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LG monitors are using Windows 11 feature to serve adware

Plug in your new display and get a McAfee pitch you never asked for

LG has come under fire over its Monitor App Installer, which is automatically and silently installed when plugging in some of the company's monitors.

In this case, the monitor in question is a new LG UltraGear. Upon first connection to a Windows 11 device, the OS can check the associated device metadata and automatically install the manufacturer's UWP device app.

For that to happen, Microsoft says the user must have opted into Recommended Settings during Windows setup, be signed in to the Microsoft Store, and be online.

It can be a useful way of getting management applications onto a user's device without that user having to go hunting in the Microsoft Store or the manufacturer's website. Automatic installation through this mechanism only applies to external devices and is open to abuse.

YouTube channel Gamers Nexus published a video documenting the process following a "sudden influx of user reports online."

"Adware was our thanks for spending $1,200 with LG," the presenter claimed. He added that once installed, LG "technically possess permission to use all system resources," as well as collect geo-location, device data, online activity, contacts, user credentials, transactions "and more."

The problem has been rumbling for a while, and there are many complaints on social media about software being installed when devices are connected, with the LG Monitor App Installer topping the tables thanks to the advertisements it serves users.

The complaints are understandable. The LG Monitor App Installer has limited utility and displays ads for other services, including McAfee. The app can be found in the Microsoft Store, but installing it from there requires a deliberate action from the user, who can also see the permissions the app requests, including internet access. However, when installed upon first connection of the device, there is no such notification. It all happens automatically, and the first a user might be aware that something has happened could be a new Start menu entry, something in the system tray, or, in the case of the LG Monitor App Installer, pop-up ads appearing without warning.

Microsoft has documented the automatic process, which LG appears to be using. It also states that "the automatic installation feature does not provide a notification to the user when the app is installed," before warning "some users may find this experience confusing and frustrating, and give your app a bad rating."

At the time of writing, LG's Monitor App Installer had a rating of 1.3 stars in the Microsoft Store. However, we doubt many users would choose to install it from there, considering the Store listing says the app can access "all system resources" and the user's internet connection.

The Register contacted LG for comment and asked Microsoft whether it might tighten up the automatic installation process to better inform users about what is slithering onto their devices.

We will update this piece should either company respond. ®