Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Microsoft Is Spamming Windows 10 File Explorer With Ads For OneDrive Storage (digitaltrends.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the where's-Clippy-when-you-need-him dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Digital Trends: While Microsoft is addressing some other complaints about Windows 10 in the upcoming Creators Update -- such as privacy concerns over the data that's being transmitted and issues regarding how the operating system updates itself -- the company seems intent on retaining Windows 10's advertising functionality. In fact, it has apparently been adding OneDrive commercials to File Explorer, ExtremeTech reports. Basically, you might start seeing a new promotion for OneDrive when you're perusing your file structure in Windows 10. OneDrive is baked into Windows 10 and can't easily be uninstalled, and Microsoft wants to make sure you know that the 5GB of free OneDrive storage can be easily upgraded to significantly more space. Turning off the OneDrive advertising isn't without consequences. You can go to the View menu in File Explorer, then Options, and select "Change folder and search options." In the next window, select the View menu, then scroll down to and uncheck the "Show sync provider notifications" option. Note that while this should disable the OneDrive ads, it will also stop you from seeing potentially important notifications from OneDrive. The report notes that, while these OneDrive ads aren't new, "they seem to be showing up more often for more people."

6 of 281 comments (clear)

  1. Windows 10 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The Facebook of operating systems!

    1. Re:Windows 10 by Big+Hairy+Ian · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Clearly no one else wants to advertise on W10

      --

      Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.

    2. Re:Windows 10 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Its NOT a operating system, its a operating SERVICE.

  2. FreeBSD, Hackingtosh, or Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So my friends, which one of these should i look up, and suggest me Linux distros.
    I'm gonna VM them to try them out and completely purge Windows 10 from my life.

  3. Re:Die, fscking adverts, die! by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 4, Insightful

    its amazing; they charge full price for win10 (now; the free ones were just a gimmick to get their 'adoption numbers' up and to hook people into this one-way trip) and yet, they also send ads to you and you can't really opt-out, either!

    either you make the o/s free and then people MAY be ok with ads; or you charge your normal full price and you KEEP THAT SHIT OFF OUR SYSTEMS.

    every few years, the 'evil one' becomes apple and then MS and then apple and now back to MS again.

    glad I'm a linux user and admin. I have choices that many users refuse to allow themselves.

    --

    --
    "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
  4. Re:How do I block this stuff? by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Not (yet) true, but we're getting there. It is almost less hassle by now to get your favorite programs to work in Linux than to get them to work the way they're supposed to in Windows.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.