Windows 10 Anniversary Update to increase the number of Promoted Apps displayed

2 min. read

Published onMay 13, 2016

published onMay 13, 2016

Share this article

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more

If you’re not a fan of the “promoted apps” feature in Windows 10 where you’re presented with ads for apps to try out from the Windows Store, then that’s one of the things you’re likely not to appreciate in the Windows 10 Anniversary update coming this summer. AsNeowin has discovered, buried in a slide presentation from Microsoft’s WinHEC event, new machine owners or reinstallers are going to be presented with a larger number of promoted adds once the Anniversary Update goes live on July 29, 2016.

As Neowin points out, the number of static Microsoft apps that will be pinned to the Start Menu when you first start up Windows 10 on a new or reinstalled machine (the out-of-box-experience, or OOBE) is dropping from 17 down to 12. At the same time, the number of Start Menu spots allocated to promoted apps (which launch the Windows Store when clicked) will increase to 10, from the current five.

Microsoft’s explanation for the change in provided in the slide below:

That clutters things up a bit more than presently, and whether or not you like this change depends largely on whether or not you appreciate app suggestions. Who knows, maybe Microsoft will present you will an app that you wouldn’t otherwise know about–and the Promoted Apps are easy enough to uninstall. And certainly, helping developers promote their apps to users is an important step in growing the Windows Store and the Universal Windows Platform.

Let us know in the comments what you think of this impending Anniversary Update “feature.”

Update: Story clarified to indicate that this appears to apply to how OEMs can configure machines in the out of box experience, or OOBE, and how machines will look when Windows 10 is reinstalled from scratch. This isn’t how machines will appear once the Anniversary Update is applied, which was implied in the original version.

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time).

For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web.

Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they’re looking for.

User forum

0 messages

Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes

Comment*

Name*

Email*

Commenting as.Not you?

Save information for future comments

Comment

Radu Tyrsina

With KB5043178 to Release Preview Channel, Microsoft advises Windows 11 users to plug in when the battery is low#

Copilot in Outlook will generate personalized themes for you to customize the app#

Microsoft will raise the price of its 365 Suite to include AI capabilities#

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is now Xbox X|S at a huge discount#

Outlook will let users create custom account icons so they can tell their accounts apart easier#

Windows 10 Anniversary Update to increase the number of Promoted Apps displayed#

With KB5043178 to Release Preview Channel, Microsoft advises Windows 11 users to plug in when the battery is low

Copilot in Outlook will generate personalized themes for you to customize the app

Microsoft will raise the price of its 365 Suite to include AI capabilities

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is now Xbox X|S at a huge discount

Outlook will let users create custom account icons so they can tell their accounts apart easier

Windows 10 Anniversary Update to increase the number of Promoted Apps displayed