7 quick ways to make Windows 11 less annoying right now

Every time I read a complaint from someone who’s exasperated about something they encountered in Windows 11, I just shake my head and say, I tried to warn you.

Two years ago, I wrote “Here’s why Windows PCs are only going to get more annoying.” The executive summary? Microsoft is increasingly treating Windows as a giant billboard where it can promote and cross-sell other products, including Microsoft 365, OneDrive, its Xbox gaming products, and all the AI-related services under the Copilot brand. Collectively, they represent a basket of annoyances for people who use Windows PCs. And, at the risk of repeating myself, they’ll only get more annoying.

Also: Windows 11 FAQ: Upgrade guide and everything you need to know

You can, of course, switch to an alternate platform. But if you’re otherwise happy with your Windows PC, there’s a better way. In this post, I show you how to eliminate (or greatly minimize) the annoyance factor on a Windows 11 PC.

1. Silence account notifications

When you sign in with a Microsoft account, it’s easier for Windows to try to cross-sell you on services like Microsoft 365. On the other hand, there are some significant advantages to using a Microsoft account, such as automatic encryption of all data on the system drive and the ability to recover your account if you forget your password.

Also: How to do a clean install of Windows 11: See which option is best for you and why

If you chose to set up Windows with a local account, a badge appears at the top of the account menu, urging you to “sign in to your Microsoft account.”

To make that notification go away, go to Settings > Personalization > Start and turn off “Show account-related notifications occasionally in Start.” (Beginning with version 24H2, this option is labeled “Show account-related notifications.”)

2. Turn off OneDrive backup

This is another feature that has actual value while still giving Microsoft a golden upsell opportunity. Every free Microsoft account comes with an initial allocation of 5 GB of free online storage that syncs automatically using File Explorer. (You also get 15 GB of Outlook.com storage for the free email account associated with that address.) You can increase that allotment with a paid Microsoft 365 account, for as little as $1.99 a month (the prices are similar to what you pay for Apple’s iCloud and Google Drive storage).

Also: Wiping your Windows laptop? Here’s the simplest way to erase all personal data

The biggest problem with Microsoft’s cloud storage in Windows is that it defaults to automatically setting up the OneDrive Backup feature. That setting changes the location of the Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders from the local user profile to OneDrive. Your data is still stored locally but is backed up to the cloud. (Beginning in 2023, OneDrive also offers the option to back up the Music and Videos folders, but those locations are not backed up by default.)

OneDrive backup might be a good feature if you’re a casual computer user and you don’t have a backup strategy. But if you have more than 5 GB of data in those folders and accidentally turn on the OneDrive Backup feature, you’ll run out of online storage space immediately, which can be a rude surprise.

To restore those files to local-only status, follow the instructions in this article: “Is OneDrive moving all your files? How to take back control of your Windows storage.” Pay careful attention to the steps for moving the files back to their original local folders after turning off OneDrive backup.

3. Uninstall third-party app shortcuts

When you set up Windows 11 for the first time, the Pinned Apps section at the top of the Start menu is filled with icons representing apps you might not want. Most are from Microsoft, but you’ll also find a selection of third-party apps. On a test account I set up for this article, the selection of third-party apps included Spotify, Grammarly, and Luminar Neo (an “AI photo editor”). These are only shortcuts, and they use almost no actual storage space.

Thankfully, the sprinkling of app shortcuts is at worst a minor annoyance and is nothing like the dark days a decade or more ago, when crapware was epidemic on Windows PCs. To banish an unwanted app shortcut from the Windows 11 menu, right-click its icon and click Uninstall. It won’t come back.

4. Turn off recommendations

Microsoft insists it will only suggest apps that its algorithms think you’ll like, presumably using its AI-based tools. If you’d prefer to shut that algorithm up, go to Settings > Personalization > Start and turn off “Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more.”

5. Hide ads in Microsoft Edge

This is one Microsoft product loaded with actual advertisements, which appear on the default Microsoft Start page, in between a bunch of clickbait news stories and other bits of unwanted content.

If you don’t like that approach, you can choose a different browser.

Also: How to tighten your security in Microsoft Edge

To keep using Edge without seeing those annoying ads on the Start page, open a new tab, click the gear icon in the upper right corner, and turn the Content setting to Off.

6. Clean up (or remove) the Widgets feed

When Windows 11 was originally released, I called the Widgets feature a “colossal disappointment” and noted that its main purpose seemed to be “delivering extra cash to Microsoft’s bottom line via an endless scrolling feed of headlines sprinkled with ads from Microsoft Start (the latest incarnation of MSN News).”

In currently supported Windows 11 versions, you can remove that annoying news feed and show only useful stuff on the Widgets board, including quick access to real-time weather and traffic info, details from your calendar, and even text messages and notifications from your phone. Press the Windows key + W to open the Widgets board, click the gear icon in the upper right corner, click “Show or hide feeds,” and then slide the “Feed” switch to Off. Click Discover New Widgets to see if there’s anything you want to add.

Also: How to upgrade your ‘incompatible’ Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 in 2025

If you’d rather not be bothered by Widgets, you can configure Windows so that the Widgets icon in the lower left corner goes away completely. Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and turn the Widgets switch to Off. To adjust the feature so the icon remains visible but the pane doesn’t open accidentally when you move the mouse over it, click the gear icon at the top of the Widgets pane and turn off the “Open Widgets board on hover” switch.

7. Turn off Windows Copilot

Microsoft’s signature AI feature is branded as Copilot, and the company has spent the past year or two experimenting with ways to integrate it into Windows. Originally, this ChatGPT alternative appeared in the form of an icon at the extreme right side of the taskbar, but it’s since been demoted to an app. If you’re not interested in playing with Microsoft’s AI, go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps and look for Copilot in the list. Click the three dots at the far right of its menu entry and click Uninstall to make it go away.

This story was originally published April 20, 2023. It was last updated March 11, 2024.