Windows 11's Widgets suggest users should download this mobile app

Windows 11’s Widgets panel is suggesting users download a news-oriented mobile app, the Microsoft Start mobile news app, according to an X post (formerly known as Twitter) by Windows enthusiast, @PhantomOfEarth.

The enthusiast noticed the suggestion when opening the Widgets panel: a new icon appeared and when hovering over it, it suggested downloading the mobile app, as you can see in the image below.

It looks like a “Download App” icon for the Microsoft Start mobile news app is now showing up in the Widgets board (server side rollout), hovering over it shows a QR code.

@PhantomOfEarth

Microsoft has been keen on using Windows 11 as a means to advertise its products and services, so this is not new. A few days ago, for example, Windows 11 (although the Insider builds) started displaying ad cards for Copilot Pro, on Windows 11’s Settings homepage.

The Settings page now uses cards to allow Windows 11 users to access their preferred settings faster, so a Copilot Pro ad taking up the space is not quite the right way to do it.

While other ads are understandable, for example, Microsoft sending Windows 11 update alerts to those still using Windows 10, these ads, however, can be quite frustrating, especially since they show when the news feed is turned off, as @PhantomOfEarth says:

This shows up even with the news feed turned off, which is very disappointing. I didn’t turn off news because I want a “hey, but what about news?” link, I turned off news because I just want to see widgets.

@PhantomOfEarth

For now, this suggestion might show up to Windows 11 users enlisted in the Windows Insider Program, and, as any new appearance in the Insider builds, it might not make it to the stable Windows 11.

But if it does, Microsoft will probably get multiple complains from users.