Microsoft introduces more Windows 10 lock screen ads, but removing them is easy

midian182

Posts: 9,662   +121
Staff member

Microsoft may have allowed users of its popular operating systems to upgrade to Windows 10 for free last year, but the company hasn’t hidden the fact that it will use various methods to monetize the platform. In April 2015, the Redmond firm revealed that one way it would do this is by placing ads on the Windows lock screen, and now it has made good on this promise, as several users have reported seeing Rise of the Tomb Raider ads appearing on their devices.

The full-screen advertisements ask users to “Discover the legend within,” by purchasing the second game in the rebooted Lara Croft series from Microsoft’s Windows Store. The ads were initially reported by How-To Geek’s Chris Stobing, as well as several Reddit users.

Luckily, disabling the ads is very simple. Simply go to Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen and uncheck the box that reads:“Get fun facts, tips, tricks and more on your lock screen." Note that this is the way to avoid ads if you have ‘Picture’ or ‘Slideshow’ selected for the ‘Background’ setting. Anyone using the Windows Spotlight feature, which shows images from Bing and certain running Windows apps, will see the advertisements.

This isn’t the first instance of Windows offering up these ads; last month, several users complained that they found a promotion for the Minions movie had appeared on their lock screens, which also included a link to the Windows Store for anyone wishing to buy the animated box-office hit.

While lock screen ads may be an annoyance to many people, at least Microsoft has made receiving them optional. Hopefully, the company won’t ramp up this method of monetizing Windows 10 by pushing out more invasive ads and make opting out more difficult – or even impossible.

Photo credit: How-To Geek

Permalink to story.

 
"Get fun facts, tips, tricks and more on your lock screen."

Do I really need more reason to dislike Windows 10? This is getting too easy now...

"Hopefully, the company won’t ramp up this method of monetizing Windows 10 by pushing out more invasive ads and make opting out more difficult – or even impossible."

When they realize it's not actually working because too many people are disabling this form of forced advertisement it will become impossible and truly forced advertisement.

Now remind me why this OS cost money in the first place? Free upgrade aside, if you we're to purchase the retail Pro copy for $180 you shouldn't ever get this form of advertisement, it defeats the purpose of paying for it in the first place, otherwise I'd be asking for my money back. I don't even want to imagine the revenue from something that will be so widely adopted in a couple years time, basically Microsoft has turned every PC into commercial ad space that you don't get to see revenue from, but you paid for.
 
This just reinforces that fact that making Linux Mint my daily driver was the right choice. I still use windows 10 when I want to game, but that's few and far between. Only reason I have w10 is I got the free upgrade
 
"Get fun facts, tips, tricks and more on your lock screen."

Do I really need more reason to dislike Windows 10? This is getting too easy now...

"Hopefully, the company won’t ramp up this method of monetizing Windows 10 by pushing out more invasive ads and make opting out more difficult – or even impossible."

When they realize it's not actually working because too many people are disabling this form of forced advertisement it will become impossible and truly forced advertisement.

Now remind me why this OS cost money in the first place? Free upgrade aside, if you we're to purchase the retail Pro copy for $180 you shouldn't ever get this form of advertisement, it defeats the purpose of paying for it in the first place, otherwise I'd be asking for my money back. I don't even want to imagine the revenue from something that will be so widely adopted in a couple years time, basically Microsoft has turned every PC into commercial ad space that you don't get to see revenue from, but you paid for.
you can rest easy knowing that the people who actually use windows 10 consider you to be a weird.

people are hating the new OS for the most stupid reasons. and the majority of them are just misinformed.
 
Just install and run SpyBot Anti-Beacon. It turns off all telemetry so your OS does not talk to Microsoft at all. Heck, I can't even go to Bing.com anymore, it blocks it in the host file.
 
Now remind me why this OS cost money in the first place? Free upgrade aside, if you we're to purchase the retail Pro copy for $180 you shouldn't ever get this form of advertisement, it defeats the purpose of paying for it in the first place, otherwise I'd be asking for my money back. I don't even want to imagine the revenue from something that will be so widely adopted in a couple years time, basically Microsoft has turned every PC into commercial ad space that you don't get to see revenue from, but you paid for.
Personally, I'm always amazed how much people pay for TV services when there are (here at least) 17 minutes of ads per hour of the program (likely different for sports programs). I can understand the ads when TV was free over the air, but to pay and be subjected to that kind of barrage of ads/propaganda is not for me.
I've taken a different approach to the telemetry. I turn the feedback to MS on so they know I have uninstalled every app/tile there is, used the command line to remove from the GUI those that can't, don't use Cortana, don't search with Bing etc, and have virtually every privacy setting changed from default so the things described in this article don't happen to me. Someone has to tell them this is the way I use my pc, not the way MS prefers. I figure if everyone turns all the telemetry off, they look at what they get and it validates their approach.
 
Now remind me why this OS cost money in the first place? Free upgrade aside, if you we're to purchase the retail Pro copy for $180 you shouldn't ever get this form of advertisement, it defeats the purpose of paying for it in the first place, otherwise I'd be asking for my money back. I don't even want to imagine the revenue from something that will be so widely adopted in a couple years time, basically Microsoft has turned every PC into commercial ad space that you don't get to see revenue from, but you paid for.
Personally, I'm always amazed how much people pay for TV services when there are (here at least) 17 minutes of ads per hour of the program (likely different for sports programs). I can understand the ads when TV was free over the air, but to pay and be subjected to that kind of barrage of ads/propaganda is not for me..

Just do what I do.... record everything. I never watch commercials. If the program is an hour and starts at 9pm, start at 9:20pm and you can skip all the commercials and still end at 10pm.
 
It amazes me that they haven't ended up in court again for a monopoly, but I guess the politics just aren't there yet .....
 
Now remind me why this OS cost money in the first place? Free upgrade aside, if you we're to purchase the retail Pro copy for $180 you shouldn't ever get this form of advertisement, it defeats the purpose of paying for it in the first place, otherwise I'd be asking for my money back. I don't even want to imagine the revenue from something that will be so widely adopted in a couple years time, basically Microsoft has turned every PC into commercial ad space that you don't get to see revenue from, but you paid for.
Personally, I'm always amazed how much people pay for TV services when there are (here at least) 17 minutes of ads per hour of the program (likely different for sports programs). I can understand the ads when TV was free over the air, but to pay and be subjected to that kind of barrage of ads/propaganda is not for me.
I've taken a different approach to the telemetry. I turn the feedback to MS on so they know I have uninstalled every app/tile there is, used the command line to remove from the GUI those that can't, don't use Cortana, don't search with Bing etc, and have virtually every privacy setting changed from default so the things described in this article don't happen to me. Someone has to tell them this is the way I use my pc, not the way MS prefers. I figure if everyone turns all the telemetry off, they look at what they get and it validates their approach.
They don't care, you are probably one of like ten people in the world that does it that way. Anyone going to those lengths is also going to turn telemetry off.
 
"Get fun facts, tips, tricks and more on your lock screen."

Do I really need more reason to dislike Windows 10? This is getting too easy now...

"Hopefully, the company won’t ramp up this method of monetizing Windows 10 by pushing out more invasive ads and make opting out more difficult – or even impossible."

When they realize it's not actually working because too many people are disabling this form of forced advertisement it will become impossible and truly forced advertisement.

Now remind me why this OS cost money in the first place? Free upgrade aside, if you we're to purchase the retail Pro copy for $180 you shouldn't ever get this form of advertisement, it defeats the purpose of paying for it in the first place, otherwise I'd be asking for my money back. I don't even want to imagine the revenue from something that will be so widely adopted in a couple years time, basically Microsoft has turned every PC into commercial ad space that you don't get to see revenue from, but you paid for.
you can rest easy knowing that the people who actually use windows 10 consider you to be a weird.

people are hating the new OS for the most stupid reasons. and the majority of them are just misinformed.
No the strategy and direction of the new OS is stupid. People don't want Android or iPhone or social data collection built into their OS.
 
you can rest easy knowing that the people who actually use windows 10 consider you to be a weird.

people are hating the new OS for the most stupid reasons. and the majority of them are just misinformed.

The 99.9% of us still using Windows 7 feel bad for you. Well, not really.
Actually, that number is probably under 50%, maybe even lower. Windows 10 is actually great once you turn off the telemetry. The only reason not to use it would be very specific programs not working. General computing and gaming will not have these problems 99% of the time. People still on Windows 7 look exactly like the people who were still on XP when 7 dropped. Odd.
 
It amazes me that they haven't ended up in court again for a monopoly, but I guess the politics just aren't there yet .....

Needs to be enough vocal push to get this happening, along with actually someone who cares enough to take on the case. Microsoft will argue it was free so you're not entitled to complaints, yet they refuse to allow anyone to buy the OS. Simply because it's easier to push out free instead of paid, and they don't have to twist anyone's arm.

Except they do by forcing the OS to download in the background, at full throttle no less with no notification to users. If you removed the download? They would just download it again, I only accepted what I consider important updates and refusing the rest. Might be why I have not gotten the update notification, OS trying to download and such. After literally bricking the OS with their stupid antics, I have a Win 7 key and not changing over.

If people waited the year and had to pay for the update, then there's the argument of you have no reason to be bothered. Of course Microsoft being infinitely clever will continue the spying, even when you paid for the update and claim you only held out for some arbitrary reason. Or perhaps throw a rather "low key" announcement, they will extend the free update for another year or something.

It's Microsoft and they want your data simply because, you do it constantly with Google or such but why not Microsoft? They'd rather compete on a whole other level, simply holding a huge goldmine of data that can be exploited upon. Of course those on Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 can't really say much, no offense if you have said updates installed. Microsoft is spying on you none the less, I accepted they have some spying ability but not to the extent of Windows 10. Nor the fact there's a lot of things, I really enjoy about Windows 7 despite it's probably being sluggish to Win 8 / 10 on some particular things.
 
you can rest easy knowing that the people who actually use windows 10 consider you to be a weird.

people are hating the new OS for the most stupid reasons. and the majority of them are just misinformed.
Nothing you say will change my mind, it's your choice to believe what you want to believe. You can call me weird, misinformed, whatever you like, I can care less, I'm not using Windows 10 because of it.

I rest very easy knowing I'm not using Windows 10, but personally I see my OS data-mining my personal data and charging me to do so very stupid indeed, if you don't, well that's your choice to be ignorant.

People like yourself just make it that much easier for Microsoft to do what they do...
 
The happiest day in my life will be the one when an operating system won't be needed anymore. Till then we'll have to tolerate this rubbish.
 
Look, I'm not saying Windows 10 doesn't collect telemetry, they really do, but the scale you guys are talking about is shear lunacy. Take a look at this article which is actually the author retracting unfounded claims about windows 10 that he never confirmed and simply believed because, well... It's Microsoft so they HAVE to be the bad guys, right?
http://www.mweb.co.za/games/view/ta...Microsoft-collects-from-Windows-10-users.aspx
 
They don't care, you are probably one of like ten people in the world that does it that way. Anyone going to those lengths is also going to turn telemetry off.
I agree with you, but even if it is futile I have to do it because it seems there is nothing else I can do, except abandon MS operating systems, which is not practical for me
 
Nothing you say will change my mind, it's your choice to believe what you want to believe. You can call me weird, misinformed, whatever you like, I can care less, I'm not using Windows 10 because of it.

I rest very easy knowing I'm not using Windows 10, but personally I see my OS data-mining my personal data and charging me to do so very stupid indeed, if you don't, well that's your choice to be ignorant.

People like yourself just make it that much easier for Microsoft to do what they do...
when people don't know the meaning of "ignorant"...
just by saying that they are charging you proves that...
oh, who the hell cares if someone misinformed doesn't want to upgrade. good for you dude.
 
Turned it off the minute I saw it when I upgraded my laptop which came with 8.1 when it was
released. I keep a photo on my lock screen, so when I set it up, I just nudged that button to off.
 
Back