Setting up a new monitor should be simple: plug it in and go. For some LG owners, it came with something extra: LG monitor adware they never agreed to install.
According to testing from Gamers Nexus, certain LG displays trigger an automatic software install . It happens the moment they’re connected to a Windows PC. Windows Update quietly downloads LG’s extension and software packages. The LG Monitor App Installer shows up roughly a minute later. There’s no consent prompt and no approval step. Gamers Nexus booted the same test system 32 times in a row. A McAfee ad appeared on 31 of those boots, offering a 30-day trial that converts into a paid subscription.
This happens on old hardware too. Gamers Nexus saw the same installer pop up on an LG UltraFine monitor purchased three years earlier. The Microsoft Store listing for the app shows a wide reach. It lists access to the internet and all system resources on the PC. Complaints this behavior go back to at least 2024. The recent surge in reports suggests LG monitor adware is showing up on more models now.
Dell does something similar with its Alienware monitors. It uses Windows Update to deliver Alienware Command Center the moment it detects compatible hardware. This isn’t some isolated LG mistake. It’s a shortcut built into how Windows handles new devices. Manufacturers are leaning on it to push their own software.
LG hasn’t issued a public response to the findings yet. In the meantime, Windows does let you block LG monitor adware and similar installs before they start. The Group Policy Editor has a setting under Device Installation that blocks apps from installing automatically based on device metadata. That option isn’t available on Windows editions though.
The time you plug in a new display, check what else came along for the ride.
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