Microsoft adds Harry Potter film adverts to Bing Wallpaper
Microsoft has started inserting advertising into its Bing Wallpaper app for Windows, replacing users' usual rotation of scenic desktop images with a promotion for a Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film collection. The change, which appeared on Monday, has prompted complaints on Reddit and Microsoft's own Learn support forum, with users asking why their wallpaper had been hijacked and whether there is any way to opt out. It marks a further step in Microsoft's ongoing practice of embedding promotional content into core parts of Windows, following earlier moves such as ads in the Start menu.
The wallpaper shows a vector-style image of Hogwarts castle alongside text advertising the "11-film collection", with all eleven Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films described as "available now". Numerous one-star reviews have appeared on the app's Microsoft Store page, with users objecting simply to the presence of adverts rather than to author J.K. Rowling's politics, and some noting that the app's settings now disclose the use of AI-generated wallpapers. This is not the app's first controversy: in late 2024 it was found to be accessing and decrypting browser cookies, which Microsoft did not fully deny. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and affected users are being advised that uninstalling the app is currently the only way to avoid the adverts.
In short
- Bing Wallpaper app now shows a Harry Potter film advert, replacing scenic images
- Users on Reddit and Microsoft Learn are complaining and requesting an opt-out
- Follows Microsoft's history of ads and privacy issues, including 2024 cookie snooping
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Microsoft could argue that promoting a film collection through its free wallpaper app helps users discover entertainment they may enjoy and supports services that are offered without a separate charge. If the promotion is occasional and clearly disclosed, the company may see it as a reasonable way to fund and develop the app.
The case against
Users could argue that a wallpaper app is expected to provide the scenic images they chose it for, not replace them with unsolicited advertising. When opting out appears to require uninstalling the app, the promotion can undermine trust and make a core part of the Windows experience feel less under users’ control.
Explained simply
Bing Wallpaper is a free Windows app that changes a computer’s desktop background, often using scenic images. Microsoft also controls Windows features such as the Start menu, where it has previously placed promotional content.
The Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films are a series of fantasy films based on books by J.K. Rowling and related stories. Microsoft’s promotion appeared within the wallpaper app, leading some users to question whether they could prevent adverts from appearing there.
The issue matters because people may expect a wallpaper app to change their background without displaying promotions. It also raises wider questions about how much advertising users encounter in software built into or offered alongside an operating system.
Art Culture Software Technology
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Register as “Bing Wallpaper app opens Harry Potter’s chamber of ads”.