Microsoft is bringing annoying Windows 11 Start menu ads to Windows 10
Let's put it this way; when Microsoft announced its plans to start adding features to Windows 10 once again, despite the operating system's inevitable demise in October 2025, everyone expected slightly different things to see ported over from Windows 11. Sadly, the latest addition to Windows 10 is one of the most annoying changes coming from Windows 11's Start menu.
Earlier this year, Microsoft introduced a so-called "Account Manager" for Windows 11 that appears on the screen when you click your profile picture on the Start menu. Instead of just showing you buttons for logging out, locking your device or switching profiles, it displays Microsoft 365 ads. All the actually useful buttons are now hidden behind a three-dot submenu (apparently, my 43-inch display does not have enough space to accommodate them). Now, the "Account Manager" is coming to Windows 10 users.
The change was spotted in the latest Windows 10 preview builds from the Beta and Release Preview Channels. It works in the same way as Windows 11, and it is disabled by default for now because the submenu with sign-out and lock buttons does not work.
Queue everyone downgrading to Windows 8 in 3, 2, 1.
No no no, you want Linux desktop. Install Oracle VirtualBox and play with the different linux desktop distros and find the right one that's best for you. It's fun. It's not filled with spyware and adware and isn't bloated with Microsoft's crazy antics. And, it's free. Once it's installed check out this: https://github.com/tycrek/degoogle to de-herpes your internet experience and 👍
Or just use Hyper-V since it's natively available and one should refrain from touching Oracle with a ten-foot pole. I know it's just a means to an end but better to avoid bad vendors if at all possible.
There once was a time when I would have recommended VMWare, since Workstation is now free for personal use and HyperV is missing crucial direct hardware throughput, but... It's shit now. Doesn't work properly under W11.
Why does every tech company seem to have reached the 'collapse' part of enshittification simultaneously? Couldn't they have staggered it a little?
virt-manager has worked fine for me.
Me too, on Linux, but this was about Windows.
Ah crap, you're right.
linux ftw
inb4 all windows versions get ads