Microsoft has 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 these changes happened at a record pace, initially limited to Windows 11 users in the United States. There was even a hint that the change might be pulled before landing in stable versions of Windows 11. A slightly modified version of the feature has now landed in the optional update for Windows 11 Stable.

Advertised apps will have a “promoted” label to distinguish them from user-installed apps. An example screenshot shows a promotion for the Opera Browser with the promoted label and the description “browse safely.” It is unclear who adds the descriptions to listings, whether it’s the company that owns the product or Microsoft. Other than that, there doesn’t appear to be any additional changes.

The Recommended section of the Start menu will show some Microsoft Store apps, which come from a small set of curated developers, helping users discover new apps. This feature can be disabled in the Windows 11 Start menu. The text concludes by asking the recipient their thoughts on the matter.