How to completely disable tracking in windows 10. Changing Windows settings

Do you know that Microsoft collects sensitive information about us? There are special services for this. It is impossible to find out what exactly is being transmitted, since the information is encrypted, the algorithms for its transmission change. How to prevent information leakage? Let's see how to turn off tracking in Windows 10

What and why is going

Microsoft announces the collection of the following information:

1. search queries;
2. Written content;
3. Voice data.

The company states that this information is needed to improve the performance of services, protect against malicious software, optimize voice requests, and improve the display of targeted advertising.
User input is collected and privacy settings are set at the discretion of the developer. Let's fix this situation. Let's see how to disable tracking in Windows 10 permanently. Let's use standard OS tools. Then we will consider what specialized software exists for this.

How to remove surveillance in Windows 10 when installing the OS

When installing the OS, privacy is configured. Look at the screenshot.
Disable these options:

1. Location. It is used so that a person receives data on a local weather forecast, routes to selected objects;
2. Sending data for diagnostics. For Microsoft to fix the work of the created applications;
3. Advertisements that will be of interest to you;
4. Voice recognition;
5. Collection of data for diagnostics.

After copying the installation files, the "Speed" window will open. By clicking on the link "Standard" personal data will be sent. To change this, click on the "Settings" link on the left.

Disable:

• customizing the appearance of the system;
• sending data;
• text input by voice;
• location.

How to turn off after installing the OS

There is a "Privacy" section in the system settings. There are settings related to "surveillance". To go to it, press the "Win + I" keys, then "Privacy".

Consider what settings need to be changed.

Are common

Leave the second option, turn off the rest.

1. Allow to use ID for advertising - disable;
2. Activate the SmartScreen filter. He is responsible for launching suspicious programs - enable;
3. Disable the ability for sites to share local information.

Location

Turn off location for this device to prevent Microsoft services from using your personal data.

Text input, speech

Turn off tracking for characters typed using the keyboard. If there is an "Enable" button, as in the screenshot, this feature is disabled.

Camera, radio, microphone

Disable the ability for applications to use the webcam. Allow it for some programs, disable for others.

Section "Diagnostics and reviews"

Set the drop-down list to "Never" for "Reviews" and "Basic Information".

Background apps section

Section "Additional"

Go back to the "Options" window, then "Network".

Open the "Wi-Fi" section. Disable these items:

1. Paid plans;
2. Connect to Hotspot.

O&O Shut Up

Working with the free O&O ShutUp app is easy, so I recommend it for beginners.

Distinctive feature - detailed explanations for disabled options. Called when the selected option is clicked.

Remove surveillance Windows 10 - AntiSpy program

Ashampoo programmers have created a utility, working with which you will not disrupt the operation of the OS.

The application does not have to be installed. After launch, access to the functions will open. Download it from: www.ashampoo.com .

WPD

To go to the functions responsible for disabling "surveillance", go to the tab where the "lock" is displayed. Disable services and tasks placed in the "Scheduler" associated with collecting data for Microsoft.

On the "Firewall" tab, block access to telemetry servers, prohibit access to the Internet with third-party software,.

How to turn off telemetry

Telemetry - technologies that collect information remotely. This is an integral part of the further development of the Windows OS. Allows OS creators to get information about user actions.
To turn it off, open the "Control Panel", then "Security".
We find the service "Functionality". Click on it twice with the left mouse button.

In the new window, set the startup type to Disabled.
We reboot the OS. Next, go to "Services" to check that Telemetry is disabled.

They are responsible for receiving telemetry information. Disable them. Right-click on them, select the appropriate item.

When using specialized applications, system failures are possible, so create restore points to return the OS to a working state.

Conclusion

Use the methods described above to reduce the amount of transmitted information. Remember, after OS updates, the settings may return to their original position. Therefore, check the above steps after updates. If you want to solve this problem radically, install the corporate edition of Windows 10 in it, turning off telemetry is possible using regular means.

Since the release of the new version of the OS from Microsoft, a lot of information has appeared on the Internet about Windows 10 surveillance and that the OS is spying on its users, using their personal data in an incomprehensible way, and more. The concern is understandable: people think that Windows 10 collects their personalized personal data, which is not entirely true. Just like your favorite browsers, sites, and the previous version of Windows, Microsoft collects anonymous data to improve the OS, search, other system functions ... Well, to show you ads.

In the Windows 10 settings, there is a whole “Privacy” section for configuring the relevant settings and disabling some features related to “spying”. Press the Win + I keys on the keyboard (or click on the notification icon, and then - "All settings"), and then select the desired item.

There are a whole set of items in the privacy settings, each of which we will consider in order.

Are common

• Allow apps to use my advertising recipient ID - off.
• Enable SmartScreen filter - enable (the item is missing in the Creators Update).
• Send my writing info to Microsoft - Disabled (not available in Creators Update).
• Allow websites to provide local information by accessing my list of languages ​​- off.

Location

In the "Location" section, you can turn off location detection for your computer as a whole (it is turned off for all applications), as well as for each application that can use such data, individually (below in the same section).

Speech, handwriting, and text input

In this section, you can turn off tracking of the characters you type, speech and handwriting. If you see a "Meet Me" button in the "Meet Me" section, this means that these features have already been disabled.

If you see the "Stop learning" button, then click it in order to disable the storage of this personal information.

Camera, microphone, account information, contacts, calendar, radio, messaging, and other devices

All these sections allow you to switch to the "Off" position the use of the corresponding hardware and data of your system by applications (the safest option). They can also allow their use for individual applications and prohibit them for others.

Reviews and diagnostics

Set "Never" under "Windows should ask for my feedback" and "Basic information" ("Main" data in the Creators Update) under the section about sending data to Microsoft if you do not want to share information with it.

Background apps

Additional options that may make sense to disable in privacy settings (for Windows 10 Creators Update version):

• How apps use your account information (under Account Information).
• Allow apps to access contacts.
• Allow applications to access email.
• Allow applications to use diagnostic data (see Application Diagnostics).
• Allow apps to access devices.

An additional way to give Microsoft less information about yourself is .

Additional privacy and security settings

For greater security, you should also perform a few more steps. Return to the "All Settings" window and go to the "Network and Internet" section and open the Wi-Fi section.

Disable "Search paid plans for nearby recommended open hotspots" and "Connect to suggested open hotspots" and Hotspot Network 2.0.

Return to the settings window again, then go to "Update and security", then in the "Windows Update" section, click "Advanced options", and then click "Choose how and when to receive updates" (link at the bottom of the page).

Disable receiving updates from multiple locations. This will also disable other computers on the network from receiving updates from your computer.

And, as a last point: you can disable (or manually start) the Windows service "Diagnostic Tracking Service", since it also sends data to Microsoft in the background, while disabling it should not affect system performance.

Additionally, if you are using the Microsoft Edge browser, look in the advanced settings and turn off the prediction and data saving features there. Cm. .

Programs to disable surveillance Windows 10

Since the release of Windows 10, many free utilities have appeared to disable Windows 10 spyware features, the most popular of which are presented below.

DWS (Destroy Windows 10 Spying)

DWS is the most popular program for disabling Windows 10 surveillance. The utility is in Russian, is constantly updated, and also offers additional options (, removal of built-in applications).

O&O ShutUp10

The free program to turn off surveillance for Windows 10 O&O ShutUp10 is probably one of the easiest for a novice user in Russian and offers a set of recommended settings for safely disabling all tracking functions in Windows 10.

One of the useful differences between this utility and others is detailed explanations for each option to be disabled (called by clicking on the name of the parameter to be enabled or disabled).

You can download O&O ShutUp10 from the official website of the program https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

Ashampoo AntiSpy for Windows 10

In the original version of this article, I wrote that there were many free programs to disable Windows 10 spyware and did not recommend using them (little-known developers, quick release of programs, and therefore their possible underdevelopment). Now, one of the fairly well-known companies, Ashampoo, has released its AntiSpy utility for Windows 10, which, in my opinion, can be trusted without fear of spoiling anything.

The program does not require installation, and immediately after launch you will have access to enable and disable all available user tracking features in Windows 10. Unfortunately for our user, the program is in English. But in this case, you can easily use it: just select the Use recommended settings item in the Action section to apply the recommended personal data security settings at once.

You can download Ashampoo AntiSpy for Windows 10 from the official website www.ashampoo.com.

WPD

WPD is another high-quality free utility for disabling surveillance and some other functions of Windows 10. Of the possible disadvantages is the presence of only the Russian interface language. Of the benefits, this is one of the few utilities that supports the Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB version.

The main functions of disabling "spying" are concentrated on the tab of the program with the image of "eyes". Here you can disable the policies, services, and tasks in the Task Scheduler that are somehow related to the transfer and collection of personal data by Microsoft.

The other two tabs may also be of interest. The first is Firewall Rules, which allows you to configure Windows 10 firewall rules in one click so that Windows 10 telemetry servers, access to the Internet by third-party programs, or disable updates are blocked.

The second is the convenient removal of built-in Windows 10 applications.

You can download WPD from the official website of the developer https://getwpd.com/

Additional Information

Possible problems caused by Windows 10 anti-spyware programs (create restore points so that you can easily roll back changes if necessary):

• Disabling updates when using default settings is not the safest or most useful practice.
• Adding many Microsoft domains to the hosts file and firewall rules (blocking access to these domains), subsequent possible problems with the operation of some programs that need access to them (for example, problems with Skype).
• Potential issues with the Windows 10 Store and some sometimes required services.
• In the absence of restore points, it is difficult to manually restore the settings to their original state, especially for a novice user.

And finally, the author's opinion: in my opinion, the paranoia about Windows 10 spying is overblown, and much more often you have to deal with the harm of disabling surveillance, especially novice users using free programs for this purpose. Of the functions that really interfere with life, I can only note “recommended applications” in the Start menu (), and of the dangerous ones, automatic connection to open Wi-Fi networks.

Particularly surprising to me is the fact that no one scolds their Android phone, browser (Google Chrome, Yandex), social network or messenger so much for spying, which see, hear, know everything, transmit where it should and should not be, and actively use it is personal, not anonymized data.

Almost immediately after the release of the new version of the Microsoft operating system - Windows 10 - information became public that the environment is equipped with various modules and components that covertly and explicitly monitor users, installed applications, the operation of drivers and even connected devices. For those who do not want to uncontrollably transfer confidential information to the software giant, special software tools have been created that allow you to deactivate spyware and block unwanted data transmission channels.

Programs for disabling surveillance in Windows 10 are, for the most part, simple tools, through the use of which you can very quickly stop the work of various tools integrated into the OS that are used by Microsoft individuals to obtain information of interest to them about what is happening in the system. Of course, as a result of the operation of such components, the level of user privacy is reduced.

The Destroy Windows 10 Spying program is one of the most popular tools used to disable surveillance of a Windows 10 user. The prevalence of the tool is primarily due to the ease of use and high efficiency of the methods used by the program to block unwanted components.

For beginners who do not want to delve into the intricacies of the process of configuring privacy-related system settings, just press a single button in the program. Advanced users can take advantage of the advanced features of Destroy Windows 10 Spying by activating the professional mode.

The developers of Disable Win Tracking focused on options in the program that allow you to disable or remove individual system services and applications integrated into the OS that can collect and send information about user actions and installed programs in the Windows 10 environment.

Almost all actions performed with the help of Disable Win Tracking are reversible, so even beginners can use the program.

Do NotSpy 10

DoNotSpy 10 is a powerful and effective solution for preventing Microsoft surveillance. The tool gives the user the opportunity to define a lot of operating system settings that directly or indirectly affect the level of security when working in the environment.

A portable solution with a minimum of settings allows you to disable the main features of spying on the part of the Windows 10 developer. After starting, the utility performs an automatic analysis of the system, which allows the user to visually observe which of the spyware modules are currently active.

Professionals are unlikely to pay attention to Privacy Fixer, but novice users may well use the utility to achieve an acceptable level of data security.

Perhaps the most functional and powerful tool among programs for disabling surveillance in Windows 10. The tool carries a huge number of options, the use of which allows you to fine-tune and flexibly configure the operating system with respect to user security and protection of his information from the eyes of unauthorized persons, and not only from Microsoft.

The added functionality makes W10 Privacy an effective tool for professionals dealing with multiple PCs running Windows 10.

Another powerful solution, as a result of which Windows 10 loses the ability to carry out hidden and explicit spying on the user. One of the main advantages of the tool is the extremely informative interface - each function is described in detail, as well as the consequences of using one or another option.

Thus, using Shut Up 10, you can not only gain a reasonable sense of protection from the loss of confidential data, but also learn information about the purpose of various components of the operating system.

The capabilities of the product from the creator of an effective antivirus - the company Safer-Networking Ltd - include blocking the main channels for transmitting data about work in the environment and OS modules that collect this information.

Full control over the actions performed, as well as the speed of the application will definitely attract the attention of professionals.

Microsoft's arrogance in obtaining user data of interest to the company and applications running in the Windows 10 environment was noticed even by the developer's partners. The well-known company Ashampoo has created a simple and high-quality solution that deactivates the main surveillance modules integrated into the OS, as well as blocks the main services and services that transmit unwanted data.

Using the program is very comfortable due to the familiar interface, and the presence of presets recommended by the developer saves time spent on determining parameters.

The Windows Privacy Tweaker application, which does not require installation in the system, increases the level of confidentiality to an acceptable level by manipulating system services and services, as well as editing system registry settings, performed by the tool automatically.

Unfortunately, the application is not equipped with a Russian-language interface and therefore can be difficult to learn for novice users.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the deactivation of individual modules and / or the removal of Windows 10 components, as well as the blocking of data transmission channels to the developer's server, can be carried out manually by the user by changing the parameters in "Control Panels", sending console commands, editing system registry settings and values ​​contained in system files. But all this requires time and a certain level of knowledge.

The specialized tools discussed above allow you to configure the system and protect the user from losing information with just a few mouse clicks, and most importantly, to do it correctly, safely and efficiently.

Since the release of the new version of the OS from Microsoft, a lot of information has appeared on the Internet about Windows 10 surveillance and that the OS is spying on its users, using their personal data in an incomprehensible way, and more. The concern is understandable: people think that Windows 10 collects their personalized personal data, which is not entirely true. Just like your favorite browsers, websites, and the previous version of Windows, Microsoft collects anonymous data to improve the OS, search, other system functions ... Well, to show you ads. If you are very concerned about the security of your confidential data and want to ensure it is as security from Microsoft access, in this instruction there are several ways to disable Windows 10 spying, a detailed description of the settings that allow you to secure this data as much as possible and prevent Windows 10 from spying on you. See also: Using the program. You can configure the settings for transferring and storing personal data in Windows 10 already in the installed system, as well as at the stage of its installation. Below, we will first consider the settings in the installer, and then in the system already running on the computer. Additionally, it is possible to disable tracking using free programs, the most popular of which are presented at the end of the article. Attention: one of the side effects of disabling Windows 10 spying is the appearance in the settings of the inscription.

Setting up personal data security when installing Windows 10

One of the steps in installing Windows 10 is configuring some privacy and data usage settings.

Starting with version 1703 Creators Update, these settings look like the screenshot below. The following options are available for you to disable: location detection, sending diagnostic data, selection of personalized ads, speech recognition, collection of diagnostic data. If you wish, you can disable any of these settings.

Additional options that may make sense to disable in privacy settings (for Windows 10 Creators Update version):

• How apps use your account information (under Account Information).
• Allow apps to access contacts.
• Allow applications to access email.
• Allow applications to use diagnostic data (see Application Diagnostics).
• Allow apps to access devices.

An additional way to give Microsoft less information about yourself is to use a local account rather than a Microsoft account.

Additional privacy and security settings

For greater security, you should also perform a few more steps. Return to the "All Settings" window and go to the "Network and Internet" section and open the Wi-Fi section.

Disable "Search paid plans for nearby recommended open hotspots" and "Connect to suggested open hotspots" and Hotspot Network 2.0.

Return to the settings window again, then go to "Update and security", then in the "Windows Update" section, click "Advanced options", and then click "Choose how and when to receive updates" (link at the bottom of the page).

Disable receiving updates from multiple locations. This will also disable other computers on the network from receiving updates from your computer.

O&O ShutUp10

The free program to turn off surveillance for Windows 10 O&O ShutUp10 is probably one of the easiest for a novice user in Russian and offers a set of recommended settings for safely disabling all tracking functions in Windows 10.

One of the useful differences between this utility and others is detailed explanations for each option to be disabled (called by clicking on the name of the parameter to be enabled or disabled).

You can download O&O ShutUp10 from the official website of the program https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

Ashampoo AntiSpy for Windows 10

In the original version of this article, I wrote that there were many free programs to disable Windows 10 spyware and did not recommend using them (little-known developers, quick release of programs, and therefore their possible underdevelopment). Now, one of the fairly well-known companies, Ashampoo, has released its AntiSpy utility for Windows 10, which, in my opinion, can be trusted without fear of spoiling anything.

WPD

WPD is another high-quality free utility for disabling surveillance and some other functions of Windows 10. Of the possible disadvantages is the presence of only the Russian interface language. Of the benefits, this is one of the few utilities that supports the Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB version.

The main functions of disabling "spying" are concentrated on the tab of the program with the image of "eyes". Here you can disable the policies, services, and tasks in the Task Scheduler that are somehow related to the transfer and collection of personal data by Microsoft.

The other two tabs may also be of interest. The first is Firewall Rules, which allows you to configure Windows 10 firewall rules in one click so that Windows 10 telemetry servers, access to the Internet by third-party programs, or disable updates are blocked.

The second is the convenient removal of built-in Windows 10 applications.

You can download WPD from the official website of the developer https://getwpd.com/

Additional Information

Possible problems caused by Windows 10 anti-spyware programs (create restore points so that you can easily roll back changes if necessary):

And finally, the author's opinion: in my opinion, the paranoia about Windows 10 spying is overblown, and much more often you have to deal with the harm of disabling surveillance, especially novice users using free programs for this purpose. Of the functions that really interfere with life, I can only note the “recommended applications” in the Start menu, and the dangerous ones are automatic connection to open Wi-Fi networks.

Particularly surprising to me is the fact that no one scolds their Android phone, browser (Google Chrome, Yandex), social network or messenger so much for spying, which see, hear, know everything, transmit where it should and should not be, and actively use it is personal, not anonymized data.

This is another article on setting up Windows 10. This time we will return our anonymity. It just so happened that for more or less advanced users, a dozen is synonymous with the word "surveillance" or "espionage". "Quality control and enhanced user protection" - this is how Microsoft calls its process of tracking, sending statistics to its servers and manipulating users' personal data. Perhaps this is the main and perhaps the only drawback of this operating system. Even if the computer does not contain any top-secret information or other purely personal data, it is still unpleasant to realize that someone is watching, reading, or maybe transmitting it somewhere for their own personal purposes. If there is no desire to put up with this and you want to know how to disable surveillance in Windows 10 permanently, then this article is for you.

We will consider disabling tracking and telemetry at different stages of the life of a Windows system - during installation and after.

1. Disable tracking in Windows 10 during installation

All the most important settings for the return of privacy begin even before the first launch of the operating system. The list of necessary actions includes:

• Initial settings screen.
• Settings.
• Final setup step.
• Create a local profile.

1.1. Settings home screen

After installing Windows 10, the first final preparation window appears. Here you should not be tempted by clicking the big button “Use default settings”, this is tantamount to agreeing to violate all your privacy and anonymity rights. On the left side of the screen there is an inconspicuous item written in small, pale print "Settings". It is with him that everything begins.

1.2. Settings

This is where the first trick lies. In the window that opens, there are already a bunch of functions that track user actions, which are enabled by default.

What it is and what it does does not make sense to explain - and so everything is clearly described. Set all sliders to the "Off" state and click "Next".
Once done, the following window will open. Here too, by default, everything is enabled and it is suggested that some actions be performed.

Just like in the previous step, here you need to move all the sliders to the “Off” state and click “Next” again.

1.3. Final setup step

And here is SmartScreen - the very service that is often one of the, in exchange for the so-called "security" and "protection". There is also a second item here - “Page Prediction”, which allows you to officially spy while surfing the Internet, and the third item about PC updates is the most interesting. It uses a kind of torrent client on the system that downloads and distributes updates over the network. Naturally, this affects the speed of the Internet, the signal delay in online games, and so on. Here again you need to turn off all the sliders and click "Next".

1.4. Create a local profile

Next, the last settings window will appear. Here the user is prompted to create a Microsoft account. This is, in fact, like a cornerstone, because if this record is created, then all personal data and all settings will be tied to this record. If you have several computers at home and you need a single record for possible entry or recovery, you can, in principle, start it, but if this record is hacked, then automatically the attacker will have literally everything at once. In most cases, it's best to click "Skip this step" and create a local profile.

Everything is standard here - you must specify a username and password. It remains to click the "Next" button for the last time so that the desktop appears.

2. Disable telemetry after installation in Windows 10

It is better, of course, to disable everything that is possible at the stage of system installation. But if for some reason you failed to do this, then there is no reason to panic.

In the window that opens, you need to go through almost all the menu items on the left and move the switch to the "Off" position.

Let's go over these points briefly.

First of all, you need to go to "General" and turn off all settings.

Similarly, we go to the “Camera” item and turn off this setting, because we do not need any applications to be able to quietly turn on the camera without your knowledge.

In this regard, for the camera, for the microphone, it is better to follow this strategy - we disable access for all applications, and then, if you still need access to these devices for some program, for example for Skype, then turn it on. This way, you will be in better control of your privacy.

Similarly, disable access to notifications.

Next, in the same way, turn off the "Speech, handwriting and text input" function. This is an important setting for maintaining your privacy, because if you do not turn off this setting, then samples of your text input and voice can get into Microsoft cloud services. It is unlikely that you will use the Cortana voice assistant, and in the meantime your private data will slowly “leak” into the cloud. It is almost impossible to control this process and the transmitted information.

Disable access to contacts.

We block application calls to your calendar.

Close the call log in the same way.

It is also better to turn off access to tasks.

We turn on the ban on reading and sending SMS and MMS.

It is better to control access to radio modules manually for specific applications, so we turn it off.

Similarly, we impose a ban on the uncontrolled use of other unconnected wireless devices.

In the "Reviews and Diagnostics" item, there is no way to completely disable this functionality, so you need to reduce the sending of telemetry to a minimum by selecting the "Basic" mode. You also need to prevent Microsoft from providing custom experiences and asking for feedback.

You will learn about the complete blocking of the collection of diagnostics and telemetry below in the article.

Next, turn off the ability of applications to run in the background. I would like to note that this will not affect the functioning of Windows 10 in any way, rather, on the contrary, it will help speed it up a bit. We already wrote more about the effect of background applications on system performance earlier on this site.

At this point, the process of basic privacy settings can be considered complete, but for advanced users it is possible to make a number of settings, but you need to be very careful, as incorrect actions can cause Windows to become inoperative.

2.2. Disabling telemetry through the Windows registry

Before performing the steps described below in this article, be sure to back up your system. This can be done using some third-party software or by creating a restore point for the system drive in Windows System Protection.

Launch Registry Editor and navigate to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection

Here you need to create a new parameter AllowTelemetry(DWORD 32-bit type) and set it to zero.

In order for the registry setting to take effect, do not forget that you need to completely restart the computer.

2.3. Disable and Remove DiagTrack and dmwappushservice

1. DiagTrack
2. dmwappushservice
   

You can do this through the "Services" snap-in or in "Computer Management". You need to stop the service and change the startup type.