In the latest Windows 11 optional update KB5023778, Microsoft is promoting OneDrive by integrating what it describes as “Notifications for Microsoft accounts” into the Windows 11 Start menu to back up their files to the cloud before shutting down their PC.
Microsoft is therefore now encouraging users to buy its other products through Windows 11. A decision that not everyone likes and that seems difficult to understand. Here’s what the tech giant explains:
This update introduces notifications for Microsoft accounts in the Start menu. This is currently only available to a limited audience. This will be rolled out more widely in the coming months. Some users with other devices may notice differences in visual processing.
This feature has actually been tested by the company for some time, although at the moment it is only offered to a limited number of users. In November 2022, a leaker named @thebookisclosed revealed screenshots of the Start menu on his Twitter account showing promotional notifications for OneDrive. It is very likely that Microsoft is trying to get opinions on this feature to consider whether to roll it out more widely or not. As so often.
Self-promotion is nothing new to Microsoft. In fact, the firm has excelled in this type of practice on a number of occasions. With Windows 10, for example, Microsoft has already tried to display advertising in several of its preinstalled applications without being able to deactivate them.
That’s not all, the Redmond-based company even tried to put advertisements in Windows 11’s file explorer before scrapping the idea, claiming it wasn’t “on purpose”.
What’s new in update KB5023778?
Apart from promotional notifications, there are some new features and bug fixes in this update:
- An improvement to the taskbar search box with custom color modes.
- Fixed issue with Notepad combo box not showing all available options.
- Fixed the “Narrator” error not reading items in drop-down lists in Microsoft Excel.
- Fixed issue where Windows 11 recognized USB printers as media devices.
