Home windows 11 has simply obtained an optionally available replace which applies some helpful fixes… but additionally one thing a bit extra controversial for the Begin menu.

As noticed by Bleeping Laptop (opens in new tab), that’d be what Microsoft describes as “notifications for Microsoft accounts” showing within the Begin menu, a function that some suspect has a hidden agenda.

What can we imply by that? Nicely, within the assist doc (opens in new tab) introducing patch KB5023778 for Home windows 11 22H2 PCs, which remains to be in preview however can be totally rolled out subsequent month, Microsoft offers an instance of a notification: a pop-up panel warning the consumer that they should again up their information.

Wise recommendation, and naturally, it is a good suggestion to again up your fundamental folders (paperwork, photos, and so forth) to the cloud once in a while as urged (and regionally too, perhaps utilizing an exterior drive as an illustration).

You possibly can assure, although, that beginning a backup from this immediate will attempt to get you to make use of OneDrive, Microsoft’s cloud storage service. As a result of as we all know, these Begin menu prompts are notifications associated to Microsoft accounts and linked providers like OneDrive.

Previous leaks from Albacore (a well known leaker on Twitter) have additionally proven Microsoft prodding customers (in check builds) to hit up OneDrive on this method, or to create a Microsoft account (or to finish their Microsoft profile).

Relating to this new function, Microsoft tells us: “That is solely obtainable to a small viewers proper now. It would deploy extra broadly within the coming months. Some units may discover completely different visible remedies as we collect suggestions.”

The freshly unleashed optionally available replace additionally gives a bunch of bug fixes, together with one for a glitch that impacts printers (linked through a USB port) and makes them look like multimedia units.

Evaluation: The beginning of one thing ominous?

So, this Begin menu function is progressing, clearly. We noticed it within the Launch Preview channel for Home windows Insiders (testers) only a week in the past, and now, it’s hitting precise Home windows 11 PCs going ahead.

Admittedly, it’s nonetheless an optionally available (check) replace proper now, nevertheless it’ll virtually definitely be a part of April’s cumulative replace for Home windows 11 deployed in a few weeks. Except Microsoft has a last-minute change of coronary heart and pulls the plug on the precipice of deployment (and at this level, that’s not possible).

After all, it’s solely rolling out to a small subset of Home windows 11 customers initially. Though that in itself is telling – Microsoft is evidently involved in regards to the response and remains to be testing the waters in a restricted trend, because it had been, with a broader rollout not coming for ‘months’ as well. The software program large is being cautious about this one, and probably for good purpose.

Possibly we gained’t even see these type of adverts – or reminders, as Microsoft couches them – all that always within the Begin menu. They may simply be very occasional issues. We don’t know, and we additionally don’t know precisely the place Microsoft goes to be drawing the road between strategies or suggestions, and pushing its personal providers as a type of assist to the consumer which successfully crosses over into the realm of promoting.

Time will inform, nevertheless it’s clear sufficient that strategies are set to be an enormous factor sooner or later for Home windows 11 (or certainly Home windows 12). Lately we’ve seen additional hints of customized suggestions within the Begin menu, together with really helpful web sites to go to (sure, that idea is seemingly again on the desk), which once more would appear to be ripe territory for what might successfully be promoting.