Alright, let’s be real for a sec. You open the Start menu on your Windows laptop or PC, just trying to launch something like Chrome or Word… and boom, there it is:
“Try Candy Crush!”
“Install this random app you never heard of!”
Like… what even is this?? Why is my computer trying to sell me apps??
If you’re tired of seeing these suggested apps (aka ads), good news — you can turn them off. It takes like 2 minutes and your Start menu will look 10x cleaner after. Promise.
Here’s how to do it
So what are “Suggested Apps” anyway?
Basically, Windows (thanks, Microsoft ) sometimes shows little “suggestions” in the Start menu. These are usually:
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Apps you don’t have installed
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Ads from the Microsoft Store
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“Helpful tips” that are not helpful
They’re not super dangerous or anything, but they’re super annoying and feel kinda spammy. Like why is Solitaire taking up space on my Start menu in 2025??
how to disable suggested apps on windows 10
If you’re using Windows 10, here’s what to do:
1. Open Settings
Click the Start button and then hit the little gear icon on the left. Or you can just press Windows + I if you remember shortcuts (I never do tbh).
2. Click on “Personalization”
In the Settings window, choose Personalization. That’s the place where you change backgrounds, themes, and other visual stuff.
3. Go to “Start”
Look on the left side and click Start.
4. Turn off app suggestions
Find the option that says:
“Show suggestions occasionally in Start”
Flip the switch to Off.
Boom. That’s it. The annoying suggested apps will stop popping up now.
how to turn off suggested apps on windows 11
Windows 11 is a lil different (and more rounded looking lol) but the process is kinda similar.
1. Open Settings
Click on the Start button and search for “Settings” if you don’t see it right away. Or again, press Windows + I if you’re fancy.
2. Go to “Personalization”
Once Settings is open, click Personalization from the sidebar.
3. Scroll down to “Start”
Click on Start inside the Personalization section. It’s kind of buried in there, but you’ll find it.
4. Turn off recommendations
You’ll see an option that says:
“Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more”
Yeah… that one. Turn it Off.
You can also turn off:
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Show recently added apps
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Show most used apps
if you wanna really clean things up. Totally up to you tho.
also… you can uninstall stuff you don’t want
Okay so even after you turn off the suggestions, you might still see apps you never installed. Things like:
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Candy Crush
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Spotify
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Xbox apps
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Some weird shopping app?? lol
You can just right-click on those in the Start menu and click Uninstall.
Some of them might not uninstall (thanks again, Microsoft ), but most of the junk can be removed that way. Even just getting rid of a few makes a big difference.
why do they do this anyway?
Honestly? It’s probably just money. Companies pay Microsoft to show their apps, and that’s why you see stuff you didn’t ask for.
It’s kind of like getting a new phone and finding Facebook already installed. Same energy.
Annoying? Yes. But at least you can turn it off.
quick recap (because we all skim)
Here’s the TL;DR version:
✅ Open Settings
✅ Go to Personalization > Start
✅ Turn off “Show suggestions” (Windows 10) or “Show recommendations” (Windows 11)
✅ Uninstall any extra apps you don’t want
✅ Enjoy a cleaner Start menu with no ads
final thoughts
Honestly, Microsoft should just stop doing this. It’s a little sneaky and feels like bloatware. But hey, at least they gave us a way to turn it off.
Once you disable suggestions and clean up the Start menu, it feels sooo much better. Like your computer is your space again.
Hope this helped! If your menu is still showing junk after this, maybe give your computer a quick restart or check for updates. Sometimes settings don’t stick right away