Microsoft recently released a new optional preview update for Windows 11, introducing a feature that will be rolled out to all Windows 11 devices as part of the May 2024 cumulative security update. The testing and rollout of the changes happened at a record pace, initially limited to Windows 11 users in the United States. There were concerns that the change might be pulled before landing in stable versions of Windows 11.

However, a modified version of the feature has now landed in the optional update for Windows 11 Stable. The update introduces a “promoted” label for advertised apps in the Start menu to distinguish them from user-installed apps. An example screenshot shows the promotion for the Opera Browser, labeled as promoted with a description “browse safely.”

It is unclear who adds descriptions to listings, whether it’s the company that owns the product or Microsoft. Aside from this change, there appear to be no other significant differences. In the Recommended section of the Start menu, some Microsoft Store apps will be shown.

These apps come from a curated set of developers, aiming to help users discover great available apps. Additionally, there is an option to disable the feature in the Windows 11 Start menu.