Windows 11 Hijacked by Full-Screen Harry Potter Ads

Microsoft's Bing Wallpaper app has been displaying full-screen ads on Windows 11 desktops, promoting a collection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies. The ads appear randomly based on user region, exploiting small print that allows Microsoft to show advertisements within wallpapers meant for scenic daily backgrounds.

The ad features the eight Harry Potter films plus three Fantastic Beasts films, with the caption 'Available Now' encouraging users to buy the film collection via wallpaper. However, this marketing stunt was not received well on Reddit, where users expressed strong disapproval.

It appears that not all Windows users are seeing this ad, as Bing rotates its wallpapers and varies them depending on the user's region. According to Windows Latest, one user reported using four PCs on the same day, with only one showing the Harry Potter ad.

This incident is surprising given Microsoft's recent admission that it has been displaying too many ads in Windows. However, if you look at the small print, Microsoft reserves the right to display ads within wallpapers.