I removed every ad from Windows 11 and it only took 6 steps

Windows 11 doesn’t throw ads in your face the way websites do, but it still slips in promotions across the system. The Start menu can suggest apps you never searched for, the Settings app shows recommended content, and File Explorer occasionally displays a OneDrive banner. I ignored most of it for a long time because it blended in so well that it didn’t feel like something I could turn off.