notifications, and scroll down to the bottom of the page where you’ll find “Additional Settings.” Click that, and you’ll see three different options appear. I recommend toggling off “Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows and finishing settings up this device” and “Get tips and suggestions when using Windows.” I’ve been using Windows 11 for years, yet sporadically, I still get a “Finish setting up Windows 11” pop-up, which can be quite annoying since I completed that process about two years ago. Disabling these options will prevent that.

Additionally, there’s one last option you can disable called “Show the Windows welcome experience after updates and when signed in to show what’s new and suggested.” If you want to stay informed about the latest features added to Windows 11 after an update, it’s probably worth keeping this on. However, if you don’t care or already know what Windows is adding, toggling this off is another useful way to declutter your Windows experience.