Windows 11 may soon pester you to sign up for Microsoft 365
An ad for Microsoft 365 could soon appear in the Settings app on Windows 11.
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What you need to know
Microsoft is working on a new feature for Windows 11 that will likely draw criticism. The latest Insider builds of the operating system show several prompts to sign up for Microsoft services. The Windows 11 Settings app includes a shortcut to try a free trial for Microsoft 365.
These types of prompts are officially known as “badging” by Microsoft, though our colleagues atTechRadar prefer to call them “badgering.“There’s a bit of a debate between tech enthusiasts on if these badges are ads or merely helpful prompts for Microsoft services.
Twitter user Albacore shared screenshots of the pages in the Windows 11 Settings app. They specified that the pages have been in Insider builds for several weeks but that they’ve been hidden. The shared screenshots are fromWindows 11 Build 23451, which rolled out late last week.
Updates were made to the Microsoft Account portion of the upcoming Settings Homepage, here’s how it looks now + a preview of end of product support notices that can appear in the Account page pic.twitter.com/DwYEKqOb9nMay 5, 2023
When the pages appear, the Windows 11 Settings app will offer anyone who doesn’t have a Microsoft 365 account to try the service for free. There’s also a section that shows data about a person’s OneDrive storage, though the screenshot doesn’t show a prompt for signing up for that service.
In the accounts section of the Settings app, there is a banner about signing up for a Microsoft account:
“Access your favorite Microsoft products and services with just one account. Your Microsoft account connects you to the files, photos, people, and content you care about most.”
As the pages are in testing, they may not look like this when they make their way to general users. In fact, they may not roll out at all. We’ll have to see how Microsoft responds to feedback about the hidden badges.
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Windows Central take
While I personally find these types of prompts to be intrusive and irritating, I must admit that there are a fair number of people who don’t seem to mind them. When Iran a pollabout a notification in the Start menu to use OneDrive, only, 52.47% of polled participants said they viewed the prompt as an advertisement. Given the small sample size, that’s effectively a 50/50 split.
Microsoft seems to view notifications like these as helpful prompts that provide easy access to useful features. A cynic may point out that Microsoft makes money when people sign up for Microsoft 365 or other services. Another view is that Microsoft believes its products genuinely create a better experience, and that people benefit from using them.
I’d personally prefer a way to hide these types of notifications, but there’s a good chance that general users won’t be as up in arms about them as many Windows enthusiasts on social media.
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
