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Turning off all 7 of these features will make Windows 11 feel much less intrusive (and some might boost your computer’s performance), and you’ll have a more enjoyable user experience. Say goodbye to annoying notifications disrupting your workflow, targeted ads, data collection, and more.

1. Pop-up banner notifications

In Windows 11, you’ll often see banner notifications appear in the bottom right corner of your screen. These notifications might contain important system alerts or a not-so-important article from a website you allowed notifications for, but they’re generally regarded as a bit annoying.

If you’ve ever found these pop-up banner notifications distracting, here’s how to disable them.

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Click on System in the left menu.

3. Select Notifications from the center menu.

4. Toggle off the switch next to Notifications at the top of the window.

If you only want to disable notifications temporarily, you can toggle on Do Not Disturb and set up custom times to not receive notifications.

2. Start menu notifications and recommendations

If you’re not using OneDrive or your Microsoft user account is missing info, you’ll see account-related notifications in the Start menu. Here’s how to stop seeing these pesky notifications.

1. From your Settings app, select Personalization from the left menu.

2. Click on Start in the center menu.

3. Toggle off the switch next to Show account related notifications occasionally in Start.

The Start menu is also home to recommendations, which can sometimes be helpful, but are more often just a nuisance. To turn these off, toggle the switch next to Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more.

3. Targeted Microsoft ads

With ads on almost every website you visit and in your social media feed, it’s no surprise that Windows 11 tracks your activities so advertisers can send personalized ads your way. While you unfortunately can’t turn off ads completely on Windows 11, you can disable the use of your unique advertising ID to stop seeing targeted ads.

1. Head to your Settings app.

2. Click on Privacy & Security in the left menu.

3. Select General from the center menu

4. Next to Let apps show me personalized ads by using my advertising ID, toggle the switch off.

Optionally, while you’re here, you can also toggle off the switches next to Let Windows improve Start and search results by tracking app launches and Show me notifications in the Settings app.

4. News feed from Widgets

Widgets are one of the best Windows 11 features because they give you a quick glance at info from the apps you’ve added, but the news feed added by default is unnecessary.

1. Open your Widgets board by pressing the Windows key followed by the W key.

2. Click the Settings button (cog gear icon) in the top right corner of the Widgets board.

3. Select Show or hide feeds from the menu.

4. Toggle off the switch next to Microsoft Start.

5. A pop-up window will appear to confirm your decision. Select Turn off, and when you open your Widgets board next, the news feed will be gone.

5. Optional diagnostic data and feedback

In order to improve the Windows 11 experience, Microsoft collects a lot of data about your computer and how you use it. While real user experience can certainly help Microsoft improve its operating system, it’s not necessary. Here’s how to limit the amount of diagnostic data and feedback your computer sends to Microsoft.

1. Open your Settings app.

2. Select Privacy & security from the left menu.

3. Click Diagnostics & feedback in the center menu.

4. Toggle off the switch next to Send optional diagnostic data.

6. Unnecessary startup apps

Many applications open during startup by default, and this can majorly slow down your computer’s overall performance, especially if you don’t notice certain apps are open. If you’re not using an app, there’s no reason for it to be open and sucking up system resources.

Seeing which apps are set to launch at startup and turning them off is incredibly simple to do.

1. Open your Settings app.

2. Select Apps from the left menu.

3. Click on Startup at the bottom of the center menu.

4. At the top of the window, there’s a Sort by dropdown menu. From the available options, select Startup impact to see which apps are demanding the most resources from your computer.

5. Toggle off any apps you don’t need to open during startup.

7. Search highlights from Bing

Microsoft’s proprietary search engine is Bing, so you’ll see Bing search highlights when using the the Windows 11 Search interface. If you don’t want to see these Bing results every time you search for something, you can turn this feature off in four simple steps.

1. Open your computer’s Settings app.

2. Click on Privacy & security in the left menu.

3. Select Search permissions towards the bottom of the center menu.

4. Scroll down to the More settings heading, and toggle off the switch for Show search highlights.

While most of the features just mentioned are objectively annoying, there’s one new feature in Windows 11 that could be seen by some as helpful and by others as intrusive: Microsoft’s new AI Copilot tool. Copilot can help you write emails or summarize long walls of text, but it’s quite a resource-heavy app.

If you don’t want Microsoft’s new AI digital assistant on your device, here’s how to turn off Copilot on Windows 11.

In 2024, for cybersecurity, we’re entering an era where advanced AI tools and escalated social engineering tactics (especially during election years) are changing the game. To avoid potential cyber threats, businesses, governments and individuals must grasp these emerging trends.

1. Rise Of Cybersecurity AI

In 2024, AI’s role in cybersecurity will expand to encompass automated responses and predictive analytics. It’s mainly about taking preventive measures in advance….

Integrating AI into cybersecurity applications can improve threat detection and incident response. For instance, AI can identify anomalies or deviations that may indicate potential security threats. Previously unseen attacks can be detected.

With cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated, AI’s ability to analyze vast datasets and identify patterns will be pivotal. Since AI has become a major part of cyber criminals’ toolkit, AI is expected to become a mainstay in cybersecurity solutions.

2. Election Year Disinformation

Election years provide fertile ground for social engineering and disinformation campaigns, and there’s no reason to believe 2024 will be an exception. As political tensions rise, so do efforts to manipulate public opinion and undermine democratic processes.

Americans lost $10.3 billion to online scams in 2022, which also emphasizes the need for ongoing employee security awareness training that includes exercises to help identify social engineering tactics and phishing attempts. The use of open-source intelligence tools (OSINT) to root out network vulnerabilities is recommended as a preventive measure to combat threat actors.

3. Escalation Of Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware remains a formidable threat in 2024, with tactics becoming increasingly complex and negotiations more aggressive. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, damages from cybercrime are projected to exceed $10.5 trillion globally by 2025.

This alarming escalation calls for robust backup strategies, employee training, cyber insurance, negotiation expertise and incident response plans. Companies can follow the example of external performing tasks such as penetration testing, validating network integrity, identifying unauthorized activity and monitoring for suspicious behavior.

4. AI-Based Predictive Social Engineering

2024 will likely see a rise in AI-based predictive social engineering and a disturbing convergence of AI and social manipulation techniques.

Leveraging AI, cybercriminals can prey on human weaknesses such as impulsiveness, greed and curiosity to more convincingly create personalized phishing campaigns at scale. AI-facilitated social engineering attacks have been reported to the FTC.

This emerging trend underscores the need to perform AI risk assessments and to consider outsourcing expertise to a virtual AI officer who can step into the role and run AI-resistant security protocols.

5. National U.S. Data Privacy Act

The progression of data privacy regulations—beginning with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and extending to California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)—is paving the way for establishing a national data privacy act in the U.S. called the American Data Privacy and Protection Act.

With five states’ privacy acts becoming effective in 2024 and other data breaches costing companies an average of $4.45 million, legislating a national data privacy standard is more urgent than ever.

6. Cyberattacks On Cannabis Retailers

The burgeoning cannabis industry, particularly retailers, is increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks as they transition to digital platforms. Banks and credit card services could begin to accept electronic payments and ACH transfers from cannabis businesses—thanks to pending legislation making its way through Congress—and the gap between point of sale (PoS) systems and potential data breaches narrows significantly.

Human error and complacency are major risk factors, and the industry’s nascent adoption of digital technologies makes it an attractive target for cybercrime. Retail dispensaries must prioritize cybersecurity to protect their client data and financial transactions, as the sector’s so-called “green rush” also attracts the unwanted attention of threat actors.

7. Zero Trust Elevates To Boardroom Status

The concept of zero trust in cybersecurity, akin to the rise of anti-virus software in the 1990s, is set to become a staple topic in boardroom discussions in 2024. Gaining steady momentum, the implementation of zero trust is no longer a technical nicety but a business imperative.

Rooted in the principle of “never trust, always verify,” the widespread adoption of zero-trust architectures signifies a paradigm shift in security strategies, emphasizing continuous verification of every user and device, regardless of their location or network.

This strategic move elevates cybersecurity from a technical concern to a core business function, crucial for protecting organizational assets.

8. FEMA Cyber Insurance

To make a bold and unprecedented prediction, FEMA, the federal agency known for last-resort flood insurance, may eventually be called upon to serve as a model and backstop for cyber insurance policies not covered by commercial carriers.

With traditional insurance carriers withdrawing from high-risk regions like Florida due to severe climate events, there is a growing need for federal intervention. A FEMA initiative could potentially underwrite essential services like airports, hospitals, energy and water treatment plants as commercial insurance options become limited.

Conclusion

The increasing complexity of cyber threats underscoring the security trends of 2024 highlights the need for advanced mitigation strategies. Organizations will need to understand these trends, ensure they enable best practices and consider collaborating with outsourced cybersecurity expertise to navigate the security environment and ensure a robust, future-ready cyber defense.

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Windows 11 Features You Should Fix Now