Windows 11 Device Usage Prompts: Stop the Suggestions
If your Windows 11 PC keeps showing the “Device usage” prompt — the pop-up that asks how you plan to use your device (gaming, school, family, etc.) — and it reappears even after you’ve answered or dismissed it, the fix is to disable the “Finish setting up your device” notification or the “Suggested” notifications in Settings. This article explains exactly where those settings are, why the prompt returns, and how to stop it permanently.
What the Device Usage Prompt Actually Is
The Device usage prompt is part of Windows 11’s “out-of-box experience” and post-setup suggestions. Microsoft designed it to tailor tips, ads, and app suggestions based on how you say you’ll use the PC. When you pick an option (e.g., “Gaming”), Windows may show more Xbox-related suggestions; “School” may surface Office or learning apps. The prompt itself is not malware, but it can feel intrusive when it keeps appearing.
It usually shows up after a major update, after a fresh install, or when you’ve skipped it several times. The system treats an unanswered prompt as “still pending,” so it retries on the next sign-in or after a reboot.
Why the Prompt Keeps Coming Back
The most common reason is that you haven’t actually completed the flow — you clicked the X or pressed Escape, which Windows interprets as “not answered.” Another cause is that the “Finish setting up your device” toggle in Settings is still enabled. This is a separate notification that pushes you to complete setup steps, and it includes the device usage question.
Additionally, if you have multiple user accounts on the PC, each account may have its own device usage state. The prompt can appear on a different account than the one you configured. Finally, some Windows updates reset certain “Suggested” notification settings, re-enabling the prompt after an update.
How to Stop the Device Usage Prompt (Step-by-Step)
Follow these steps on Windows 11 (version 22H2 and later). The menu names are the same in most current builds.
- Open Settings (Win + I).
- Go to System → Notifications.
- Scroll down to the Notifications from apps and other senders list.
- Find Windows setup experience (sometimes listed as “Windows Setup Experience”) and toggle it Off.
- Still in Notifications, scroll to the bottom and click Additional settings.
- Uncheck “Show me the Windows welcome experience after updates” and “Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows”.
After doing this, the device usage prompt should not appear again, even after reboots or updates. If it still shows, also check Settings → Personalization → Device usage and make sure you’ve selected at least one option (or none, but then the prompt may return). Selecting one option and then turning off the notifications above is the most reliable combination.
Alternative Methods to Disable the Prompt
If the Settings toggle doesn’t work, there are two other approaches that are safe and reversible.
- Group Policy (Windows Pro/Enterprise): Press Win + R, type
gpedit.msc, and go to Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Cloud Content. Set “Turn off Microsoft consumer experiences” to Enabled. This disables most “suggested” prompts, including device usage. - Registry (all editions): Open Regedit and navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager. Create or set a DWORD value namedSubscribedContent-338388to0. Restart Explorer or sign out/in. This specifically targets the device usage prompt.
Both methods are widely documented and do not affect core Windows functions. If you’re not comfortable editing the registry, stick with the Settings method.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
One common mistake is turning off all notifications, which is overkill and can hide important alerts. Instead, only disable the “Windows setup experience” and the “Additional settings” checkboxes.
Another misconception is that the prompt is a virus. It is not. The prompt is a standard Windows feature. However, if you see a similar pop-up that asks for your password or credit card, that is likely phishing — the real device usage prompt only asks about your interests.
Some users think that answering the prompt once is enough. In practice, if you later change your usage selections or if Windows updates reset the settings, the prompt can return. The steps above prevent that.
How the Prompt Relates to Other Windows Suggestions
The device usage prompt is part of a broader set of “suggestions” in Windows 11. You may also see “Tips” notifications, “Start” menu app suggestions, and “Finish setting up your PC” prompts. All of these are controlled by the same ContentDeliveryManager registry key and the “Additional settings” toggles.
Disabling the device usage prompt does not affect Windows Update, security features, or your ability to change settings later. It only stops the “suggested” content. If you later want to see tips or app suggestions, you can re-enable the toggles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling the prompt break anything?
No. Disabling the device usage prompt only stops the suggestion pop-up. All other Windows features remain fully functional. You can re-enable it anytime by reversing the steps.
Why does the prompt appear after every Windows update?
Some updates reset the “Suggested” notification settings to default. After an update, recheck the toggles in Settings. If you want to prevent this, the Group Policy or Registry method is more persistent.
I don’t see “Windows setup experience” in my notification list. What now?
On some Windows 11 builds, the entry is named “Windows Setup Experience” or may be hidden if you’ve already completed setup. Try the Registry method instead, or check for a pending update that might add the entry.
Does this also remove the “Get even more out of Windows” prompt?
Yes. The “Get even more out of Windows” prompt is the same device usage prompt in a different skin. Disabling the “Windows setup experience” notification or the registry key stops both.
Can I just click “Not now” forever?
You can, but the prompt will keep returning because Windows treats “Not now” as an incomplete action. The only permanent fix is to disable the notification source as described above.
Is there a way to make the prompt appear again if I change my mind?
Yes. Re-enable the “Windows setup experience” notification or set the registry key back to 1. The prompt will show again the next time you sign in.
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