Disabling Personalized Ads on Windows 11
Man, if you’re tired of those annoying personalized ads or pop-up notifications constantly creeping in on your Windows 11 machine, I get it. It’s one of those things where you think, “Did I really sign up for this?” whether it’s the tips, promos, or suggestions that Windows throws at you seemingly out of nowhere. I’ve been tangled in this mess myself. Sometimes, just toggling a few settings or rebooting a couple of times gets things quiet for a bit, but it’s not always straightforward. Luckily, there are a few ways to cut back on the annoyance—and while you might not totally kill the ads, it’s worth reducing their frequency.
How to Cut Down Notifications and Tracking in Windows 11
That persistent barrage of notifications pushing tips, recommendations, or advertising can be really distracting, especially if you prefer a cleaner workspace. The sneakiest part is these pop-ups tend to come back after major updates or resets, so it’s good to know where to find the settings. On my older ASUS, some of these options were buried deep in advanced menus, so don’t get discouraged if it takes some digging.
Turning Off Data Collection and Personalized Tracking
Start by trying to limit what info Windows is collecting on you for ad purposes. Here’s what finally worked for me, after messing around with different menus:
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Hit Windows key + I to open the Settings. Sometimes, this keyboard shortcut feels slow or doesn’t work right away. If it doesn’t open immediately, clicking around in the Start menu or trying again often helps.
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Go to Privacy & Security. It’s usually one of the first options on the sidebar, but the menu can be overwhelming. If “Privacy & Security” isn’t obvious, just type “Privacy” into the search bar at the top of Settings, and it should pop up.
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Scroll down to the General section under the Windows permissions. Here’s where Microsoft hides some of the sneakiest settings—probably to keep us confused, or maybe just because they want to keep some options quiet.
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Now, turn off toggles next to options like “Let apps show suggestions on the Start menu”, “Let apps use advertising ID to make ads more relevant”, and similar things. Also, consider disabling “Let Windows track app launches”. These settings feed your ad profile with your activity and preferences.
This definitely isn’t a cure-all, but turning these off makes Windows less intrusive and reduces targeted ads. Once disabled, you’ll notice fewer suggestions and less personalized content popping up randomly—that alone is worth it.
Stopping Windows Tips and Notification Banners
On top of ads, Windows also loves to flood your screen with tips and suggestions, often in tiny banners or pop-ups. Here’s how to quiet those down:
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Press Windows key + I again just to get into Settings.
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Select System from the sidebar.
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Click on Notifications. Fair warning, sometimes this section hides more options under expandable menus or additional settings sections, so scroll around if needed.
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Look for Notifications & actions. Here, you’ll see checkboxes for various notification types—just uncheck everything related to tips, suggestions, or recommendations. Be prepared for a minor search; Windows sometimes sneaks these options into obscure spots.
By doing this, notifications about tricks or promos should be significantly reduced. It’s a relief—I was surprised how many of these had to be unchecked to really see a difference. Keep in mind, these settings might reset after major system updates or patches, so it’s good to revisit them every now and then if things creep back.
Final Advice: Patience is Key
This whole process isn’t necessarily a one-and-done deal. Windows likes to restore these settings after updates or reinstallations, so expect to redo some of this down the line. Also, some options are scattered across different menu layers—probably to keep us from disabling everything easily. Don’t get frustrated if it feels like a scavenger hunt. Just take your time.
It’s worth mentioning that while these steps will make your experience less cluttered, they won’t completely kill all ads or tips. But honestly, that’s probably a good thing—Windows’ attempts at personalization are kinda invasive at times. Still, these adjustments help keep your desktop cleaner and your privacy a bit more intact.
If you’re feeling extra cautious, and you’re on Windows Pro, you can go further with the Group Policy Editor (type gpedit.msc in the Run prompt—Win + R). Then, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Privacy to toggle telemetry and ad service options. On Home editions, you might need to dig into registry edits, but that’s a rabbit hole for another time.
Hope this helps — it took me way too long to figure it out, honestly. Windows privacy can feel like a maze, but with a little patience, you can get it closer to what you want.
Just double-check that you’ve looked at these points:
- Privacy settings in Settings > Privacy & Security
- Disabling app suggestions and ad tracking
- Notification settings for tips and suggestions
- Potential extra steps with Group Policy (for Pro users) or registry edits
Anyway, hope this saves someone else a weekend. Good luck tweaking your Windows experience—you’ll thank yourself later!