Microsoft's isn't new to self-promotion. Often in Windows 10, especially when users are using other browsers apart from Edge, a mini preview tab will show up above the Edge icon to herald it, claiming it outpunches other browsers in terms of various metrics, such as speed, performance, and more.
Microsoft OneDrive Ads
That self-promotion has expanded into other venues and has apparently turned a great deal more obvious. Needless to say, users aren't too happy and keen about seeing ads on their operating system.
Over at Twitter, people are grousing about a new self-promotion schtick by Microsoft wherein ads for its OneDrive service show up on Windows 10's File Explorer. Users are reporting that the notification comes up on the Explorer's Quick Access screen, reminding them that OneDrive and Office 365 can be purchased for just $6.99 a month.
In October, a Reddit user reported noticing a prompt to sign in to Microsoft's cloud service, although that one was a little more subtle, acting as a form of help than an ad. This time, however, as The Verge notes, the self-promotion is a bit thinly veiled, complete with OneDrive's price and a "learn more" button.
The Ads Are Meant To Enhance The Experience, Says Microsoft
In an email, Microsoft said that the prompt isn't untoward as most people are claiming it to be. In fact, the company describes it as a "tip," and that users are free to stop the pop-ups altogether should they prefer. Microsoft says that the pop-ups provide "quick, easy information" for Windows 10 customers, which is meant to "enhance the experience relative to storage and cloud file management."
Of course, even with the option to completely turn the ads off, they may still come across as intrusive and disruptive at first view, especially because OSes have typically been free of any form of advertisements, save for prompts of software updates when available. There's also the matter of already buying the price of the OS when a user purchases the computer it's running on, so it's understandable why users are upset about Microsoft's ads for OneDrive.
Paul Thurrott has written an excellent guide on how to turn the ads off completely, which is a must-read for those who are intent on ridding their OS of intrusive ads for good. You may turn it off now by going to the "View" tab within File Explorer, selecting "Options," then choosing "Change folder and search options." While there, go to the "View" tab, then scroll until you get to "Show sync provider notifications." Uncheck it and that's basically taken care of.
Ads in Windows 10's File Explorer are among many ads that have appeared in the OS. There have been ads in the taskbar, the Start menu, and even the lock screen, which tells that Microsoft has been on this self-promotion route for a while now. At least users are now noticing and are speaking negatively about it.
Thoughts about Microsoft's self-promotion of OneDrive? Have you turned it off already? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
