Don't activate the "Let's Go" button in the Windows 10 Settings application

[Karlston]

Don't activate the "Let's Go" button in the Windows 10 Settings application

If you have updated your copy of Windows 10 to a recent version, you may have noticed a new banner in the Settings application that is displayed at the top.

 

The banner displays basic information about the account and is also used by Microsoft for advertising / informational purposes. Most users should see a "Get even more out of Windows" notification at the top when they upgrade Windows 10 to a recent version of the operating system.

 

It states: "with a few quick selections, you'll be on your way to enjoying the full Microsoft experience". There is a let's go button that is displayed prominently, and a "skip for now" link that is less visible.

 

If that reminds you of the operating system's out of box experience that is displayed after upgrades, then you are not mistaken.

 

 

A click on Let's Go opens a fullscreen interface that resembles the out-of-box experience of the operating system. There are some differences, but more about that later.

 

The start screen highlights the areas that Microsoft suggests you set up to get more out of the operating systems.

 

 

On a test system, these were:

• Windows Hello helps you sign in
• Link your phone and PC
• Work seamlessly across any devices
• Achieve more with a Microsoft 365 subscription
• Keep your files more secure in the cloud with OneDrive
• Enhance your web browsing experience

You can exit the screen with a click on "remind me in 3 days", or continue with the setting up by clicking on continue.

 

Use recommended browser settings is displayed when you use a non-default browser or browser settings. The screen suggests that you use recommended browser settings, and that entails making Microsoft Edge the default browser and Microsoft Bing the default search engine.

 

Since you have switched to using different defaults, it is very likely that you don't want that to happen. You can skip this but Microsoft will nag you again in the future to make Edge the default.

 

Another screen that may be displayed to you is a full page ad for subscribing to Microsoft 365. You may get a discount offer for the first year; I received a 50% offer for the first year on a test system.

 

 

You may select "no thanks" to skip this or next to start the sign-up process.

 

Once you are done, fullscreen mode is exited and you are taken back to the Settings app. The banner at the top displays different information after you have ended the out of box experience, and these display the last time updates were checked on Windows Update and a link to manage OneDrive.

 

Closing Words

A click on the "let's go" button opens a fullscreen interface that is part advertisement for Microsoft services, part an attempt to get you to use Microsoft Services and products such as OneDrive or Microsoft Edge. The experience offers little value to most users, especially those who have selected the skip option during the initial out of box experience multiple times.

 

 

Don't activate the "Let's Go" button in the Windows 10 Settings application

 

[ultrahub]

No such banner on my settings screen (Windows 10 Pro;   20H2; build   19042.630)
Is this a localized banner only?

 

[Karlston]

Windows 10 users are being subjected to frustrating full-screen ads for Microsoft Edge

Nagging won’t make us switch...

(Image credit: Shutterstock / monticello)

 

Chances are you may have logged into your updated laptop or PC come face to face with an intrusive, windowless advert for Microsoft Edge whilst using Windows 10 in the last few weeks. You're not alone, and apparently, this unwelcome 'feature' may be around to stay.

 

This is the latest A/B test (a trial for showing two variants of the same web page to different segments of website visitors to see what performs best) introduced in the recent batch of updates for the operating system.

The pop-up, as it appears on your machine. (Image credit: Windows Latest)

No seeing past this

We’re no strangers to ads, especially when we understand that's how websites (like our own) keep running. That isn't to say that we don’t find them to be a nuisance when we’re enjoying content on sites like Facebook or Reddit, but they don’t commandeer the screen and demand 100% of your attention. 

 

The intrusive ‘nag’ from Microsoft will appear when you set up your new PC or laptop, click on an advertising banner within the settings, or – our personal favorite – after every system update.

 

The purpose of the screen-hogging prompt is of course to persuade you to try out the new Chromium-based Edge over non-Microsoft owned products, with the ads appearing when people use Google Chrome and Firefox as default browsers. The ads themselves appear via the OOBE (out of box experience, essentially what you use to set up your device), and are easily closed by selecting “don’t update your browser settings”, but there isn’t currently a way to disable them from appearing

 

It’ll be interesting to see if this attention-demanding approach actually works because if the results from the A/B test are favorable, we will likely be subjected to more of this in the future. All of this isn’t to say that the new Edge isn’t a great browser, and we certainly think it has its merits. That said, in the spirit of petulant children everywhere who are being told what to do: “well now I’m not doing it”.

 

Via Windows Latest

 

 

Windows 10 users are being subjected to frustrating full-screen ads for Microsoft Edge