Is Microsoft Testing Ads in Email Messages List of Outlook?
Today when I opened Outlook.com to check emails in my Hotmail account, I got a surprise from Microsoft in form of a new type of ad.
There was an advertisement showing at the top of the email messages list pane as shown in following screenshot:
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The ad was made to look like a new email message and was completely matching with the other email messages UI. The ad title shows “Upgrade your account”, the ad description or summary shows “Get the latest premium Outlook features” and the sender is shown as “Microsoft Outlook” as shown in following screenshot:
When I clicked on the ad, I got another surprise. It displayed the full ad in the Reading pane just like an ordinary message.
The full ad in Reading pane looks like following screenshot:
The ad message shows “Get the latest premium Outlook features” text along with a “Learn More” link and an image featuring Office 365 Personal with Outlook.com Premium product.
The funny thing is that the text message and the image is hyperlinked to the ad URL but the “Learn More” link is not.
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When I clicked on the link, it opened following URL in web browser:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/outlook/outlook-personal-email-plans?ocid=PROD_outlook_cons_outlook_ups_OL-Web_NativeAd-Upgrade&rtc=1
The opened webpage is an official page at Microsoft.com website about Outlook with Microsoft 365 product.
PS: If you look carefully, the ad message shows “This is a new type of ad” information. So it seems Microsoft is testing this ad for some selected users and might roll out for all in coming days.
For your information, here are some technical information about my browser and operating system used to get the ad in Outlook:
Operating system: Windows 11 21H2 (public stable version fully updated)
Web browser: Mozilla Firefox 101.0.1
Email: A very old Hotmail ID
Have you also received this type of ad in your Hotmail or other Microsoft Account? Please share your experience and opinion about these new types of ads introduced by Microsoft in Outlook.
UPDATE:
1. The ad becomes unread whenever we refresh or reopen Outlook.com website.
2. If we hover the mouse cursor over the ad, a “Delete” button or icon appears which can be used to permanently disable/remove the ad.
Also Check:
Thank you for the suggestion on how to get rid of this. Fixed it for me.
Hi Vishal,
Just started getting these ads in the last 2 days I opened outlook 3 times and got one every time same as the one you got. My ads were for finance and loans from Banks in Australia where I’m from.
Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 21H2 (public stable version fully updated)
Web browser: Google
Email: outlook.
I have used your site for many years now on and love it.
Regards Allan.
Thank you it was really useful for me!
I use Outlook and Gmail. Outlook ads are not suitable for me, thank you for helping.
Same aggravating “problem” as others are having. Please stop this testing – if that is what it is. Why can’t I delete this message once and for all !!!!!!
i was looking for a reason to ditch hotmail anyways, well this is the time switch to gmail
I got the same thing here in the UK, really annoying. Advert for a recruitment site.
It signals me closing my Microsoft account of 20 years, Microsoft are getting worse than Google, by coincidence it was also the week I’ve started using linux as daily OS, this just re affirms my thinking
You can delete but it they come back and you have to delete again. Only way to remove for good as they say to to pay annual. Anyone have another free option?
I’ve been receiving this message every time I sign into my Outlook account for over a month now. Is there anyway of stopping it permanently without paying for Premium? (that´s not going to happen!)
The delete thing doesn’t come up on my computers so this doesn’t work. Also after the latest “upgrade” outlook deleted all of my saved emails along with all current ones as well. Not a good reason to “upgrade”.
The best work around Ive found is to turn on the focused inbox option in settings….that puts ads into an “other” box separate from email you want. Though you have to peek at “other” sometimes to make sure it’s working, so far it’s worked like the spam folder in gmail…
These has started for me within the last few days. They are very annoying. I can delete them like a regular email message, but every single time I launch the app I get a new ad from someone else.
Super annoying, I am with everyone else they need to not do this! I get enough other spam and junk to delete out!
Hi – In the last few days, the Outlook app on my iPhone now shows an ad or two in my inbox. Very annoying! I bought MS Office in 2021 (one time subscription which included Outlook and other MS products like Word and Excel), so I do not have a “free” subscription. I have not found a way to prevent these ads yet (but appreciate the suggestion above to maybe try using the “focused” inbox). If anyone has another method, please share – thank you!