Microsoft confirms LG has responded to its monitors silently installing spyware on Windows 11 PCs

Q: How does the LG Monitor App Installer get delivered to Windows 11 PCs according to the article?

The article says the LG Monitor App Installer is delivered via Windows Update: when an LG monitor is plugged into a freshly installed Windows 11 system it triggers an automatic software install during the monitor setup process, and the app is downloaded silently through Windows Update. Microsoft notes its automatic device app policy enables this behavior if users have not opted out of Recommended Settings.

Q: What action did Microsoft confirm LG agreed to take regarding the McAfee pop-up?

Microsoft confirmed that LG agreed to remove the McAfee pop-up from the app. This was stated by Pavan Davuluri, EVP of Windows and devices.

Q: What Microsoft policy allowed the LG Monitor App Installer to be pushed without explicit user consent?

Microsoft's automatic device app policy allowed the LG Monitor App Installer to be pushed without explicit user consent if users had not opted out of Recommended Settings. The primary article states that this policy enables such behavior with no user notification during installation.

LG has responded to the backlash following an investigation that revealed it was silently installing adware onto Windows 11 machines without user consent.

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Jak Connor

Tech and Science Editor

Published Jul 23, 2026 9:00 PM CDT

1 minute & 15 seconds read time

TL;DR: Microsoft intervened after investigations found LG monitors silently installed adware via Windows Update on Windows 11 systems. The installs triggered McAfee trial pop-ups and were reportedly hard to disable. Microsoft says LG agreed to remove the McAfee pop-up, but concerns persist over the LG Monitor App Installer's permissions and stealthy behavior.

Voice: Jak ConnorSpeed

0:00 / 2:07

On the heels of multiple investigations that revealed LG monitors were silently installing adware on Windows 11 machines through Windows Update, Microsoft has now stepped in to stop LG.

The issue came to light after Gamers Nexus and several other tech experts published videos showing that when LG monitors were plugged into a freshly installed Windows 11 system, it would trigger an automatic software install that occurs silently during the monitor setup process. This silent software install piggybacks off Windows Update, meaning when users go to update their system, the adware is also downloaded without the user knowing. The pop-ups appeared at boot, often featuring a 30-day free trial for McAfee antivirus, and were reported to be impossible to disable without manually uninstalling the app.

Microsoft confirmed that LG has agreed to remove the McAfee pop-up from the app, according to a statement from Pavan Davuluri, EVP of Windows and devices. Despite this win, deeper concerns remain. The LG Monitor App Installer has been installing itself on systems for years without user permission, and LG's app description in the Microsoft Store grants it access to system resources and personal data, raising concerns from many users about why a monitor needs this level of permission to function.

Read more: LG monitors are silently installing spyware on Windows 11 PCs without user consent

Frequently Asked Questions

TweakBot answers common questions about this news using TweakTown's own coverage from this page and related content from our archive. Tap a question to reveal the answer, or type your own below.

Question #1

Which LG monitors were reported to trigger the silent installation of the LG Monitor App Installer on Windows 11 systems?

The reports describe LG monitors in general, particularly LG gaming monitors, triggering the silent installation of the LG Monitor App Installer on freshly installed Windows 11 systems. The primary article does not name any specific LG monitor models (see related article "LG monitors are silently installing spyware on Windows 11 PCs without user consent" for the same characterization).

Answered

Question #2

How does the LG Monitor App Installer get delivered to Windows 11 PCs according to the article?

Question #3

What action did Microsoft confirm LG agreed to take regarding the McAfee pop-up?

Question #4

What Microsoft policy allowed the LG Monitor App Installer to be pushed without explicit user consent?

Have a question not listed here? Ask below and TweakBot will answer it.

Microsoft's automatic device app policy enables this behavior if users haven't opted out of Recommended Settings. With no user notification during installation, the issue highlights a broader privacy flaw in how Windows handles peripheral software, and highlights the undetected predatory nature of seemingly ambiguous third-party software from recognizable brands that would typically be overlooked. LG has yet to comment directly on the matter.