How to Stop the Windows 11 Welcome Experience After Sign-In

Quick fix: Open Settings → System → Notifications → Additional settings. Untick:
Show me the Windows welcome experience after updates and when signed in to show what’s new and suggested. Also untick Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows and finish setting up this device and Get tips and suggestions when I use Windows. No more welcome screens.

Windows 11 shows “welcome to Windows 11” / “continue setting up” experience screens after updates and occasional sign-ins. Annoying for users who’ve been on Win11 a while. Disable via three Notification settings.

What causes this

Microsoft uses welcome experiences to:

• Highlight new Win11 features after major updates.
• Suggest Microsoft 365, OneDrive, Edge setup.
• Encourage Microsoft account sign-in.
• Promote tips and tricks.

Once you’re comfortable: turn off.

Method 1: Disable in Notifications settings

The standard route.

1. Open Settings → System → Notifications.
2. Scroll to Additional settings. Click to expand.
3. Untick:
   • Show me the Windows welcome experience after updates and when signed in to show what’s new and suggested.
   • Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows and finish setting up this device.
   • Get tips and suggestions when using Windows.
4. Apply.
5. No more welcome screens or tips popups.
6. For chronic suggestions: Settings → Privacy & security → General → untick all options.

This is the standard fix.

Method 2: Disable via registry

For policy-level.

1. Open Registry Editor as Admin.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager.
3. Set these DWORDs to 0:
   • SoftLandingEnabled
   • SystemPaneSuggestionsEnabled
   • SubscribedContent-310093Enabled
   • SubscribedContent-338388Enabled (Start menu suggestions)
   • SubscribedContent-338393Enabled (Settings suggestions)
   • SubscribedContent-353694Enabled (welcome experience)
4. Some may need to be created. If absent, right-click pane → New → DWORD.
5. Close Registry Editor.
6. Sign out / in.
7. No more welcome experiences.
8. For corporate via Group Policy: gpedit.msc → Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Cloud Content. Set Do not show Windows tips = Enabled.

This is the registry route.

Method 3: Use third-party tweaker

For comprehensive cleanup.

1. Winaero Tweaker (free): Settings → Behavior tab. Various Microsoft annoyance disables.
2. O&O ShutUp10++: comprehensive Windows tweaking including welcome experience disable.
3. ShutUp10: similar privacy + UX tweaks.
4. These tools toggle the registry settings + group policies through a friendly UI.
5. Backup before; some changes may break unexpected features.
6. For minimalist Win11: disable all suggestion / promotional features.
7. For business / pro: similar effect via Group Policy templates.
8. For multi-user PC: tweaks apply per-user; per-machine tweaks via Admin.

This is the comprehensive route.

How to verify the fix worked

• Sign out and back in. No welcome experience.
• After major Windows update: no “What’s new” screen.
• Settings → Notifications → Additional settings: toggles off.
• No “Let’s finish setting up your PC” nag.

If none of these work

If welcome still appears: Specific feature update may have re-enabled: re-disable after major updates. Group Policy: corporate-managed PCs may enforce. For OOBE-style screens after Insider build: roll back if just enrolled. For chronic suggestions in Start menu: Settings → Personalization → Start → toggle off suggestions. For lock screen tips: Settings → Personalization → Lock screen → untick “Get fun facts.” For ads in File Explorer: Folder Options → View → untick “Show sync provider notifications.” For chronic Microsoft 365 nag: don’t click Setup; Microsoft eventually stops asking.

Bottom line: Settings → System → Notifications → Additional settings → untick all three welcome experience options. For chronic: registry HKCU\…\ContentDeliveryManager → set Subscribed* DWORDs to 0.