Ads, or as Microsoft calls them, “Suggestions,” in File Explorer can be distracting and hinder your workflow. If you don’t like them, you can disable all File Explorer ads in both Windows 10 and Windows 11 by unchecking the “Show sync provider notifications” checkbox. In this tutorial, I will take you through the step-by-step process of doing exactly that to get rid of ads in File Explorer. Let’s get started.
What Kind Of Ads Are Microsoft Showing in File Explorer?
On both Windows 10 and Windows 11, Microsoft shows text ads with call-to-action buttons promoting OneDrive and Microsoft Office 365 in File Explorer. The ad generally appears right under the command bar in Windows 11 and the ribbon menu in Windows 10.
For instance, when you open File Explorer, you might see a top banner ad prompting you to use OneDrive. If you are already a OneDrive user, you might see another kind of ad prompting you to upgrade to a paid tier.
All this is in addition to the animated Start Backup option in the File Explorer’s address bar.
Why You Should Disable Ads in File Explorer
The biggest reasons to disable ads in File Explorer are to reduce distractions, keep the user interface clean, and improve File Explorer’s performance & responsiveness.
For instance, having a top bar ad in File Explorer can lead to unintentional clicks and slow down folder navigation. Additionally, since ads may require an internet connection to load, it can potentially slow down the responsiveness of File Explorer, especially on slower connections.
Moreover, if you are already using OneDrive or some other cloud service, such as Google Drive, it doesn’t make sense to see ads forcing you to use OneDrive or upgrade to a paid version.
So, without further ado, follow the steps below to stop seeing ads in File Explorer.
Steps to Disable File Explorer Ads
On Windows 11:
1. Press the Windows key + E shortcut to open File Explorer.
2. Click on the three dots icon on the command bar and select Options.
3. Navigate to the View tab in the “Folder Options” window.
4. Under the “Advanced Settings” section, scroll down & uncheck the Show sync provider notifications checkbox.
5. Click the OK button to save folder options.
On Windows 10:
1. Press the Windows key + E shortcut to open File Explorer.
2. Go to the View tab in the ribbon menu and click on Options.
3. Go to the View tab in the “Folder Options” window.
4. Under the “Advanced Settings” section, scroll down & uncheck the Show sync provider notifications checkbox.
5. Click the OK button to save folder options.
That’s it. Follow the above steps, File Explorer will not show ads in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
What Happens When You Disable Sync Provider Notifications?
When you disable sync provider notifications by unchecking the “Show sync provider notifications” checkbox in File Explorer’s Folder Options window, it stops Windows from showing ads (suggestions, as called by Microsoft) regarding OneDrive, Microsoft 365 subscription, and new features of Windows.
OneDrive users will still have access to all the features of OneDrive. You will get real-time sync notifications, file conflict & mass delete alerts, download & upload notifications, and sync status directly in the OneDrive app.
To put it simply, disabling sync provider notifications will lead to a cleaner internet and will not degrade OneDrive’s performance or features.
Wrapping Up — Make Your File Explorer Ad-free
Whether you are using Windows 10 or Windows 11, seeing ads in File Explorer, where you actively manage all your files, is not a good thing. It may increase distractions and slow down your workflow. By following the steps shown above, you can easily disable File Explorer ads in both Windows 10 & 11.
The only downside of disabling these ads is that you might miss out on new feature notifications. If you want them, open the Folder Options window in File Explorer, go to the View tab, and select the “Show sync provider notifications” checkbox. This reverts the changes we made and restores the default setting.
If you need help or have questions, comment below. I will answer.
Here are more tutorials on customizing and improving File Explorer.
