Windows 10’s Start menu is becoming a billboard for Microsoft 365

With the end of Windows 10 support right around the corner, Microsoft clearly sees this as an opportunity to play around with the operating system’s appearance — and push its other products.

In particular, the Redmond-based company has started experimenting with advertisements that aren’t just promoting Windows 11 anymore, but also several other features and products.

These experiments are hidden within a Windows 10 beta version for now (specifically Insider Build 19045.4842), but one X/Twitter user was able to uncover some of what’s going on.

New Start menu, new advertising

In this beta version of Window 10, we’re treated to a slightly different Start menu with a new design approach. On the one hand, Microsoft is trying to make it more convenient to use; on the other, Microsoft wants to make more space for advertisements.

The new Start menu brings the account view to the forefront, at the top left below the list menu, in order to promote Microsoft 365. The account view itself looks the same as before, but now has a banner to purchase a Microsoft 365 license if you currently don’t have one:

It’s not unlike Windows 11’s ads

Obviously, Microsoft wants to promote its own products and services, and it makes sense to do so within their own operating system. For example, we saw a similar tactic taken with OneDrive ads.

More recently, Microsoft began pushing Microsoft 365 in Windows 11 using a near-identical method: ads in the Start menu. This change was annoying for many, but at least it could be disabled.

Will these Start menu ads make their way to the regular, non-beta version of Windows 10? That’s yet unclear. Given that Microsoft is apparently trying to hide the test, it seems as if they’re afraid of criticism — but that has never really stopped them from pushing ads. Quite the opposite!

Further reading: How to eradicate Windows 11’s ads with a free tool