LG monitor app draws complaints over silent Windows 11 installs

LG is facing criticism after its Monitor App Installer was found installing automatically when some of the company’s monitors are connected to Windows 11 PCs, then showing ads to users. The issue matters beyond LG because it uses a documented Microsoft mechanism that lets manufacturers push device apps through Windows without a separate user prompt.

The case highlighted by Gamers Nexus involved a new LG UltraGear monitor. According to Microsoft’s documentation, Windows 11 can check device metadata when certain external hardware is connected and install the manufacturer’s Universal Windows Platform device app. Microsoft says this requires the user to have selected Recommended Settings during Windows setup, be signed in to the Microsoft Store and have an internet connection.

That flow can reduce friction for vendors that want companion apps on a user’s machine, such as utilities for hardware management. It also gives manufacturers a route onto PCs at the moment a device is connected, before the user has evaluated whether the software is useful or what permissions it requests.

Gamers Nexus said it investigated after seeing a “sudden influx of user reports online.” In its video, the presenter criticized the experience, saying, “Adware was our thanks for spending $1,200 with LG.” The presenter also said that once installed, LG “technically possess permission to use all system resources,” and listed categories of data the app could collect, including geo-location, device data, online activity, contacts, user credentials and transactions.

The Monitor App Installer is listed in the Microsoft Store, where users can install it manually and view requested permissions, including internet access. The criticism is that the automatic installation path does not give the same moment of review. Users may first notice the software through a Start menu item, a system tray presence or pop-up advertising.

The app’s practical value appears limited, while complaints have focused on its ads for other services, including McAfee. At the time reported, LG’s Monitor App Installer had a 1.3-star rating in the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft’s own documentation acknowledges the user-experience risk. It states that the automatic installation feature does not notify users when the app is installed, and warns developers that some users may find the experience confusing and frustrating and may rate the app poorly.

The Register said it contacted LG for comment and asked Microsoft whether it might change the automatic installation process to give users clearer notice about software being added to their machines. Neither company had responded at the time reported.

For PC makers, peripheral vendors and software distributors, the episode is a reminder that install mechanics can become part of the product experience. A monitor utility that arrives with no visible consent and then serves ads is likely to draw more scrutiny than the device-management workflow it was meant to support.

This story draws on original reporting from The Register.