Microsoft recently released a new optional preview update for Windows 11, which introduced a new feature. The changes included in the update are set to be incorporated into all Windows 11 devices as part of the May 2024 cumulative security update. Testing and rollout of the update happened at an unusually fast pace, initially being limited to users from the United States. There were hints that the change might be reverted before being officially incorporated into stable versions of Windows 11.

A slightly modified version of the feature has now been included in the optional update for Windows 11 Stable. The update introduces a “promoted” label for advertised apps, aiming to distinguish them from user-installed apps. An example provided is the promotion for the Opera Browser, with a “promoted” label and the description “browse safely”. It is unclear whether the descriptions for these promoted apps are added by the product’s company or by Microsoft.

Apart from this change, there appear to be no substantial differences in the Start menu. The Recommended section of the Start menu will now display some Microsoft Store apps, which come from a small set of curated developers. This is intended to aid users in discovering high-quality apps available for Windows 11. Additionally, the update disables a specific feature in the Windows 11 Start menu.

*What are your thoughts on this?