Windows 11's Get Help support app is showing ads as well now
Windows 11 users who open the official Get Help support application of the operating system may be greeted with an advertisement for Microsoft's Teams application now.
The ad is not the first for Microsoft Teams in Windows 11. Back in late 2021, a Microsoft Teams advertisement was causing freezes on Windows 11 systems it was displayed on.
Get Help is a support application, designed to assist users in fixing issues that they experience on their Windows 11 devices. Windows 11 users may type the problem that they are facing, e.g., how to set up a scanner or can't install Office, and the Get Help app returns potential solutions for these issues.
Solutions may range from step-by-step instructions to running smaller tools to get things sorted out. Sometimes, Get Help may display suggestions right away, for instance, when the device's Internet connection is disrupted.
Get Help may not have the answers for all problems, but it does cover common issues that users face. It is a good starting point before the Internet is used to find out more about an issue and get advanced troubleshooting suggestions.
Get Help Advertisement
When Get Help is opened now, it may display an ad for Microsoft Teams at the very top of the application's interface. The ad is shown with a slight delay, likely because it needs to be retrieved from a Microsoft server.
It states: "Increase productivity and collaboration all while staying organized, using a new meeting solution designed for small businesses."
A learn more link is provided and an x-icon to hide the advertisement in the Get Help interface. Microsoft does not reveal the name of the app in the advertisement. It is unclear if all users, including Home users, get the ad that is aimed at small businesses, or if other variants are displayed.
Activation of the link in the advertisement opens the Microsoft Teams Essentials subscription website. This particular version of Microsoft Teams is available for $4 per user and month.
The webpage lists features and requirements as well, which help users better understand what it is used for.
A click on the close icon next to the advertisement hides it in the application. Problem is, the action hides it only for the session. If you close the Get Help application and restart it, you will see the advertisement for Microsoft Teams again.
Closing Words
Microsoft is again using built-in tools and features of the Windows 11 operating system to advertise some of its other services. The operating system has some controls to disable advertisement, but these are not found in a central location, but sprinkled across different locations.
The Microsoft Teams ad in the Get Help application is just the latest in a long list of changes designed to get Windows 11 users to subscribe to Microsoft services. Some of these have not made it beyond the development stage, while others are used in stable versions of Windows 11.
Only recently, Microsoft updated the official Weather app to show the MSN news feed and ads, but it decided to remove the feed and most ads again.
The new Home page of the Settings app may show ads for Microsoft 365 in the future, and the profile icon of the Start Menu may show an error bade and promotions for OneDrive.
The trend will continue for the foreseeable future, as it appears to be lucrative enough for Microsoft to do so. Windows 11 users can't really do much about it. While it is possible to disable certain ad-related settings, Microsoft has developed a habit of ignoring existing preferences sometimes.
Now You: what is your take on this trend? Will it ever reverse?
Microsoft is disgusting. This is getting out of hand. An antitrust need to be brought on and heavy fines.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if all Windows computers would be connected to eachother like in a gigantic torrent swarm and that way your computer could show ads on someone else’s computer and vice versa, ENDLESSLY. With no ways to block any ad ever. Oh what a beautiful dream, I hope Microsoft are working on this. Forcing everyone to use a Microsoft account is step one, we’re getting closer…
A dream for the sender, a dream or a nightmare for the receiver. Personally I’d send something like Cliff Richard’s ‘Congratulations’ to the planet Earth together with an email to my neighbor telling her she’s the one,
“Congratulations and celebrations
When I tell everyone that you’re in love with me
Congratulations and jubilations
I want the world to know I’m happy as can be”
Gentleman, I’d avoid sharing her name, picture, of course. A sort of planetary masked ball, Cyber Venice.
We had these sort of phantasms a decade ago on chats where we wondered if we’d recognize each others if all invited to an extraordinary ball deeply nested in a dark forest … not quite Venice was it?!
I think I bounced on this comment given that repeating once again what we all know, Microsoft inserting ads everywhere and that’d include the lavatories should Windows have any, would have been such a dull comment …
Some users, maybe many, may not know MS developed, or re-developed, Teams to, in theory, make it a better program. I honestly can’t say a small one line reference with an Information “I” is an advertisement.
Why wouldn’t gHacks take a more productive, positive approach and produce an article about the new Teams? “The Verge” does well:
https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/27/23657938/microsoft-teams-overhaul-performance-improvements-ui-design-changes-features
Martin could have written, for instance: “As I was rummaging about the MS Windows 11 system on my laptop, I noticed a one-liner about a ‘meeting’ solution. When I clicked the ‘Learn More,’ I discovered MS has completely revamped Teams.
Various blogs have written about the improvements, so I tried the ‘new’ Teams. The experience with the new program left me dazzled because it actually works and promotes team collaboration with a genuinely well-crafted new UI.”
Some such silliness . . . or we could have an article on Rufus 4.1 which has a couple of improvements.
At least the people in that picture genuinely look like they need to “get help”.
And the reasons to switch to Linux is mounting!
More and more people is realizing that!
I did after thy announced the death date of Win10(no more security updates) and Win11 is shit! Microsoft has lost it! Linux is the only future!
It’s a very simple matter.
“WindowsOS” is Microsoft’s proprietary software.
Even if the software is “paid”, it is subject to a license agreement.
Simply put, the end user has no ownership rights.
End users are in no position to complain.
incorrect attitude – everyone has a right to complain about the services or programs they use, that right isn’t exclusively reserved for Linux users, lol. The thing users don’t always have a right to, is the right to have their complains listened to, but that’s a different story.
Maybe time to start asking why “proprietary” locked down software is (still) kicking Linux’s ass despite many years of mis-steps by Microsoft.
It’s also hard to believe that you sincerely give a damn about “license agreements”, 99% of people don’t, regardless of what platform they’re on.
@PrOpRiEtaRy?Parodying the word “Proprietary”
Don’t use boring (vile) handles!
If you want to make a point, you should be self-disciplined in your excessive use of vile, multi-faceted handles.
Well, as you say, “99% of home users ignore and are indifferent to licensing agreements”.
But “ignorance and indifference” makes them and you no better than monkeys, though.
I don’t believe what nickname I choose has too much bearing on the points being made, but yes, the alternating caps has a purpose. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternating_caps). This word “proprietary” is thrown around often as some sort of insult – but I have long come to terms with the fact that there will always be some great, brilliant software, which is proprietary, closed off, etc. Something being proprietary does not automatically make it worse than an “open” alternative, I could certainly give examples.
You should be careful on the internet, not to make it obvious when something greatly annoys or offends you – if someone wanted to, they could lean into doing the exact opposite.
Also, be careful conflating paraphrasing and direct quotes, I don’t appreciate a statement I never wrote being put in quotation marks. You may think the form of mockery I used is rude but I find being compared to an unintelligent creature to actually be worse.
I see software as means to an end – tools that can be used – if I have some software installed locally, I am going to do whatever I please with it, regardless of whether it violates local law, or the geneva convention. And I suppose an OS falls under being software, as well.
A licensing agreement is something a company typically slaps together to ensure it’s not liable for anything their software, or the user of the software, does – such an agreement is worthless to me, and I won’t regard it for a split second.
The real world difference that is made because of this? None
Microsoft, Get Help. Really. Get Help.
Until up to now I’ve not seen this yet within my network. Using Raspberry/Odroid with Pihole keeps my network free off adds. This goes for all the devices that I’m using here. When using the correct add-lists in your Pihole and updating them once and a while will do the trick I guess.
And like vegans they have tell everyone about it.
And like bitter Windows fanbois, they have to vocalize their stance.