Microsoft has released a new optional preview update for Windows 11. This update introduces a feature that will roll out to all Windows 11 devices as part of the May 2024 cumulative security update. The testing and rollout of these changes occurred 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 slightly modified version of the feature has now landed in the optional update for Windows 11 Stable. In this update, advertised apps will have a “promoted” label to distinguish them from user-installed apps. For example, a screenshot shows a promotion for the Opera Browser with the promoted label and the description “browse safely.” It is unclear who adds descriptions to these listings – whether it is the company that owns the product or Microsoft.

Besides this change, nothing else appears to have changed. Additionally, the Recommended section of the Start menu will now display some Microsoft Store apps from a small set of curated developers. This is designed to help users discover great apps. If users prefer to disable this feature in the Windows 11 Start menu, they can do so.

What are your thoughts on the new update for Windows 11?