Windows users were outraged after the Bing Wallpaper app unexpectedly replaced regular background images with ads for the Harry Potter film collection. Microsoft had not previously used the service for such prominent advertising directly on the desktop.
Bing Wallpaper is available for Windows 10 and Windows 11 and allows users to automatically change their computer’s desktop background every day. The app usually displays photos of animals, nature, landscapes, or various patterns.
However, some users saw an advertisement for the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film collection instead of the usual daily photo. The ad did not appear for everyone, as Bing Wallpaper content may vary depending on the region.
The appearance of the advertisement itself came as a surprise. As Windows Latest notes, Microsoft warns on the Bing Wallpaper download page that after installing the app, users may also receive “in-app notifications with promotional offers from Microsoft.”
At the same time, this wording does not explicitly explain that a promotional offer could effectively take over the entire desktop background instead of the usual wallpaper. This is what caused the greatest frustration among users.
One user wrote on Reddit that until now, Bing Wallpaper had been a fairly harmless app that displayed different photos of animals, nature, and other background images every day.
Another user said that decisions like this are exactly why they immediately remove Bing, Edge, and other Microsoft apps they consider unnecessary.
The situation quickly became a source of jokes. One commenter called it “Harry Potter and the Last of My Patience,” playing on the franchise’s title. Another sarcastically wrote that a future customer was apparently required to watch Harry Potter content and enjoy it.
Another user summed up the situation with the phrase:
“Free software from a trillion-dollar company means you are the product.”
In other words, the user suggested that a free app may effectively use people’s attention as a resource for serving advertisements.
Users also questioned the choice of franchise being advertised. Some commenters did not understand why Bing Wallpaper was being used to promote Harry Potter, which is already one of the world’s most recognizable entertainment brands.
One Reddit user argued that instead of advertising a multibillion-dollar franchise, Microsoft could use Bing Wallpaper to showcase the work of talented photographers. According to the user, Harry Potter does not need advertising and is arguably an even more recognizable brand than Bing itself.
This is not the first time Bing Wallpaper’s behavior has raised questions. Windows Latest previously discovered a “Desktop click opens Bing” feature in the app, which allowed Bing.com to open after clicking anywhere on the desktop. On some computers, the feature was enabled by default, but it was removed following criticism.
Microsoft has also long integrated recommendations and advertising elements into various parts of Windows and its own services. In the case of Bing Wallpaper, the company formally warns users that they may receive promotional offers, but what angered users was the way those ads were displayed, effectively placing advertising directly on the desktop instead of the expected background image.
