Microsoft Windows 11 is no stranger to displaying ads in unusual places. For instance, we’re already seeing ads and recommended content in the Start Menu, it won’t be a wonder if they start showing up in the file explorer as well.
This discovery was brought to the world through a tweet by @XenoPanther. After rummaging around for the most recent version of the internal files of Windows 11, a file revealed that a new feature is in the works.
This new feature was found in the privacy section. It now has a new check box that states ‘show recommended content’. Of course, this was a tick box therefore it is being added as an optional feature. Similar features were spotted a while ago through another tweet but were force-stopped in the Windows 11 Dev build later.
Since this tick box was the only feature found, with no details whatsoever, we have no idea how the feature will roll out. It could show content as files or as simple ads. For now, we can only speculate. We already have witnessed banners in the file explorer so that design is a high possibility.
Furthermore, we are still determining when this feature will roll out. We’re not sure if it will even be introduced to the public at all or if it will vanish like many other in-process features we’re discovered before.
The idea does sound a little alien to all of us. Is the file explorer recommending random content? It does not sit right with us. After all, the last time Microsoft tried to launch a similar feature, it did not end well.
We cannot possibly speculate what the users think about this update since the market for computer users also has gone down. In a time where the future of personal computers is already in trouble, we’re not sure if launching such an unnecessary feature is going to play out well.
Read next: Windows 8.1 is going away and it will no longer be supported by the company
This discovery was brought to the world through a tweet by @XenoPanther. After rummaging around for the most recent version of the internal files of Windows 11, a file revealed that a new feature is in the works.
This new feature was found in the privacy section. It now has a new check box that states ‘show recommended content’. Of course, this was a tick box therefore it is being added as an optional feature. Similar features were spotted a while ago through another tweet but were force-stopped in the Windows 11 Dev build later.
Two velocity features seemingly related to this were added in 25267, but didn't work and are force disabled in 25272:
— PhantomOcean3☃️💙💛 (@PhantomOfEarth) January 5, 2023
FERecommendations, 38664959
FERecommendationsUdk, 40064642
Since this tick box was the only feature found, with no details whatsoever, we have no idea how the feature will roll out. It could show content as files or as simple ads. For now, we can only speculate. We already have witnessed banners in the file explorer so that design is a high possibility.
Furthermore, we are still determining when this feature will roll out. We’re not sure if it will even be introduced to the public at all or if it will vanish like many other in-process features we’re discovered before.
The idea does sound a little alien to all of us. Is the file explorer recommending random content? It does not sit right with us. After all, the last time Microsoft tried to launch a similar feature, it did not end well.
We cannot possibly speculate what the users think about this update since the market for computer users also has gone down. In a time where the future of personal computers is already in trouble, we’re not sure if launching such an unnecessary feature is going to play out well.
Read next: Windows 8.1 is going away and it will no longer be supported by the company
