Windows 10 users complain about Microsoft pushing pop-up ads on Google Chrome users

Windows 10 advertising pop-ups try to push Microsoft's 'Shopping Assistant' on Chrome users

Windows 10 users are complaining about a new wave of pop-up adverts with a new advertisement for Google's Chrome browser pestering users to install the Microsoft Shopping Assistant add-on for Chrome.

It's not the first time that Windows 10 has come in for criticism for foisting adverts on users. Windows 10 users have already been spammed with full-screen Tomb Raider ads, pop-up ads for the company's rewards programme, and nag screens that try to get Chrome and Firefox users to switch to Microsoft's own Edge browser.

As spotted by Myce, when the browser is pinned to the taskbar, a notification above the Chrome icon begs: "Quickly compare prices online. Get Microsoft's Personal Shopping Assistant for Chrome."

The add-on itself has been around for about a year, but a recent update is said to have triggered the spam.

This, naturally, hasn't gone down well with users, who have taken to Google's Chrome Web Store to moan about Microsoft's latest heavy-handed tactics.

"Installed this so I could leave this review. I'm uninstalling it right after," says one. "Microsoft Windows 10 popped up a notification when I launched Chrome tonight, telling me I should install this extension. Basically, they forced a popup ad into my Windows experience and interfered with my use of my computer to push this waste of time onto me. They should be banned from the Chrome store because of this."

Another adds: Microsoft provides an operating system, nothing more, they should not give me ~advertisements~ regardless of if they are from a Microsoft developer. I already develop on Linux and more and more of the games I play are becoming available on Linux via Steam. There will soon be no reason to still use Microsoft Windows.. thankfully."

Paul Thurrott is also not pleased about the move and said in a blog post that he's concerned that Microsoft could give t third-party developers could be given access to this API.

"Seeing as Microsoft is clearly comfortable with advertisements on the taskbar, you can imagine a world where you can get Windows for free or a version that costs extra to blocks advertising," he said.

Microsoft, on the other hand, doesn't see the problem, and said in a statement that it's "always testing new features and information that can help people enhance their Windows 10 experience.".