How to Disable File Explorer Ads (Sync Provider Notifications) in Windows 10

Starting with Windows 10 Insider Build 14901, Microsoft would be sending out new notifications within File Explorer to educate users about Windows 10’s features. Here is how the notifications or ads would look like.

disable sync provider notifications
Src: Microsoft

Or it could be an advertisement for OneDrive or Office 365.

file explorer ads sync provider

Quoting Microsoft:



Improving Product Education: As part of an effort to explore new ways of educating our customers on features in Windows 10 – we are testing out new notifications within File Explorer. They’re designed to help customers by providing quick, easy information about things they can do or new features they can try to have a better experience with Windows 10.

If you don’t want to see such advertisements (or notifications) in Explorer, turn off the option “Show sync provider notifications” in the Folder Options dialog.

disable sync provider notifications

Since the feature is named “sync provider notifications”, Microsoft might allow third-party cloud providers (e.g., Dropbox) to show such advertisements in File Explorer. There is no official word on it, though.


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Ramesh Srinivasan is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a consecutive ten-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in the Windows Shell/Desktop Experience category, from 2003 to 2012. He loves to troubleshoot and write about Windows. Ramesh founded Winhelponline.com in 2005.

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