Credit: Unsplash
The display was apparently not supposed to appear in the preview build.
Preview builds of the next iteration of the Windows operating system, Windows 11, are currently available to the members of the Windows Insider program. These users have been using the early builds for a while now, getting a taste of how the OS tweaks itself based on their feedback. One member of the Windows Insider program noticed something mildly disconcerting in a recent version, however.
A Twitter user by the name of Florian was using Windows Explorer, the basic function with which you browse your files, when they noticed what appeared to be a small banner ad near the top of the window promoting Microsoft’s Editor program. While the ad wasn’t especially intrusive, and only advertised a Microsoft product, it was nonetheless worrying, and many Twitter users responded negatively when Florian posted a screen capture of the ad online.
Some people will go mad if Microsoft starts adding ads in explorer. pic.twitter.com/rusnyrYyX2
— Florian (@flobo09) March 12, 2022
Not long after Florian posted their tweet, Microsoft released a statement to The Verge, clarifying that that ad was not supposed to appear in the public-facing build.
“This was an experimental banner that was not intended to be published externally and was turned off,” says Brandon LeBlanc, senior program manager for Windows.
Despite Microsoft’s assurances, some are still concerned about their programs having banner ads in the future, especially since this wouldn’t be the first time they have tried something like this. Previous versions of Windows 10 would show banner ads promoting Microsoft’s OneDrive service in explorer and elsewhere.
