I use both Ashampoo Antispy (action->deselect all settings) and then O&O ShutUp10 pretty much the same as Eric’s, but with few exceptions – Windows Defender and Microsoft SpyNet (disable all but Windows Defender disabled), Windows Update (disabled only peer to peer – 3 top), Location Services (if a third party app installed – all disabled), Windows Explorer (if OneDrive is used uncheck Microsoft OneDrive disabled), Cortana (if something like Classic Shell is used all disabled, if not uncheck Cortana reset and disabled).
Then in Settings:
1. System
Off: Notifications & actions, Tablet mode (especially if it’s desktop), Shared experiences.
Power and sleep->Additional power settings-> adjust to a proper value
2. Devices -> off Autoplay
3.Gaming if not used to game – off all
4. Privacy – off all (when you do it after Ashampoo and O&O it’s much less entries to turn off.
HTH
Edsays
If user does all driver updates why not enable “Automatic driver updates through windows update disabled” in O&O Shutup.
Dougsays
Good guide, Eric. There’s so many privacy-related settings to keep track on in Win10 nowadays. I did notice one thing that you may want to change. In Settings -> Privacy you recommend turning all settings in all tabs to off. This would disable apps running in the background. But in O&O your settings will re-enable running apps in the background. I think the two should be changed so they are taking the same action.
vlad says
A few thoughts:
I use both Ashampoo Antispy (action->deselect all settings) and then O&O ShutUp10 pretty much the same as Eric’s, but with few exceptions – Windows Defender and Microsoft SpyNet (disable all but Windows Defender disabled), Windows Update (disabled only peer to peer – 3 top), Location Services (if a third party app installed – all disabled), Windows Explorer (if OneDrive is used uncheck Microsoft OneDrive disabled), Cortana (if something like Classic Shell is used all disabled, if not uncheck Cortana reset and disabled).
Then in Settings:
1. System
Off: Notifications & actions, Tablet mode (especially if it’s desktop), Shared experiences.
Power and sleep->Additional power settings-> adjust to a proper value
2. Devices -> off Autoplay
3.Gaming if not used to game – off all
4. Privacy – off all (when you do it after Ashampoo and O&O it’s much less entries to turn off.
HTH
Ed says
If user does all driver updates why not enable “Automatic driver updates through windows update disabled” in O&O Shutup.
Doug says
Good guide, Eric. There’s so many privacy-related settings to keep track on in Win10 nowadays. I did notice one thing that you may want to change. In Settings -> Privacy you recommend turning all settings in all tabs to off. This would disable apps running in the background. But in O&O your settings will re-enable running apps in the background. I think the two should be changed so they are taking the same action.