LG has agreed to disable a pop-up ad for McAfee software on its monitors following pressure from Microsoft and a wave of public backlash from users and hardware reviewers. Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft’s EVP for Windows and Devices, confirmed via a post on X that the company connected with the LG team to reach this immediate next step toward a better customer experience.
Silent Installation and Ad Behavior
The controversy centers on the LG Monitor App Installer,
which users reported was being installed on Windows 11 PCs without their explicit knowledge or consent. According to reports from Ibtimes, some users found that simply connecting an LG monitor to a PC could trigger a driver update that silently installed the application. Others noticed the app appeared following an automatic Windows Update patch.
Once installed, the app periodically displayed pop-up notifications promoting a McAfee antivirus trial, which in some instances appeared on every system boot in the lower-right corner of the screen. Steve Burke, editor-in-chief of Gamers Nexus, documented this behavior by purchasing a $1,200 LG UltraGear gaming monitor, replicating the silent installation and resulting McAfee pop-ups several times across multiple Windows 11 systems. Burke also noted occasional promotional pop-ups for other LG software, including LG Channels, LG Dual Controller, LG Calibration Studio, and LG Switch.
Privacy Concerns and System Access
The practice has raised significant privacy and security concerns. According to Ars Technica, once the LG Monitor App Installer is on a system, it technically possesses permission to use all system resources. This includes the ability to collect device data, online activity, user credentials, transactions, contacts, and geolocation.
The issue has affected a range of monitors, including those purchased as recently as 2024 and some dating back three years. User complaints specifically identified several models as auto-installing the software, including:
- 34GX900A-B
- 45GX950-B.AEU
- 32GS95UE-B
- 39GX950B
- 27GP83B-B
- 27GN800
- 27GN850-B
LG’s Defense and Microsoft’s Role
In a statement provided to Windows Latest, LG Electronics defended its process by distinguishing between the installation of the LG Monitor App Installer and the installation of McAfee. LG stated that the LG Monitor App Installer does not collect or transmit personal customer data and is distributed through Microsoft’s official Windows distribution process. The company emphasized that McAfee is not installed automatically and is only installed if a user actively provides explicit consent.
However, critics and users have argued that LG sidestepped the central issue: why the LG Monitor App Installer itself is installed without permission. Reports on Reddit and from Windows Latest indicate that multiple users who never clicked an install prompt still encountered the McAfee ads.
The ability for this to happen stems from Microsoft’s own policies. A Microsoft support page for developers states that Universal Windows Platform device apps can automatically install when a device is connected to a PC, provided the user is signed into the Microsoft Store, connected to the internet, and has not opted out of Recommended Settings. This feature does not provide a notification to the user during installation. While this capability allows peripherals to install necessary drivers, it has also been used by other vendors such as Asus, Gigabyte, Logitech, and Razer to install unwanted software.
User Recourse
For users who find the LG Monitor App Installer on their systems, the recommended action is to navigate to Settings, then Apps and Installed apps, to search for and uninstall the software.
