Microsoft is reportedly auto-installing the HP Smart app on Windows 10 and 11 PCs

Which is a terrible app. I made the mistake of buying a HP printer and that app crashes more than it works (and the printer doesn't work without it, of course).

Never use anything hp branded if you can help it

Imagine running an OS that doesn't even respect you. I use Arch btw.

I wondered what was happening. I got a notice my daughter installed this app (under 13 account) and was like why would she do that. We don't have any HP devices. Brother for life.

Yes they are in fact doing this. I noticed this (working in IT) recently across several machines. Fucking Microsoft. I removed and blocked it immediately.

Yeah Michaelsoft we get it, you own the OS not us. Now quit doing this shit before you get slapped with more anti-trust lawsuits.

At work we pay Microsoft thousands for developer licensees, have windows pro, and there is still ads in the OS.... Windows exists to service them not us.

The Windows machines I manage at work have been auto downloading all kinds of shit like this lately. Microsoft is becoming really trashy.

11 now basically ARP scans any network you join, adds things like HP printers found on the LAN to Device Manager, as"unknown device" in some situations, likely auto installing drivers in others.

Can't think of a better example of malware.

Stay in school and don't use Windows.

at least if it's auto-installed, you don't need to have your windows tied to a microsoft account just to set up your damn printer. there's some models where the stand-alone driver installer just doesn't work worth a shit, and the 'app' is the only thing that works (there's also a few that go the other way, the 'app' fails but the stand-alone driver is fine).

Seems like it's getting installed on PCs which have an HP printer nearby even though they never used it. I don't have any printer at home and none of them have any HP app in them.

Just regedit delete all programs that run at startup besides the default page file.

I removed the official Microsoft Store and use Bloatnosey. Seems much better. You do need to recheck after any update though. Sneaky stuff.

oh is that where that came from

even on other operating systems HP requires software to be installed before printer will work

even cups on apple or linux will not connect to hp printers you have to use the hp software which is bundled with some distributions of linux

been an issue for a good bit now

https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-imaging-and-printing/binary_plugin.html

HP stands for heinous product.

macOS gaming can’t come soon enough