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Windows 10 Privacy Settings

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Services

Press the Windows + R keys, type services.msc and press OK.

Connected User Experiences and Telemetry and double-click on it.

Set Startup type to Disabled, click Apply and OK.

Scroll down to dmwappushservice and double-click on it.

Set Startup type to Disabled, click Apply and OK.

Microsoft Browsers

If you are worried about restricting all communication with Microsoft then don’t use their browsers.

Edge

Open Edge browser and click on the More button (3 dots, upper right).

Go to Settings > Advanced settings > Privacy and services.

Max privacy will be to set all buttons to OFF.

At the very least you should turn to OFF:

-Have Cortana assist me in Microsoft Edge

-Show search and site suggestions as I type

-Use page prediction to speed up browsing…

-Help protect me from malicious sites…

Change search engine

Go to the search page you want to switch to. i.e. DuckDuckGo (https://duckduckgo.com/)

Go to Settings > Advanced settings > Search in the address with > click the Change button > choose DuckDuckGo.

Internet Explorer

Open Internet Explorer and click on the Tools icon (Gear icon upper right).

Choose Internet options

Under the General tab change Home page to something else non-Microsoft.

Privacy Dashboard

https://account.microsoft.com/privacy

If you use a Local Account there is nothing there.

If you use a Microsoft Account you have the option to clear browsing, search, location, and Cortana history.

Windows 10 Browsers Ad Settings

Don’t bother. If you clear your history like you should then the settings changes do not stick.

http://choice.microsoft.com/en-us/opt-out

“To opt out of personalized ads in this browser, your browser history must allow first-party and third-party cookies and you must have your browsing experience set to NOT delete browsing history on exit. Instructions for enabling cookies and configuring your browsing history may be available in your browsers settings, privacy, or help documentation.”

Reader Interactions

Comments

  6. mullteback says

    Regarding Destroy Windows Spying, and O&O Shutup10: it would be good to know what they provide that is not already addressed by the previous pages of privacy measures.

  8. JackL says

    http://www.howto-connect.com/windows-10-switch-to-local-account-from-microsoft-account/

    The instructions on the page say: “Note: Logging into Windows 10 with a Local account will not provide you any authority to download or install Store apps and also you will lose all the administrative authorities.”

    1. So, how do I inherit Microsoft account admin rights in Local account?

    2. Does this also mean that that if I am constantly logged into Local account, I will not be able to get “Windows Insider” updates?

    On the following page, it tells you how to switch between Local and Microsoft accounts. It’s for Win 8 but should work for Win 10:
    http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/switch-between-local-and-microsoft-accounts/

    For those folks who sign up for the Insider Program and are worried about MS diagnostics tracking service, check this link how to disable it. Please note that in regular Win 10/8.1 installations, MS is still tracking EVERYTHING ON YOUR PC:
    https://www.tweakhound.com/2015/11/18/win10-diagnostics-tracking-service-gone/

    • Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound) says

      You can use the store with a Local account. Windows Store > User icon > Sign in > Microsoft account > choose Sign in to just this app instead.
      Windows insiders must use Microsoft account. You can switch back and forth I guess.

  10. Patrick says

    diag service renamed to connected user experience telementry in th2 im sure its already posted somewhere in this log but i just wanted to sound smart for once