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Microsoft Start App Complaints & User Negative Comments 2024
Microsoft Start app received 120 complaints, negative comments and reviews by users. Have you ever had a bad experience using Microsoft Start? Can you share your negative thoughts about microsoft start?
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Microsoft Start for Negative User Reviews
✓ Irritating and odd content choiceThe native Apple News app offers far better targeted content, although I keep this for some less mainstream articles, which is good - if you're going to read the news, it's essential not to just read within your own bubble. But why does every article encourage me to install the very app I'm reading the article on? Get with it, Microsoft: stop advertising something I'm actually USING!.Version: 3.2.10
✓ Love it, but the latest version has huge adverts...I’ve been using this app for years but lately there have been huge adverts popping up and no option to purchase it or pay to remove the adverts. Really disappointed and will likely look for something else now..Version: 2.2.134
✓ The Worst IOS App from MicrosoftThe options to share an article are too limited. Sharing via email provides the MSN URL shortcut, which is almost as annoying as AMP links in Google News. There are no options to open the article in a web browser. To locate the URL of the original site, sometimes I need to enter the title of the article into a search engine. The most annoying issue is when sharing an article via text, the prompt requesting I write a review prevents me from selecting a contact and also will not let me respond to their request. I have no graceful way to proceed and must close the app and then relaunch it..Version: 2.2.96
✓ More garbage from MicrosoftJust want to read news stories, not constantly have to open the app and not get the stories I click on..Version: 27.4.411115601
✓ StartI don’t like using Start. I much prefer MSN for the layout, etc. Unfortunately, when i got to an article on MSN, I can’t continue reading it unless I hit “continue reading”, “continue on the app”, or “expand article”. Very, very annoying. If I wanted to use “Start”, I’d go there first. Please let us make up our own minds!!!.Version: 7.1.2
✓ This app is brokenThis app has changed dramatically since i first downloaded it and now they dont even care what type of news you are looking at. For instance, under the sports headlines today I saw a headline titled, "LA reaches settlement over alleged at-home Covid 19 test kits".. not too sure what that had to do with sports, that is not the only example of this, there was also "Depressed demand forcing Wisconsin dairy farmers to dump milk", again nothing to do with sports. Additionally, whoever developed this app thought it would be a great idea to have NO end to the headlines under each section, so if you think you are going to get the bottom of page it just keeps loading more headlines whether they are relevant or not. This app has gone down the tubes, its absolute trash now..Version: 3.2.35
✓ Doesn’t refreshI mainly use it for news as I don’t like Google news trying to view everything in its own browser. This one will take me to the actual site when I click on anything on the news article. However, it never refreshes on the “For You” tab. I click on refresh but it still won’t. I have to click on a different tab, and come back to “For You” tab to refresh. Other tabs are a hit or miss for refreshing. Sometimes they do and sometimes I have to do the same thing for them too. So basically, I am back to using Google News again..Version: 3.2.59
✓ Forced ads, what’s the point?The app functions adequately but it’s unpleasant to use with the ads littered throughout the news. There needs to be a paid subscription to get rid of all ads/sponsored content, or else I’m better off using a regular browser with certain useful extensions..Version: 3.2.49
✓ Microsoft news appCan’t copy news articles to share like you can through safari search, so that’s a huge inconvenience for me. App design and font size needs work, too busy and far from easy to navigate. Tried it out, now deleted it..Version: 3.2.43
✓ Better on Windows MobileUnlike many of Microsoft's other apps, this one is much better on Windows Mobile and full Windows 10 than it is on iOS. Microsoft's News app on iOS is quite clunky and outdated when compared to similar news apps. It jumps into a different window just to show a picture, unlike their own Windows platform app which overlays the image. Navigation is difficult, with the back button way in the top corner and access to my "interest" topics buried in a top menu, instead of laid out with the other "main" topics. One last thing that I find quite confusing in this app - the lack of any useful settings. There is really only a way to sign into an account, and pick a language. That's about it. What about options for video playback? What about text sizes?! What about easier ways to choose and navigate content and interests? What about a dark theme choice!? For Microsoft's "dump windows and build on other platforms" mobile strategy, this sure falls flat. It's a terrible experience..Version: 2.2.96
✓ Does not change news feedI’m hoping that Microsoft sees this as their link for support is a dead end. I use start on both my iPhone and Windows tablet. I don’t know how many times I’ve told it to block whole categories but they still show up…in both places. If I tell you I’m not interested in entertainment news, why do you keep adding that to my news feed? Same is true for some other categories. Come on guys, fix this! Update March 2: still the same. I get a lot of entertainment news that I don’t want and sources I’ve blocked turn up anyway. I’m a big Microsoft fan but you guys blew this one. Also the constant scrolling back to the top is wasteful of my time. Why can’t your feed pick up at the last story I read?.Version: 7.1.14
✓ Should have left the app as it wasHorrible format since the update. Not very user friendly, not the same style of news showing up. Disappointed and will look for a new news app now..Version: 7.0.5
✓ Just another news app in a crowd of news appsYou start reading a news story online, it says continue reading “on the app”. You click on the link and get diverted to an update process on the App Store. After waiting for the update, you are presented with an open button and there it is…. “The app”. However where is the rest of the news story I was reading, it’s just opened a news app that I wasn’t specifically interested in. So I go back to the web browser, and I’m instantly diverted back to the App Store, with the “open” button again. So back to the browser and quickly swap to the original news item on a different web page tab. But that just takes you back to the divert screen then to the App Store. Am I just getting old, or is the world just not working these days ?.Version: 7.1.14
✓ Doesn’t really workI get notifications about news. I open the app and I can’t read the article. I try other articles in the app and they never work. Uninstalled..Version: 3.2.59
✓ (updated) one change is neededMicrosoft needs add at least one of these to significantly improve this app. They are: 1) add the date an article published 2) add a counter that shows the number of since the article was published 3) give us a way to hide an article after we have read it. It is entirely too to difficult to determine how long an article has been showing under an interest. I can't always remember if I have read an article. Whatever algorithm Microsoft uses to find articles related to an interest needs work. For example, I have an interest for cold cases. I get very little information on cold cases. My interest is full of covid-19 coverage. I understand the importance of covid-19 information and have an interest for that. Please limit information not related to an interest. Currently, I wonder why I have interests. *** too many sensational article headings. Otherwise know as click bait. It is too difficult to determine a valid article from clickbait. ***.Version: 7.1.8
✓ Was my first place to check news......but certain categories following recent updates seem to have stopped or only update rarely, such as technology. Many embedded links don’t work or the text ends up repeated futher down the page. Will be moving to Apple News from now on to get my daily news updates, but will keep an eye on this to see if it returns to its former (good) quality..Version: 2.2.134
✓ Truly pantsThe only thing this app does is irritate me. I’m spammed consistently with notifications, the newsfeed doesn’t always update, the selection of news is biased and commenting is censored so much I couldn’t even write a supportive message to a poor family who lost their star hockey player injured on the ice when a man was able to write loads of stuff about Gaza on the same post!!! The bot has blocked me for simply having a different view. Apps like this that stop critical conversations should be banned..Version: 27.3.411026002
✓ Microsoft Forces you to use app at timesI don’t need a news app from Microsoft but when I click on some articles from MSN or Google Chrome home page, it forces me to use the app to read the full article. Other times, even if it doesn’t force you then, it does once you try to comment on an article. I go ahead and let it start the app, take me to the article and then try to comment. This doesn’t work since it says I have to be signed in and the sign in button doesn’t work. I can actually sign in under the app but still forces me to try to sign in on individual articles but it won’t work. If I’m signed in on their darn app why do I have to sign in on the article page?? I don’t understand how this huge company can make such a broken and annoying product and predicament. SMH.Version: 7.1.11
✓ New version is awfulReally do not want to see like or dislike options. Not interested in opinions. News is news and is meant to inform. It seems as if you added this feature as a point of entertainment for people. I think that’s sad and essentially adds fuel to the fire in regards to some stories since the opinions written are not informed at all. And many will view some opinions as fact. I think that sets dangerous precedent as we all have come to see over the last couple of years. There better formats for expressing opinions. As far as the layout goes I really preferred it the way it was. Should now be called MSN Entertainment. I will seek out other sources of news..Version: 3.2.47
✓ Zero StarsI am very angry that MSN is forcing me to use their app if I want to read an article. Sometimes I can just read the article when ‘expand’ is the choice about how I want to access the article. However at other times I am forced to open the app to read the article. 😡😡😡😡😡.Version: 7.1.8
✓ MSN app reviewCould have more updates and more new stories.Version: 7.1.10
✓ Reduced reward pointsNo more reward points for looking at the news. Not very useful anymore.Version: 7.25.4
✓ Here’s some news and some ads. Lots of adsDid you wake up today and think to yourself “hmmm I fancy some spam?” Well if so then this is the app for you. Do you miss seeing ads ever since you installed your ad-blocker? Well guess what just install this app and you can see lots of them again. Are you busy living your life and ever wondered what it would be like to have your attention interrupted by a random notification about some irrelevant news story which you’ll have to trawl through lots of ads just to be able to read. Then guess what? Microsoft Start has this and all of the above ready and waiting for you. Just download it and away you go. Be less productive. Be more distracted. Be lectured to by countless pointless advertising executives. Do it on your really expensive smartphone that you paid for and own. You know you want to..Version: 3.2.57
✓ New lookUp until the latest upgrade this was one of my favourite news feeds. But I’m interested in UK news, now on my iPhone there is very little and on my iPad there is no UK menu option at all. Worse the iPad ‘for me’ feed has no UK news at all. I thought MS were a global company! Worse yet. My iPhone is set for English but when in Spain everything is in Spanish.Version: 7.1.0
✓ Very good browser. 1 issue.We can’t select this app as our default browser on iPhone sadly. Please have this as an option!.Version: 7.2.4
✓ Was once great, but avoid at all costs nowThis was my top choice for a news app not that long ago. I relied on it all through 2020, which, you know, was kind of a newsy year. But a few months back they updated the app to include things like user comments on articles, and social media reaction “features” that allow you to 👍 or ❤️ articles. So now each article, let’s say reporting on something tragic, will have hearts and emoticons and a toxic comments section below it, things that don’t belong in a news app, and frankly, don’t look good next to an article about death or disease or war. And all the standard internet comment section junk has reared its head: obvious trolls, even more obvious bad actors, arguments over nothing, and constant “Biden libtard” this and “Trump nazi” that between commenters that have absolutely *no* idea what’s going on around them. Use a different news app. There are a bunch. There were features only this one had, and it *was* the best once. But we never needed Facebook style features in the app, and a quick review of recent history should have let Microsoft know adding these kinds of features does not improve the user experience, but creates a hostile environment rife with abuse and garbage..Version: 3.2.47
✓ Creepy AdvertsLarge percentage of the articles are “gossip” in nature. It’s best to subscribe to RSS feeds from more trustworthy outlets. Also, while I understand the advertising need many of the ones I see are from disreputable “companies”, I do not need to see them..Version: 7.2.5
✓ App failing to open on iPad mini ver 6Very pleased with app until now as it worked on my iPad mini ver4 and works fine on my iPhone XR. Upgraded to iPad mini ver6 and app crashes when opening. Have tried uninstalling and reinstalling and no change. Have not been able to find fix for this and seems unique to this app. Help link in App Store for this app took me to a 404 page! Also calling the app start means you end up in help about Windows Start menu when using search facility!!!!! Not at all helpful!!!.Version: 3.2.50
✓ Can’t choose what you seeThis app seems to have a very biased leaning in its news sources with no way to effectively block the content you do not want to see. It does say it has an option to “hide” content from sources you do not want to see but this does not work and, instead, seems to multiply the objectionable content..Version: 7.0.3
✓ Has one terrible flawThe news feeds are good, but there is a terrible flaw with this app; you can scroll and scroll, see a few articles you want to read, find one to open. You read it, but when you go back, it always takes you to the very top again, and it refreshes, so you have to scroll and scroll to get back to where you were, but the refresh has changed everything so the other articles you wanted to read are gone. Very frustrating.Version: 7.1.13
✓ MSN has become a waste of timeYou cannot scroll through a story without accidentally clicking a hidden link. Constantly having to close webpages you didn’t intend to open is a real pain. Many better news options without all the spam. Don’t waste your time..Version: 27.3.411027003
✓ Moronic cesspit of the worst opinions, and bizarre censorshipWhat a terrible app. It pushes out the most trash news (from all sides of politics) and then facilitates the worst comments system, completely unmoderated except for a TERRIBLE automated censor that forbids you from saying WAY too many normal words that would allow you to make a reasonable contextual comment to an article. Absolutely the worst way to run an app. And it’s a shame that Twitter seems to think this is a winning formula for success lol.Version: 7.1.9
✓ I had high hopesI thought to myself how hard could it be to make a news feed based on personal interests. Surely a company as large as Microsoft could handle such a task. Well I was wrong You allowed me to pick my interests and then when I go to my feed it’s a bunch of stories I have no interest in. political propaganda and other world events are shoved down your throat on this app. if you let me curate my own news feed then do not put stuff you think I’d like into my feed. do not sneak in your agenda under the guise of “oh maybe you’ll find this interesting” well no I don’t because it wasn’t an interest I picked out to begin with..Version: 27.7.420112601
✓ DisappointedOver a year ago, my biggest complaint was the repetitive Twitter, and Facebook inclusions that were already in the article. Now we get the same strange repetitions within the article, plus we get more links to things that appear to be an article, but it’s just a click bait ad, I can no longer highlight a word and search the definition, and I can no longer select a picture in an article and zoom in. The video articles I am most interested in, get stuck in a constant buffer but not the one I really don’t care about…those ones load just fine. I no longer get local news for my area, so I have to go back to doing a web search for local news, because the app only picks up neighboring city news. The closest city that I can get news for is 20 miles to the city limit but really the city is more like 40 miles away. I have setup the local news and areas of interest, but it just says “Sorry! No news for this area” Back to using google news now, which is only slightly better. Go back a few updates and you will win me back Microsoft..Version: 3.2.48
✓ BiasedFirst let me say I am a huge fan of Microsoft’s products and although I deleted this app I continue to use many of their products and services. I was excited to try the start app when I first discovered it. But that excitement did not last long. The first thing I noticed was how every news headline or story that was pushed to me was very left leaning. And some leaned so far they read more like Soviet style propaganda rather than news. My second complaint is with the rebate tool. When scanning receipts from certain types of stores, the program will not recognize the store name. Thus you are unable to get credit for that receipt. The first type of store I noticed this with is vaping stores. However, the final straw came today when I tried scanning a receipt for Cabelas. The program recognized the transaction total and date but would not pick up the store name even though the logo and name are clearly printed. With in just seconds of a tenth and final attempt to scan this receipt I get a push notification from the app about how the GOP is blocking gun restrictions. If you are going to make an app that is going to cater to one ideology that is fine. It’s your right, but please state this in the description..Version: 7.2.0
✓ Wake up before it’s too late.Not sure who is running this app. However reading people’s thoughts on Trump in this app mostly saying he should be locked up in jail but why. Don’t you think if he did something wrong that he would be locked up? So yes sounds like a witch hunt. You got to many people on a band wagon or someone controlling bc when I tried to share a comment well guess what it wouldn’t let me. So don’t fall far this. Something is up with this app in my opinion kinda like Jan 6 when trump was set up by a lot of dem people but what do I know. “Trump is not in jail” oh I don’t know bc he is innocent. Huh who of thought. Wake up people before it’s to late it’s MAGA or it’s going to get worse check out Newsmax. Have a good day and God bless America!.Version: 27.7.420112601
✓ BuggyLike many I downloaded it for the cash back feature. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. It rejects some receipts for very odd reasons. I’ve had receipts rejected because the app claimed it was a duplicate receipt even though I scanned it immediately after walking in my house after making the purchase. I had a new reason today. The receipt was rejected because they only accept paper receipts. It was a paper receipt from the same grocery store I’ve scanned receipts from many times. Sure it’s only a penny but those pennies add up especially if you’re Microsoft and thousands of people are having receipts rejected that shouldn’t be..Version: 7.25.7
✓ UninstalledI used to really like this app. It was simple and elegant. Now it's bright, in your face, and much more like the Apple news app. The new design is clearly intended to push more adverts and the brightly coloured 'explosion' you get when you pull down to refresh the page is both childish and seems to 'reward' the user for spending longer in the app - presumably so the user will see more adverts..Version: 3.2.3
✓ Can’t even find which country I’m inWhat a piece of rubbish! The old app was terrible and while yes this has some good stuff in it, you need to be American and from California to be interested. It can’t locate me and it doesn’t even have New Zealand as a location???.Version: 3.2.48
✓ Microsoft News with more garbage and less performanceAt least provide the option to launch straight to news tab. Home is filled with ads..Version: 7.1.10
✓ Best news app, but crashes sometimesSometimes app shuts or freeze but still the best news app and thanks for not showing pub..Version: 2.2.31
✓ Not News,Just Another Social Media AppThe opinions stated in section of this app come down to “you’re wrong, no, you’re wrong”. The news is a very distant second to the social media megaphone the app offers. It looks like there is no moderation of the comments, so the app is perfect for extremists to sling crap. Any comment supported by thought or fact is quickly called down by name callers..Version: 7.1.7
✓ Too many advertsThere are way too many adverts in both the news feed and when reading articles. The adverts aren’t banner adverts, or pop ups, but are designed to look identical to articles so that you’re forced to read the advert to determine whether it is an actual article or advert. There is an advert in the feed every 10 articles, and when reading articles, there are anywhere between 1-2 massive obstructive adverts interrupting the article. Most of the adverts are gross, inappropriate, and distracting too. I’d like to see a significant reduction in adverting, and a slight UI change to make it easier to tell if an advert is an advert. Make the sponsored text highlighted in red..Version: 3.2.40
✓ Notifications never workUi is good. However, notifications do not work....never notifys me on any news...have enabled it just a fyi..Version: 3.2.29
✓ App itself is great BUT….I do not want to comment with my full name which comes from my Microsoft profile ! When you login to comment, it uses your full name!! Why Microsoft can’t I use an alias? FIX this !!!.Version: 7.1.7
✓ Extremely disappointedI am so, so upset about this radical redesign that MSN just did. I have three or four news apps that I check in with a few times a week, but this was the app that I would spend time on nearly twice a day. I loved its simplistic, clear-cut layout. This layout made it stand out from all other news apps. Now it’s ruined because of Microsoft who only took over because its its greedy, never-satisfied, and has a constant Need to monopolize wherever it can. I’m so saddened by this. I did not realize that my innocently pressing “update” would cause this to happen. I’m going to try to give it a chance, but something tells me I’ll be forced to delete it in a week. I can’t believe that Microsoft took over and ruined what used to be one of my favorite apps..Version: 3.2
✓ Canadian Fox NewsIf you’re looking for a Canadian version of Fox News this is it. Keep that in mind as you read the news. There is another side to their reporting that tends to be less biased..Version: 27.4.411121601
✓ Wind units are useless. Report a problem system is unusableDear Microsoft. Wind speed in this app are presented as metres per second. Useless! Please provide mph, kph and knots as options to choose (like every other weather app!). Also the “report a problem” function is a complete dead end and unusable. Other than that it works but not as well as most apps of the same type(s)..Version: 7.1.13
✓ Broken2 stars because their “Scan And Earn” feature for scanning store receipts for small $ rewards has been broken. It brings up the camera and lets you scan a receipt but the app doesn’t do the OCR text recognition of the receipt store name, item prices, etc. This has been broken for a while now. Apparently I had reviewed this app before when it was called Bing News. Microsoft has rebranded or repurposed this application ID in the Apple App Store multiple times. Bing News became MSN News and then now it’s called Start which is kind of a collection of MS things..Version: 27.7.420112601
✓ Too much opinionNews should be either without opinion or explicitly clear that a particular opinion is being projected. This is often neither of these things.Version: 3.2.47
✓ Was an excellent app now full of rubbishThis news app was simple, easy to use and well stocked with good news articles. It is now clunky to use and full of ‘sponsor’ articles and ‘ads’. You have to navigate past so much rubbish to find a decent story. There are better news apps out there now. In fact they are like what this app use to be. Pity..Version: 3.2.8
✓ PointlessWorse than Facebook this is! What’s the point in having comments on articles if you block people from saying what they want to say? Or even better, on ridiculous articles that they know will create a reaction they disable the comments… you can tell by the 100 angry faces to 1 happy face what people think but they just silence everybody. What happened to freedom of speech?.Version: 7.0.7
✓ Annoying issueI genuinely like the app, but there is an extremely annoying bug. When I scroll down the home page, read a story and return to home page, I’m taken back to the top of the home page. I simply want to return to the headline that I just read, so I can continue scrolling down. I don’t want to have to scroll down again to where I just was again. This is a bad enough bug to make me want to delete the app. With every update I hope this problem is resolved. So far to no avail. Come on Microsoft, get your act together..Version: 7.2.0
✓ AwfulI’ll start this review with a caveat: Maybe, because of the ongoing feud between MS & Apple it just doesn’t work too well with iOS. That being said: Things just don’t work. You get a response to a comment and you can’t link back to it to respond. You get responses and you get no clue as to what the response is in reference to. The app doesn’t even tell you what comment is being responded to. It is just an awful, maybe typical Microsoft mess. I’m about to delete the app and forget all about it. It’s probably a perfect example of the many reasons why I prefer Apple anything over Microsoft anything. They just can’t get their act together over @ MS. Just deleted the app. Censorship crossed the threshold of the ridiculous. It’s their app, they can allow and disallow anything they please. But the political bias has become overwhelming..Version: 7.0.7
✓ Dumbed down newsPreviously a useful app but sadly now seems to be switching to mostly video clips rather than articles. It seems to be getting more and more difficult to read the news rather than watch it..Version: 7.1.14
✓ Not very good, actually pretty poor.I’m about to delete this app from my devices, it’s just too annoying. Soccer is irrelevant and boring but no matter how many times I tell this rather stupid app that I’m not interested in football or celebrities or some of the other triviality Microsoft considers to be news, the app just fills my feed with… yes you’ve got it, stories about soccer and non-events. This is not an news app – it’s a gossip column, it doesn’t seem to be curated and it certainly doesn’t listen to it’s users interests (or clearly expressed dislikes). I’m sticking with Apple News..Version: 7.0.9
✓ BROKEN!!!After i updated this app… my favourite thing about it VANISHED! I can no longer find the section called REWARDS where i could collect daily bonuses & do news searches … etc This is going to impact my ability to keep a streak going..Version: 27.1.410923001
✓ InfuriatingVery often fails to load the pics in the story, you are stuck with the tiny thumbnail version in the headline itself. Has been doing this for as long as I remember, across multiple devices. Forces me to use other news apps instead..Version: 2.2.31
✓ What Happened To The 3D Touch FunctionI know Apple has changed the 3D function under ios13 but this latest update to your app has removed it all together for those of who unfortunately updated to iOS 13. The 3D function was working before you update this app. Please bring it back. Other apps using the iOS 13 platform have some type of 3D Touch..Version: 3.2.28
✓ Still haven’t gotten my cash backI sent a ticket to microsoft last month (February) and all I received what is an automated email saying that someone would get back to me. I still have not had a response from anyone. I had noticed I had $20 cash for that I had forgotten about from signing up with something. And that it was ready to be cashed out since September 2022. So I got excited and went ahead and type in my email address to cash it out to my PayPal. However, I did not realise that I had typed in my email address incorrectly by missing one letter. It says that my cashback was sent. However, I did not ever receive it. I need someone to fix this asap! This is so road that I should wait one whole month for someone to respond back to me. Kittie.Version: 7.1.15
✓ App just keeps getting worseUpdate: apparently the developers don't read the reviews. This thing has gotten worse. Open the app, swipe through two or three articles and CRASH! C'mon, folks! Do better! My complaint before was that each time the app loses focus and then is brought back to the foreground, it resets itself. This means that you have to scroll through all of the stories to find where you were; assuming you remember. Now, when I try to share something via Twitter or Facebook (on my iPad Air), the pop up window loses focus while I'm typing and I have to start over again. Definitely going to look for a replacement now. The app owners apparently don't care and definitely don't test their product..Version: 2.2.96
✓ Appalling News AppThe main reason I got this app was for the news 🗞️, however, stories can be up to 6 days old, with some features older still, while main stories are short or missing. I just want someone to make a non-bias news app. However, the AI compared to Google Gemini is far more superior, and definitely worth the 3 Stars. 🌟 🌟 🌟‼️.Version: 27.9.420304002
✓ Power hungry newsSo I was getting annoyed with the Apple news app always promoting stories that required a subscription and no way to disable those stories. I came across this and thought that Microsoft may have done a decent job. Lots of customisation with regard to different type of content and different sources. It all looked like I’d found a decent alternative to Apple News. But after a couple of days I noticed my phone was always hot. My battery was running down a lot faster than usual. I tried the usual things, disabling background refresh, location services etc. It wasn’t until I checked which apps were directly impacting the battery that I realised that this one was guilty of over 30% of the battery consumption. I’ve no idea why it is so power hungry - but after deleting it my phone went back to normal and has been since. Maybe it just doesn’t like iPhone 7’s. Maybe it’s better on more recent devices. But I would struggle to recommend this unless you wanted a hand-warmer..Version: 3.2.38
✓ No propaganda please.Basically a good app … but sorry Microsoft, you just lost your Push Notification permissions on this phone. I downloaded the Start app on iOS and of course hit the option to hide “news” stories from far-right sources such as GB News, Express and Daily Mail. But they still crop up in notifications - I need my news coming from reliable sources, thanks..Version: 7.2.5
✓ Informative but crashes far to oftenGood news despite being biased on issues, very little AFL news. Pictures don't always load and crashes whilst reading or looking at articles..Version: 2.2.31
✓ Could be better.It’s an alternative to Google and copilot works awesome as and usually delivers relevant content and information for my queries. I don’t care for showing the number of likes and dislikes a particular article has. It offers no value, it merely divides us more. Microsoft, stick to search and aggregating news, leave the social features out, there are plenty of social media platforms for extremists to spew their views and misinformation. I don’t need another Facebook or Twitter or divisive platform. Keep the likes and dislikes to customize my feed, but showing the quantity is pretty pointless..Version: 27.4.411121601
✓ NewsToo slow to update. The news is happening every minute. You must be up to date by the minute, not a day or 2 late..Version: 3.2.47
✓ Left moderatorsI can never comment on stories because microsoft is a left woke corporation. No bad words no hate just a different opinion but i’m censored and can’t post..Version: 7.1.13
✓ Some news in between all the advertisingEvery other article is an advertisement. What’s the point?.Version: 7.25.4
✓ MSN APPThis sucks. When u look at a story online n then apply the app the story doesn’t follow. Very frustrating. Going to another site for my news. Bye.Version: 27.4.411115602
✓ What did I just download?Is this a news app? A browser? A weather app? A grocery delivery app? Microsoft just couldn’t quite figure out it’s use case. The dramatic navigational and UI inconsistencies seem to echo this confusion. Some pages have a back button, others don’t. Some pages are native slideovers that you dismiss by swiping. Other pages are websites wrapped in native controls whose tab has to be closed. Sometimes you can swipe backwards to go back and sometimes you can’t. There is a user profile settings page and then another settings page nested within it. Searching just brings up the web bing search results instead of a desired news article. The bottom navbar‘s buttons are identically weighted making it unclear which one is the “front page” of the app. Then there are the functional bugs. For example, progressive pages sometimes fail to load when you pull up for more content (games, looking at you). All in all, I find this app confusing and a bit aimless. It’s got the kitchen sink of features but none of them are implemented all that well..Version: 3.2.48
✓ Can’t restrict sources (v3.2.48hUpdating my last review and being a little more direct as no changes whatsoever. 1. “Hide source” doesn’t work. You choose this and refresh and immediately the same article from the same source appears. Don’t include features that do not work. 2. “See less like…” doesn’t work. Again as above you select it and the same articles and very similar themes immediately reappear. 3. Selecting interest seems to be very rough and ready. I don’t believe this is based on content but assume some odd/poor classification Microsoft is using. Selecting or deselecting doesn’t seem to have significant impact on the articles you see. So I conclude either the sources are simply not giving access to MS so their “choices” effectively has no bearing or their algorithm is poor. Either way it is a very bad news App..Version: 3.2.48
✓ Too big and heavy.The app is too big and resource intensive. Why not just use the browser..Version: 27.7.420112601
✓ You asked!!Your app is slow to update. It repeats news items, not once but maybe for days in a row. There is never any new news always repeats itself. As for reviews....you asked for it, I didn’t chase you!!.Version: 2.2.98
✓ Finally given upThis app is consistently bad now. News feeds are regularly filled with weeks old articles. Individual categories are pointless as they get filled with random articles. Example - Gaming category usually has a UK or World news article at the top and then scattered with them throughout the feed. F1 feed hasn’t had any articles for a couple of months. This used to be my go-to app for F1. Sports feed rarely has up to date or race relevant F1 articles. Just a pointless app if it’s not going to work properly..Version: 7.0.2
✓ Missing FeaturesOn Windows 10 Mobile, you can scroll through your topics by swiping both left and right, which is convenient when you have a large list of topics. Can we get this ability here? Also, will the widget get dark mode? 🤓.Version: 3.2.26
✓ Somewhat annoying...The news coverage is broad and the layout looks great. Some issues with grammar, also sometimes the photo’s in a story don’t correspond with that story, which can be a little frustrating..Version: 2.2.134
✓ A PENNY ONLYThis app is so ridiculous and the customer support is even worse. I had contacted customer support after 10 receipts that were scan for cash back we’re talking about purchases I made being way above $50 and I only receive a penny back. I am now on my 40th+ receipt and the most I have received back has been three. Cents, if you’re only giving me a penny it’s gonna take me 100 receipts to receive a dollar I’m not gonna buy 100 items from dollar tree to receive one dollar back. I get more back on my credit card than this if you guys are not willing to give anything more than three. Cents, even after I hit the six receipt reward mark. Then what’s the point of even having the program you’re tell me, Microsoft doesn’t have money to give back. I’d rather just stick with chrome, then to do with this crap..Version: 7.2.5
✓ My preferred way to read newsI like that I can read articles in a consistent format without all the ads making the page jump around. The current problem is that I’m being inundated with xenophobia and government propaganda from the Daily Express. I need to be able to turn off specific news sources.Version: 3.2.43
✓ The worst app.News items are days old news. Do not recommend. Can’t send rating unless I choose at least 1 star. Not worth having..Version: 7.1.14
✓ 1K bonus point offer is bogus…Downloaded this to get my first time user 1K bonus points for scanning 6 receipts. Never scanned a single receipt until I got this app. After getting the app, I’ve scanned over 20+ receipts and have yet to see my 1K point bonus. Contacted customer support with all the relevant information they needed, they reply that they want even more info just to do a simple check to see why I haven’t received my points. Seems highly suspect and intentional to keep you running in circles just for a measly 1000 points. If your downloading this for the point bonus do yourself a favor and skip this dud. You’ll be waiting till the cows come home. P.S. This crap app is the EXACT same thing as the Bing app. If you already have Bing there’s no need for this one. Why have 2 apps of the same thing on your phone?.Version: 7.25.6
✓ Good stories, shame about photos crashing appI like how up to date the news stories are, but I usually end up frustrated & going to other sites as it continually crashes or doesn't load photos with the story..Version: 2.2.31
✓ Terrible updateI think they’ve completely lost the plot with the latest update, confusing layout, loads of unnecessary buttons at the top, one for shopping which open a browser window with some very shoddy price comparison site, nobody wants that in a news program. Also likes and comments as if we need yet another social media platform..Version: 3.2.47
✓ It’s decent but could improveI usually have too many to chose from and getting used to it is difficult. But I think enjoy most of them. But quality does matter..Version: 27.2.411015001
✓ Too slow loadingToo slow loading. Too much click bait mixed with real news articles and too many adds..Version: 3.1
✓ Glitchy and uselessEver since the last update the app keeps saying error for everything I try to do. I try to check in and it said “see you tomorrow” as if I checked in already. Came back the next day and my streak was ruined so I lost out on the bonus points. Been uploading receipts and when I got to the 6th one it keeps saying error occurred. I can’t obtain anymore gift boxes until this one opens. It’s been like this for a week and my receipts are going to be past the 14 day mark soon making them worthless. Microsoft owes people points for this being THEIR fault and taking over a week to fix the bugs!.Version: 7.27.0.1
✓ They ruined it. Use the Web App if you liked it better before.The major redesign that just occurred that added a bunch of unnecessary stuff like a Bing search bar that Microsoft would like us to use made me search out a replacement. My recommendation is to go to the MSN website, navigate to the “News Headlines” page (which is what the old version of this app basically was) click the share button and then select “Add Website to Home Screen”. It turns out that it doesn’t merely add a bookmark icon to your screen that then pops up in Safari. MSN and some other websites (including APnews) when added to the homescreen like this actually become a HTML Web App. It’s still The Safari engine running it but it opens in its own window and has a custom full screen app like interface. It’s not quite as nice to use as the old app but it’s usable and doesn’t include all the nonsense that was added to the new version. Also less ads. The icon looks perfect right it the spot where the app icon was so you don’t even have to rearrange your Home Screen..Version: 3.2.57
✓ Fun Place for News BytesI like the articles the have been personalised. Simple interface that connects with the content well..Version: 7.0.0
✓ Ignores category choicesI specifically avoided choosing celebrity news, entertainment, lifestyle and similar categories when I first ran this app. Immediately after confirming I got a feed full of, you guessed it, celebrity gossip, entertainment news and lifestyle fluff. Instant delete..Version: 7.1.13
✓ Old version was much betterThis app used to be my go-to for global news. Yet the latest redesign makes created a news app full of unnecessary junk stories and a negative reading experience. For example, the addition of social features makes me feel like I’m on a social app, rather than a news app. The inability to view and zoom in on the news photos, makes the stories less engaging. The reorganization of content aims to direct readers to what the app wants the user to read, instead of what the user wants to read. I encourage the product leads to take a step back and gain a better understanding of what their core audience actually wants in a news app..Version: 3.2.47
✓ New update is awfulUsed to be my favourite app. But really didnt like the new updates..Version: 3.2.44
✓ Great news, bad appMicrosoft News is fantastic for news. But the app never save settings about news preferences and even when you set them again, the categorization of articles is often poor. For example, I cannot find any possible way to permanently disable news about sports, entertainment and especially royals. When I finally do disable these (until the next time the app starts), the app saves that I’m logged in, but ignore my preferences. An because of poor categorization, things like sports, entertainment and royals ends up jammed under trending or possibly Asia or Africa. The result is, at least one in 3 articles I’m presented are tabloid rubbish. I can’t imagine that MS would need more than one person on duty at a time to properly sort and filter articles..Version: 3.2.29
✓ Awful UI OverhaulThis app was fantastic, and the only news app I used for years. The changes to the UI have kinda ruined it though. The changes seem to be changes for the sake of it, and the reality is it’s a backwards step. The previous UI is what made the app stand out. It’s now harder to scan at a glance, we’ve lost swipe to go back, zoom on pics, and many other things. I’m baffled by it.Version: 3.2.47
✓ It doesn’t care about your choicesI’ve set up the app that I am NOT interested in any sport related news. Still, the start page starts with 4 sport news! I mark them as I do NOT want anything from those sources but all what it does just randomise the same 4 sources and shows me the same exact 4 sport news but in a different order. Oh and the ads are SCAMS like the ads on the start page of the Edge browser on Computers… I was expecting something better from Microsoft….Version: 3.2.48
✓ Microsoft RewardsI’ve scanned 6 receipts and I still haven’t got my 1,000 Microsoft point reward, although I still have received my 3 dollars I was promised. Over all, the app is great except this one take back. To be honest, I only use this app for Microsoft rewards so I probably shouldn’t be rating it based off of one part of the app. But, I like how you can points reading and the stories are interesting and up-to-date. The shopping mechanism is good as well because of the deals and nice choices you can pick from. I give Start 3 stars..Version: 7.25.4
✓ Terrible, can’t copy-pasteCan’t copy any text in this app. Ridiculous soft limitation. Will not use..Version: 27.7.420112601
✓ Update Very Definitely not improvementI used this app every day for a quick news update and really loved it. It’s now been completely revamped, presumably so that adverts can be included as if they are snippets of news. It’s now badly organised, much less simple and easy to use and has shaken my trust in it. A very very poor change, I may delete it completely my wife has already done so..Version: 3.1
✓ Not very goodI’m writing this because, having had to sign back in, yet again, it immediately asked me to rate and write a review. Well, it asked. I would have once given it 4 or even 5 stars but now it’s merely the best of a bad bunch, so one star for that at least. However, it constantly crashes, signs itself out but implies I did it myself. It opens in the wrong orientation and has to be closed before it will correct itself. Often slow or fails to load stories. Far too much click bait, deliberately positioned amongst proper stories in order to increase the chance of you opening them. More stories from quality sources would be nice too. At least the issue of topics not being weeks seems to have been fixed..Version: 3.2.26
✓ Such a shame.I really wanted a decent alternative to Apple news and Google news but, unfortunately this isn’t it. On my iPad this app has terrible tendency to repeatedly show old stories, stuff from months ago mainly in the sport section! There are also way to many advertisements. I get why there have to ads but not this many and so many related to banks. Like I said, such a shame. I subscribe to Office 365 and have rated my other Microsoft apps with 5 stars, but not this one..Version: 3.2.25
✓ Join the Microsoft collective!Microsoft is just like the Borg. One System to rule them all. It just doesn’t jive….Version: 7.25.7
✓ New layout hard to readThe updated newspage is messy and hard to read. The story tiles are arranged in in two randomly staggered columns, which results in a confusing jumble to the eyes. You can’t scan the articles left to right because the headlines don’t line up, and you can’t scan the columns top to bottom, because there is no bottom of the page. This is beyond annoying. Whoever designed it need to go back to Layout 101. Please line up the story tiles left to right to make the page readable again! The content is what it is. This isn’t so important to me because I seek news from multiple sources. But it has to be easily readable or it’s a no-go..Version: 3.2.47
✓ Fantastic App, but man, are the News Articles BiasedThe interface and aesthetics of the app are phenomenal, however, I wish that Microsoft gave us the ability to choose who we actually follow on the web. Set aside any feelings you have about politics/etc., and just focus on what would make the app better for the end user. I personally don’t align with any political party, but can tell when developers favour certain news organisations over others. I wish Microsoft would allow me to choose whoever and not choose whoever I want in regards to subscribing when using the app. I like to follow certain websites when scouring the web for news and this app doesn’t allow me any customisation whatsoever on that front. Until this happens, I will keep this uninstalled from my device. 5/5 app interface 0/5 customisation 2.4/5 overall review +0.5/5 because Apple doesn’t do half stars Thanks for listening!.Version: 3.2.13
✓ Microsoft search engine has gone softIt works like any other search engine. But they have a future that you can’t disable or turn off as a user, it’s the AI search I wish this can be turned off, but it will never be turned off. It’s a feature that they have for the app it’s unable to be disabled. Even they have Microsoft rewards program last year was the best they had so many points that you can earn on Xbox and through the Microsoft edge now they’re lowering their points system either they’re losing money or too many peoples getting too many free gift cards. I don’t know what it is yes take a grain of salt. It is a free rewards program but now every time you earn a point it went from five points to one or two points. no more earning those 10s and 20s or higher points. Everything used to be dead on target, but now that the end of the year is at a end is becoming unstable points or not adding up points in isn’t registering. I’m only in it for the last points I need & uninstalling..Version: 27.5.411205601
✓ Shows ignored topicsI want to like this app, I really do, but I keep getting news topics about things I have no interest in. I have disabled all sporting news completely and I still get AFL and Soccer on my feed no matter how many times I tap ignore on the topics.Version: 3.2.49
✓ So sad!!!I’ve had this app since my days of using a Nokia Lumia 1020. Been through a ton of updates. I recommend this app to everyone. Going forward I can’t. I’m not a fan of the new layout at all with the last update. To me it seems just a giant mess. And it made finding news articles even harder to find. I’m here for the news, why do I need to see groceries and everything else. Stop trying to be like apple news. Not everything apple dose is a good thing. As I type this review on an IPhone. I now the irony. I’ll keep the app around play around more with it. Hopefully get use to it. I won’t be recommending it to anyone for awhile. Was one of the best news apps out there and now just like everyone else’s. And not good at it..Version: 3.2.47
✓ I like this app for different type of news.Hey I like this app for news, but I have a problem. It regards the community section of the app, whenever somebody replies to me the app doesn’t let me click on the reply so I can reply to whom ever it was. When I click on a reply nothing happens, what is the point in a community section if you can’t engage with whom ever is talking to you etc. also when I go onto my history it doesn’t even let me click on the article that I left a comment on to try and reply manually littlerly nothing happens when I click on them. I don’t want to scroll through the whole week just to reply to someone..Version: 7.0.9
✓ Too many ads, click baitIt’s so difficult to actually read content I’m interested in because there are so many ads! I have Outlook Premium and I don’t expect to be flooded with ads when I’m paying for Microsoft services..Version: 7.1.14
✓ Reward program changed, poor customer serviceI mainly use this app for their points and cash back system. The cash back system glitches out frequently and often doesn’t recognize any locally owned businesses. There is no manual override to submit a business name. When the app does glitch out in terms of cash back, support offers no help. They’ll email you, making you do the legwork of proving your case. But then they just don’t reply, closing your case. (Seriously, it’s a multi-billion dollar company, and you’d think they could give you .05 back.) I’ve lost out on over $1.50 cash back now. (which sounds petty, but why even do the effort of uploading receipts if I lose 15% of every transaction?) Their points system was fair, but then they recently changed the system so it will take twice as long to earn any gift cards. And on top of it all, their daily headlines are trash..Version: 27.5.411205601
✓ No notifications soundIt’s a good source to get your news, but do not count on sound alerts. You get a notification but no sound alerts on iPhone with iOS 16.Version: 7.25.7
✓ AiDon’t need ai in news app 🤬.Version: 27.6.411215601
✓ Why bother?This app tries to to be a catchall for your phone browsing use, but in practice just feels pointless. The apps are just a collection of actual apps you can download, but with less functionality leading to frustration and a trip to the actual dedicated app instead of the one in start. Then there are the news articles. The majority are random clickbait headlines with little substance if any at all. Many of them are clearly written by AI and contain repetitive information that might not even be true. There are also plenty of ads masquerading as articles. If you want to use any of the features in start just download the dedicated app for that and use a different news app for everything else. If gpt 4.0 is important to you then use the edge app, but Microsoft puts up so many walls on it I just use the chat gpt app instead with 3.5. TLDR: There’s no real reason for the Start app to exist. Most of the articles feel like something my grandma would share on Facebook and the apps are worse versions of the ones in the actual App Store..Version: 7.25.4
✓ Get rid of ‘UP NEXT’!! I keep accidentally hitting that and losing place in article.The touch controls do not work well on this app. Also this app needs the ability to turn off ‘Shake to leave feedback”. The slightest fart and something pops up asking for me to leave feedback. Super annoying. Plus we can never pickup where we left off in an article. Touch the wrong part of the screen and your taken elsewhere. When you go back to your place in the article it is not saved. EDIT: The touch navigation controls on this app is absolute trash!! Deleted: collects way too much data on people. No thanks.Version: 7.1.10
✓ This is Bing, Not a News AppWhat a shady, dishonest update. What was once an application focused on actually displaying news is now a sneaky way to trick people into using Bing. How so? When you load the application, you’re given a nearly identical experience as the Edge browser’s start page. There’s a search box, but if you think you’re searching for news topics, you’re wrong - it’s Bing. Looking for news? Sure, there’s a few headlines on that Edge start page, but the functionally you would expect to find and was central in previous versions is now buried in the third tab. It’s this sort of anti-user practice that build a generation of folks who lack faith in anything from Microsoft..Version: 3.2.45
✓ NOT news , is an archiveApp has headings that occasionally disappear eg NEWS! To be replaced by local news, but even that is one day out of date or older..Version: 3.2.49
✓ Interests reset to default settingsThis is a great app, but when I change my interests they don’t save and reset to the defaults. So, for example, I can’t stop sports or royal family news from appearing which is quite frustrating..Version: 3.2.44
✓ Doesn’t LoadThis app is not fast or efficient. Half the articles don’t load. When trying to flip through stories the app has a mind of its own. I wanted to like this app but it doesn’t like me..Version: 27.7.420112601
✓ Font Problems?Experiencing quite widespread font issues ?? Sometimes the headlines look like they’re in Russian (or something similar!!). Can’t believe you’re not aware of this or indeed are but can’t fix it ??? 🤔 you would think that in the sea of other news apps you’d work to keep things slick!!? Not keen on the new branding, doesn’t really convey that it’s a news app unless you already know…. I suspect a drop in passing trade on the App Store..Version: 3.2.49
✓ Spoken text missingThis feature was on the desktop version. The ability to have the news clip read to you. One would thing this is were its needed the most. Frustrating inconsistency..Version: 27.9.420304002
✓ Frustrating appTime to delete this app. When I try to open a news story it takes me to the App Store and won’t show the story I was trying to read ..Version: 27.3.411108601
✓ Please fix the new layoutThe app just updated and the new layout is terrible for browsing. I’m not sure what happened to the fonts but it is even harder to scan for news now. The search bar at the top needs to be hidden as it takes up limited screen real-estate with no benefit. I’m also frustrated that space was dedicated to emojis 👍which takes up a whole line of the headline..Version: 3.2.47
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