Have you ever wondered how incredible it would be to see ads while navigating your files in File Explorer? Hell no, which is why Microsoft, a company that isn’t ashamed of making bone-headed decisions once in a while, seems to be doing exactly that. Images shared over social media can confirm that Microsoft has begun testing ads in Windows 11’s File Explorer, hinting at the potential inclusion of banners that prompt users to check out some of the company’s other products, such as Microsoft Editor, in a future version of the OS.
Some people will go mad if Microsoft starts adding ads in explorer. pic.twitter.com/rusnyrYyX2
— Florian (@flobo09) March 12, 2022
An older tweet from Tero Alhonen suggests that Microsoft has actually had this crazy idea stuck in its head since 2016, although it’s unclear how serious the company really is about making users jump ship to another OS this time around.
OneDrive ad on File Explorer pic.twitter.com/XZXcG0UNFl
— Tero Alhonen💙💛 (@teroalhonen) October 13, 2016
Microsoft is testing ads in the Windows 11 File Explorer (Bleeping Computer)
- This is not the first time Microsoft places ads in various parts of Windows UI. In Windows 10, for example, File Explorer was once showing OneDrive banners.
- Also, Microsoft tried to push WordPad users to Office Online using various banners and prompts (not to mention desperate efforts to enforce the Edge browser).
- Although we do not know whether we will actually see new ads in File Explorer, you can expect Microsoft to continue pushing its services using various user-hostile practices.