Connecting a new LG UltraGear monitor to a Windows 11 PC triggers the silent, automatic installation of LG driver updates and the LG Monitor App Installer — without any permission prompt or notification to the user. The app then serves pop-up advertisements for McAfee antivirus and LG’s own software, appearing in the bottom right corner of the screen.
The issue was documented in a July 2026 video by hardware channel Gamers Nexus, which recorded McAfee and LG app pop-ups appearing on 31 out of 32 system bootups after connecting an LG monitor. User complaints about the behavior had surfaced on Reddit prior to the investigation, and reports of LG’s app auto-installing date back to at least 2024.
The installation is made possible through a Microsoft feature that allows hardware developers to pair a Hardware Support App in the Windows Store, which installs automatically based on device metadata. Microsoft’s own documentation for the feature notes: “The automatic installation feature does not provide a notification to the user when the app is installed. Some users may find this experience confusing and frustrating, and give your app a bad rating.”
According to its Windows Store listing, the LG Monitor App Installer requests permission to “use all system resources” and “access your Internet connection.” LG’s linked privacy policy states the app automatically collects device data, internet activity, and geolocation information — all without the user’s explicit consent at the point of installation. McAfee appears alongside LG’s own apps on the Store listing.
Dell has similarly used the same Microsoft mechanism to auto-install its Alienware Command Center app when an Alienware monitor is connected, though the notification spam associated with LG’s installer represents an additional layer of the behavior.
Users on Windows Pro can block the installation via a group policy setting. Those on Windows Home editions may be able to prevent it by disabling the option to automatically download manufacturers’ apps and custom icons, found within Advanced system settings.
Source: The Verge