- Windows 11 is full of ads.
- Third-party tools can remove all ads at once.
- Removing ads manually is safer.
There’s one thing that makes Windows 11 users want to go back to Windows 10 – all the ads. In Windows 11, ads are everywhere – in the Start menu, across your lock screen, in File Explorer. And this can get annoying really fast. That’s why this guide will teach you how to remove ads in Windows 11.
How to Turn Off Ads on Windows 11
Unfortunately, Windows 11 doesn’t offer a single button to rid you of all ads at once. This option only exists with third-party tools. However, you don’t want these tools poking around your system. It’s simply unsafe. If they make a mistake, you might have a hard time fixing it. That’s why it’s better to remove these ads one by one. Here’s how.
Windows 11: Remove Ads From the Start Menu
In Windows 11, the Start menu will advertise other Microsoft services to you. For example, if you use Dropbox to store files, Microsoft might suggest switching to OneDrive. Here’s how to remove these ads.
Step 1: Go to “Settings” in your “Start” menu.
Step 2: Select “Personalization.”
Step 3: Click on “Start” in the left sidebar.
Step 4: Disable the slider next to “Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more.”
Windows 11: Remove Ads From the Lock Screen
Windows users usually see the lock screen as the perfect place to display a slideshow of their favorite photos. Microsoft, however, sees it as a giant billboard. Here’s how to prevent the company from ruining your favorite moments with ads and suggestions.
Step 1: Go to “Settings.”
Step 2 : Click on the “Personalization” tab.
Step 3: Navigate to the “Background” dropdown menu.
Step 4: Select “Picture” or “Slideshow.”
Windows 11: Remove Ads From Search
At first, the “Search Highlights” feature might seem useful. It shows you all the trending searches based on your interests, important events around the world, and files you’ve recently used. However, Microsoft has also inserted suggestions for its services, which can be seen as ads. If these annoy you, you can remove them in a few simple steps.
Step 1: Launch the “Settings” app.
Step 2: Go to “Privacy & security.”
Step 3: Click on “Search” under “Permissions” on the right window pane.
Step 4: Go to the “More settings” section.
Step 5: Toggle off “Show search highlights.”
Windows 11: Remove Ads From Notifications
Occasionally, Microsoft will send you pop-up ads for its services. Here’s how to eliminate these frustrating notifications.
Step 1: Visit “Settings.”
Step 2: Go to “System.”
Step 3: Click on the “Notifications” tab on the right side of your screen.
Step 4: Scroll down to “Additional settings.”
Step 5: Disable the following three options: “Get tips and suggestions,” “Show the Windows welcome experience,” and “Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows.”
Windows 11: Remove Ads From the Settings App
Even the Settings app – the app you use to remove most of these pesky ads – isn’t free of them. Here’s how to liberate it.
Step 1: Open the “Settings” app.
Step 2: Select “Privacy & security.”
Step 3: Go to “General” under “Windows permissions.”
Step 4: Disable the slider next to “Show me suggested content in the Settings app.”
Windows 11: Remove Ads From the File Explorer
You probably don’t want to see ads while you’re browsing your files. Here’s how to make your File Explorer ad-free.
Step 1: Launch the “File Explorer.”
Step 2: Go to the “View” tab at the top of your screen.
Step 3: Open the three-dot menu.
Step 4: Click on “Options.”
Step 5: Go to the “View” tab in the “Folder Options” pop-up window.
Step 6: Under “Advanced Settings,” scroll down to the “Show sync provider notifications” box and uncheck it.
Step 7: Select “OK.”
Windows 11: Remove Ads From Individual Apps
The apps you install on your computer can target you with ads. Here’s how to stop them.
Step 1: Go to “Settings.”
Step 2: Press the “Privacy & security” tab.
Step 3: Go to the “General” section.
Step 4: Turn off the “Let apps show me personalized ads by using my advertising ID” slider.
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- Running the printer troubleshooter in Windows is an effective method for fixing such issues.
- Temporarily stopping the Print Spooler service can help you remove printers without encountering errors.
- If the printer still won’t remove, try uninstalling the printer driver and software.
Fix 1: Run the Printer Troubleshooter
Start by running Windows’ built-in printer troubleshooter to see if it can detect and resolve any pending printing errors.
Step 1: Click the search icon on the taskbar, type printers & scanners , and press Enter .
Step 2: Select your printer.
Step 3: Click on Run the troubleshooter .
Windows should automatically detect any issues with the printer and fix them. Following that, you should be able to get rid of the printer.
Fix 2: Remove the Printer From the Print Server Properties
There are several ways to remove a printer in Windows 11. So, if you can’t remove the printer from the Settings app or Control Panel, remove it from the Print Server Properties in Windows.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + S to open the search menu. Type printers & scanners and press Enter .
Step 2: Under Related settings, click on Print server properties .
Step 3: Go to the Drivers tab, select your printer, and click Remove .
Step 4: Select Remove driver and driver package and hit OK to confirm.
Fix 3: Stop Print Spooler Service
Print Spooler is a critical service that handles printer interactions on Windows. If that service interferes with the removal process, disable it temporarily to see if it helps.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. Type services.msc in the box next to the Open field and press Enter .
Step 2: In the Services window, scroll down to locate Print Spooler . Right-click on it and select Stop .
After stopping the Print Spooler service, remove the printer again.
Fix 4: Uninstall Printer Driver
Device Manager is a useful tool that lets you manage and troubleshoot all your hardware devices from one place. You can also use it to delete an old printer from your PC. Here’s how.
Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Device Manager from the menu.
Step 2: Open the View menu at the top and select Show hidden devices .
Step 3: Double-click on Print queues to expand it. Right-click on your printer and select Uninstall device .
Fix 5: Remove Printer Software
If you’ve installed a dedicated app or software for your printer, it could also obstruct the removal process. To avoid this, first uninstall that app or software before trying again.
Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Installed apps from the list.
Step 2: Locate the printer app on the list. Click the three-dot menu next to it and select Uninstall .
After removing the app, you can remove the printer from the Settings app or Device Manager.
Fix 6: Use the Registry Editor
Windows may not remove the printer due to corrupt registry keys associated with it. To fix it, remove those corrupted registry keys by following the steps below.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to launch the Run dialog. Type regedit and press Enter .
Step 2: Paste the following path in the address bar at the top and press Enter .
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers
Step 3: Locate the printer you wish to remove and click on Delete . Then, select Yes to confirm.
Restart your PC after this, and you should be able to remove your printer without a problem.
