Aug. 16 – Microsoft is showing Microsoft 365 ads for Office 2021 users, offering discounts on Microsoft 365 Family Plan subscriptions.
Lee Holmes, chief security architect at Microsoft Azure Security, shared a screenshot showing the banner under the Office menu, commenting that “it’s disappointing.” According to Bleeping Computer, starting August 10, some users reported seeing these ads.
The screenshot clearly shows that Microsoft has labeled this ad as a “limited time offer” that allows users to “get a 90-day Microsoft 365 Home Plan for just $0.99”. Interestingly, Microsoft uses a differently worded button that prompts users to click on the button to get a huge discount on their subscription.
Other Office users see a slightly different ad that says “Get a 90-day Microsoft 365 Family Plan for $0.99 and share with up to 5 people, terms apply.
This isn’t the first time Microsoft has shown promotional ads in Office apps or other Windows apps. Two years ago, the company also showed promotional ads in the menu bar of the Windows 10 Writer’s Tablet app. Microsoft also showed ads in Windows 11 File Explorer, although it later said these were “experimental.
