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How To Turn Off Annoying File Explorer Ads in Windows 10

Users who have updated early to the Windows 10 Creators Update (using Insider builds) have noticed a big annoyance: an ad in the File Explorer for Microsoft's own OneDrive service. It's one of the most intrusive self-promotion efforts we've seen in Windows 10 so far.

People use the File Explorer a lot. It's not something you can avoid, so this advertising is particularly annoying and all but unavoidable. That is, unless you turn it off. Paul Thurrott has helped find a way to disable the ads for a return to a serene file manager.

 1. Open File Explorer and go to View > Options > Change folder and search options.

2. Choose the View tab in the "Folder Options" window.

3. Uncheck "Show sync provider notifications" in the advanced settings list. It's towards the bottom.

Go to Thurrot's website for more information, including on how (and why) you can proactively change this before you get the Creators Update.

Ad Screenshot via Reddit

Windows File Explorer Tips