It’s a waste of money. Microsoft has released an update to Windows 11 that has ads displayed in the Start menu.

It was recently discovered that Microsoft had been testing ads in the Windows 11 Start menu earlier this month. Since this is a test, it is possible that the company may decide to remove it when releasing the actual update. But the truth is that Microsoft intends to display ads in the full update.

Ads in the Start menu are for recommended apps from the Microsoft Store. Microsoft’s goal is to make new apps more accessible to users than ever before. And it’s also beneficial to developers that the company tries to recruit to develop apps for Windows 11.

Microsoft has now released an advertisement-laden Windows 11 update. The version number is KB5036980, with the update releasing this week. Users can check for updates in Windows Updates.

Luckily, Microsoft has an option to turn off ads. To do this, go to Settings > Personalization > Start, then turn off Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more. Currently, users can also turn it off themselves. But in the future, it is still not possible to know whether it will be mandatory or not.