How To Change Privacy Settings On Windows 10

Your personal data might be the most valuable commodity in today'south globe. Microsoft (and most other big tech companies) likes to collect equally much data as they can about how y'all apply your computer. We want to keep as much of our data private as possible. They do this, oft without your express permission, relying on long, confusing privacy policies and terms of service that about of united states of america don't read and wouldn't understand anyway. By default, Windows x gathers large amounts of your personal information. If you value your privacy, information technology only makes sense to accept what steps you tin can to minimize the amount of information they can assemble.

For this article, I used Windows 10 Home, version 1909, the Windows ten Anniversary Update.

Almost everything we will practice today takes place in Windows Settings. Allow'south non waste any fourth dimension and caput straight over to Windows Settings. To get there, click Start, and then Settings.

From hither nosotros can brand the post-obit changes, which we will methodically cover below.

Put limits on Cortana
Make privacy-friendly apps the default apps
Eliminate unwanted startup apps
Tweak Sign-in options
Accommodate General privacy settings
Do safe Wi-Fi
Control Diagnostics & feedback
Limit Delivery optimization
Proceed your activity history to yourself
Set app permissions for maximum privacy
Make Windows finish hiding stuff from you lot

We'll also discuss using Windows in virtual machines (VMs) for more privacy and security.

1. Put Limits on Cortana

Cortana is the digital banana built into Windows x. It is as well maybe the feature near hated past privacy advocates. Why? Because of the huge amounts of personal data that Cortana scoops up and the way information technology shares your personal data with Microsoft. I'm non hither to fustigate Cortana. I'll but say that most people who value their privacy desire to shut Cortana downwardly completely.

Unfortunately, one of the changes Microsoft fabricated in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update was to eliminate the option to shut Cortana down completely. It seems that they really want us to apply Cortana, whether we desire to or not. While there are some technical tricks to completely disable Cortana, they are beyond the scope of this article.

What we are going to do here is everything nosotros can do to forestall Cortana from operation, without resorting to hacking the registry or creating local group policies.

On the Windows Settings folio, enter Cortana into the Find a setting box. You should see a listing of search results that looks something like this:

Select Cortana permissions. On the Permissions folio that appears, click the Manage the information Cortana tin access from this device link. On the page that appears, you can cut down on what information Cortana tin encounter and use. Since we want to disable Cortana to the maximum extent possible, I advise you turn off everything: Location; Contacts, e-mail, agenda & communication history; and Browsing history.

Next, scroll downwardly the page and click the Spoken language privacy settings link. While it is very cool that Windows 10 can understand spoken commands, the fashion speech recognition works is a privacy risk. Cortana and another apps rely on online speech recognition capabilities provided by Microsoft. That means that they listen to what you lot say and send it to Microsoft to exist analyzed. Indeed, Microsoft says that they, "will use your voice information to help amend our voice communication services."

Unless you lot want to trust Microsoft non to misuse your vocalisation data, I suggest you disable online oral communication recognition. This will prevent Cortana and some other apps from responding to vocalism commands, just eliminates a major privacy risk. Note that the Windows Speech Recognition app and some other speech communication services will still work, since they don't rely on online oral communication recognition.

Hide the Cortana button

We're almost done. Since nosotros don't want Cortana to do anything, it only makes sense to remove the Cortana push from the Windows taskbar. Here's how y'all do that:

On the Windows desktop, right-click the taskbar.
In the carte that appears, clear the Evidence Cortana button pick.

While Cortana will still exist there, these simple changes should minimize the privacy take a chance she poses.

ii. Make privacy-friendly apps the default apps

Not surprisingly, Windows 10 comes with Microsoft apps set up every bit the default for diverse functions, including e-mail and browsing the web. If you've started using privacy-friendly apps for these functions, y'all can tell Windows to use them as the defaults for these functions. To see how this is done, let's configure Windows to use Firefox equally my default browser, instead of Microsoft Edge. Notation that the desired app needs to already exist installed on your calculator. Privacy-friendly apps tend not to be available in the Microsoft Store.

To alter a default app, follow these steps:

In Windows Settings, select Apps. This opens Apps & features.
In the carte du jour on the left side of the window, select Default apps.
Under Default apps, scroll downwards and select Microsoft Edge (the electric current web browser). This opens the Choose an app list.
The listing displays all the installed web browsers. Select Firefox from the list and wait a moment. Firefox will now appear in the Default apps list.

Note: We similar Firefox because it is a privacy-respecting browser that is likewise highly customizable. See our Firefox privacy modifications guide.

3. Eliminate unwanted startup apps

Some apps automatically commencement when yous start Windows. Let'southward make sure that you are in control of the apps that starting time automatically when Windows starts, since the odds are fantabulous there volition exist at least i that is non privacy-friendly.

To control which apps get-go automatically when Windows starts, select Startup in the menu on the left side of the Apps window. A list of the apps that are currently starting automatically appears on the right side of the window.

One startup app I suggest you always disable is Microsoft OneDrive (I did so in the image to a higher place). If you need OneDrive style (deject) storage, I advise you install a privacy-friendly cloud storage app like MEGA or Tresorit, and employ that in identify of OneDrive. (We have other cloud storage reviews as well.)

Windows does a couple of things here that are not great for privacy. Follow these steps to tweak the Sign-in options:

In Windows Settings, select Accounts. This opens Your info.
In the bill of fare on the left side of the window, select Sign-in options.
Under Sign-in options on the correct side of the window, coil downwards to Privacy.
Set both Privacy options to Off.

The Testify account details… pick should be off by default. Y'all desire to plough off the Use my sign-in info to automatically finish setting up… option to foreclose Windows from signing you in on its own. With that option set to On, you could exist away from your computer and Windows could sign-in and launch apps on its own, leaving you totally exposed to anyone who happens to be passing by.

v. Arrange General privacy settings

Now we need to get into the Privacy section of Windows Settings. We'll simply start at the height with the General privacy settings.

To adjust Windows 10 General privacy options:

In Windows Settings, select Privacy. This opens the Full general privacy page.
The best thing to practice here is only to turn off all of these options. They all involve allowing Microsoft to get together information about what yous do while in Windows 10. Yous don't demand whatever of these to employ the production. Leaving any of them turned on just helps Microsoft build a bigger contour on you lot.

If you would like to learn more than about what each of these options does, you lot can cheque out this General privacy settings in Windows ten folio.

six. Do safety Wi-Fi

Practise yous remember the days earlier Wi-Fi? The bad sometime days when our computers needed to exist continued to the remainder of the globe by wires? Wi-Fi makes life much more convenient. But it besides tin be a privacy adventure. Here are the changes I suggest yous brand to Windows 10 Wi-Fi settings to maximize your privacy.

Settings on the Wi-Fi page

In that location are a few changes to brand on the main Wi-Fi page. We want to enable the use of random hardware addresses and disable Hotspot 2.0 networks. One of the things that Wi-Fi transmits while looking for bachelor networks is your system's physical MAC accost. In some places (a shopping mall, for example), the MAC accost could be used to track your movements, when you visit the identify, and then on. Random hardware addresses, if supported by your Wi-Fi hardware, send out fake MAC addresses when scanning for networks. This would arrive much harder to track y'all.

Hotspot ii.0 is a standard that is meant to make using wireless hotspots more like using your mobile phone. As you move effectually in the world, your phone automatically selects new cellphone towers so you can stay connected. Hotsport 2.0 is meant to do the aforementioned for wireless hotspots that support the standard. This standard hasn't become widely accepted all the same, and I'm not convinced that information technology is a safe way to utilize Wi-Fi. I suggest you lot shut information technology off.

To change these settings on the Wi-Fi page:

In Windows Settings, select Network & Internet.
In the left-mitt menu, select Wi-Fi. This opens the Wi-Fi page.
Turn on Utilise random hardware addresses.
Scroll downward to Hotspot 2.0 networks and plow that Off.

Next, I suggest you make sure that the Mobile hotspot characteristic is turned off. When on, this turns your computer into a hotspot that other devices tin can log into for Cyberspace access. This makes information technology another point of attack for a hacker. Normally, this feature will be off by default, but it volition only take a 2d to check.

Select the Mobile hotspot menu choice on the left side of the folio and make sure it is set to Off.

If you are using a wired connection to the Internet you can actually fortify your organisation past turning on Aeroplane way. In this mode, all your system's radios are turned off, making it incommunicable for anyone to go into your system wirelessly. The radios this affects include not just Wi-Fi, but Bluetooth, and if your device has the ability, cellular access.

To get into Airplane mode, simply select that choice on the left side of the window and turn it On.

seven. Control Diagnostics & feedback

Every bit much as possible we want to limit the data we send to Microsoft. To practice that, we need to change a couple of settings on the Diagnostics & feedback tab. Here'due south what yous demand to do:

In Windows Settings, select Privacy.
In the menu on the left side of the window, select Diagnostics & feedback. This opens the Diagnostics & feedback page.
Under Diagnostic data, select Basic. This prevents Windows from sending Microsoft personal data similar the websites y'all visit and which apps you run.
Under Amend inking and typing, turn off the selection to send inking and typing data to Microsoft.

The less data yous send the better.

8. Limit Delivery Optimization

Windows ten can do some tricks to possibly download updates faster. It does this past pulling update information from locations other than the Microsoft website. Specifically, it tin can pull updates from other machines on the local network, besides as other computers on the Internet. The thought is to share the load of downloading Windows updates.

I am not a fan of this approach. Y'all should have your Windows installation well-protected from viruses and malware, but downloading updates from other computers on the network or even random machines on the Cyberspace is just an invitation for trouble.

Add in the fact that assuasive downloads in this manner as well means that others can download parts of their updates from your figurer. Windows should handle all of this automatically and safely, but you have to trust that they will do it correct. The potential for privacy and security problems isn't worth the possible time savings.

To brand certain Windows 10 only takes updates directly from Microsoft, follow these steps:

In Windows Settings, select Updates & Security. This opens the Windows Update page.
In the menu on the left side of the window, select Commitment Optimization.
Under Allow downloads from other PCs, set up Let downloads from other PCs to Off.

ix. Keep your activity history to yourself

Windows 10 tin can go along rails of your activities for yous. This "activeness history" includes things like information about the web sites yous visit and the apps and services you use. This data gets fed into the Timeline, and gives y'all a way to become dorsum to what y'all were doing in the by thirty days. By default, Windows tracks your activity history. Information technology also sends your activeness history to Microsoft so you can use it on other devices.

From the privacy perspective, I'chiliad not sure I would desire Windows 10 to record all my activities in this way, but you might find it useful. But I'one thousand sure I wouldn't want it sending this data to Microsoft. Follow these steps to command your activeness history;

In Windows Settings, select Privacy.
In the menu on the left side of the window, selectActivity history. This opens the Activity history folio.
Uncheck the Store my activeness history on this device pick unless yous have a expert utilise for it.
Uncheck the Ship my activity history to Microsoft pick.
Scroll down to the Clear activeness history section and click the Clear button for any accounts that don't need their activity history saved by Windows.

10. Set app permissions for maximum privacy

Windows apps often need (or but desire) access to data that many people would consider private. For example, i app might desire access to location information so it can provide you lot with ads for nearby restaurants. Some other might desire to run into your contacts, or control your webcam, or expect at your call history. Apps may take perfectly legitimate reasons for the permissions they request, just you need to make up one's mind whether y'all desire any particular app to accept access to the private data information technology requests.

In this department of the guide, we're going to striking the diverse types of app permissions that are available. I'll tell you how to turn them on and off, and give recommendations as necessary.

But before we do, permit me clear upward one thing. As we work our way through the settings, you are going to see references to "desktop apps." Microsoft distinguishes betwixt desktop apps and other types of apps. Amid other things, desktop apps may not exist controlled past the Windows x privacy settings we are near to look at. So what is a desktop app? Here's what Microsoft says:

What are desktop apps? They're usually downloaded from the cyberspace or installed with some blazon of media (such every bit a CD, DVD, or USB storage device). They're launched using an .EXE or .DLL file, and they typically run on your device, unlike web-based apps (which run in the cloud).

Desktop apps play by dissimilar rules than other apps when it comes to privacy. That means you'll need to scrutinize the privacy policies of each one individually. It besides means that Windows privacy settings may non protect y'all if you install desktop apps from dubious sources. To learn more desktop apps and privacy, check out this folio.

Control access to location information

When turned on, Windows uses your figurer'due south capabilities to determine your location. Microsoft uses this information to ameliorate its location services. Windows uses this information for various features, every bit well as sharing information technology with apps. At times it can be useful for Windows and certain apps to know your location. But practice y'all really want Windows constantly checking your location and sending it to Microsoft?

Happily, Microsoft gives you a good fleck of control over when, how, and by whom location data is used. You can:

Turn off location completely, meaning Windows doesn't use your estimator'southward capabilities to figure out your location, period.
Control which apps, if whatsoever, have access to location data.
Set a default location for utilize when better data is not available
Clear the location history stored on your device

Y'all practice all this from one page, so let's get there.

In Windows Settings, select Privacy. In the carte du jour on the left side of the window, select Location. This opens the Location page.

If you want to prevent Windows, Microsoft, and any apps from computing your actual location, under Allow access to location on this device, click the Change push button, and set Location access for this device to Off.
If you left location on, you tin still prevent apps from using the data. Nether Allow apps to access your location, gear up the switch to Off. Desktop apps may ignore this setting.
If you wish, you lot tin can set a default location that Windows, apps, and services tin can use when they don't take whatever improve information. Under Default location, click the Set up default push button and select a location.
Scroll down a bit more to see the Location history section. If you want to erase the location history information that is currently stored by Windows 10, hit the Clear button.
Finally, if you are allowing apps to have access to location data, y'all can notwithstanding select which apps have access. Scroll down a chip more and you will run across a list of apps, along with switches that tell you whether that app has access to location data. Unless you can think of a specific reason why an app should have access to your location, set the switch for that device to Off.

Windows x location settings tin can be disruptive. If y'all want more information on location and the privacy implications, visit this page.

Command access to the photographic camera and microphone

You control permissions for admission to the computer's camera and microphone the aforementioned manner y'all control access to location data. The pages are laid out the same, except that there is an additional switch for each of these. You use that switch to prevent desktop apps from using the camera or microphone.

Still, even if you turn this off, some desktop apps may still use the photographic camera or microphone. Note also that it has long been reported that the NSA and others have the power to turn on your figurer's camera and microphone remotely. So is there a way to really prevent the use of the born camera and microphone on your Windows 10 computer? Maybe.

Yous may non exist able to prevent a hacker from turning on your estimator's camera, only y'all can keep information technology from being useful to them. How? Cover the camera lens. Putting a piece of opaque tape or some sort of sticker over the camera ways it won't be useful for spying on you.

The microphone is a scrap more than tricky since blocking sound from reaching it isn't as easy every bit putting a piece of tape over the input. I'1000 not an good on this, merely I have seen one proffer that seems like it might piece of work. The trick is to cut the microphone jack off an one-time headset or some other device, then plug that jack into the microphone input on your computer. Reportedly, inserting this (now non-functional) jack into the microphone input volition physically disconnect your figurer'due south internal microphone.

Control other types of app permissions

In that location are lots of other things that apps might do to violate your privacy. Controlling app permissions for these things works very much like controlling app permissions for location information. I don't want to waste your fourth dimension repeating well-nigh identical steps over and over for each type of permission. Besides, Microsoft provides pretty detailed explanations of what the permission is for and what each individual control does on each folio. Instead, I volition list each permission type, and give my suggestions on what to do well-nigh them to maximize your Windows ten privacy.

When in dubiousness, I advise yous disable a permission completely by clicking the relevant Change button and setting the switch that appears to Off. If an app that is important to you lot complains, you can always turn the general permission back On, then under the Cull which app can access your… heading, plow Off the permission for every app except the one you need.

Vocalisation activation – Allows you lot to activate speech communication recognition without having to first hit a key or click the mouse. I would turn this off and rely on the keyboard and mouse instead of having Windows constantly listening in case y'all happen to be talking to it.
Notifications – Shut it down completely.
Account info – If you are using any of the default Windows apps such as Microsoft Edge, I suggest y'all apply the Cull which apps can admission your business relationship info option and turn On only the specific apps yous utilise. An even better motion would be to terminate using any default Windows apps, and instead choose privacy-friendly ones like those listed in the Restore Privacy Recommended Privacy Setup on the lesser of this page. (Meet as well our best countersign managers guide.)
Contacts – Lots of default Windows apps want access to your contacts, although I don't know why apps like Maps and Microsoft Photos would need this information. Check the list of apps looking for this permission, and if you aren't using any of them, completely disable this permission.
Calendar – Cheque the listing of apps looking for this permission, and if you aren't using any of them, completely disable this permission.
Phone calls & Phone call history – If you have a phone linked to this figurer, these permissions allow apps to make phone calls using your computer and to look at your call history. The People and Messaging apps built into Windows 10 always have permission to at least make phone calls, so I would disable this permission completely to forbid other random stuff from using your phone.
Email & Tasks – Disable both of these completely. The Windows ten Mail and Calendar apps have access to this information whether you disable permissions or non. Few types of information contain more private data than your e-mail. (Employ one of our recommended secure email services that respect your privacy.)
Messaging – Similar to the Phone calls setting, enabling this allows apps to send and receive text or MMS messages using a phone connected to your computer.
Radios – You really don't want random apps to be able to plough your estimator's radios (typically WiFi and Bluetooth) on and off. I would disable this permission completely, and turn the radios on and off manually. (Run across our guide on Controlling Communication Channels for a deep swoop on this topic.)
Other devices – Unless y'all wirelessly connect your computer to your Xbox Ane or some other device, disable this completely. If you do connect to other devices, don't turn this off but bank check the list of devices that want this permission to make certain yous don't allow some rogue app to wirelessly talk to who knows what device within radio range.
Background apps – This one you probably will not desire to disable completely. This permission allows apps to run in the background. That is, allows them to run when you are working in another app. If you disable this completely, apps similar your music player, Skype, and your mobile information programme won't work in the background. This is one permission I suggest you go out enabled, simply plow off for any individual apps you don't want running in the background.
App diagnostics – This allows apps to access diagnostic data from other apps. I would disable this completely.
Automated file downloads – This controls whether Windows can automatically download files from your online storage provider for apps that request them. If you are using online (cloud) storage, I suggest you start past switching to 1 of our recommended secure cloud storage services. In one case that is washed, return to this option. Leave this permission enabled, but turn information technology off for any app that requests information technology except for the secure deject storage service you are using.
Documents – This gives apps access to your documents library. I wouldn't disable this completely, because if you do, Windows Defender won't exist able to scan the documents library for infections. I suggest y'all get out it enabled, and turn off access to individual apps, being certain to leave it turned on for Windows Defender.
Pictures & Videos – These two permissions grant apps admission to your pictures library and videos library respectively. I would disable both completely and see if anything you actually use squawks about it.
File organization – This one gives apps access to all of your files and libraries. If you use Microsoft Role, you lot demand to exit information technology enabled and plough off access to individual apps, existence certain to leave it turned on for Function.

By default, Windows 10 hides many things from you. It hides the extension on some types of files, it hides certain programs, and it hides entire folders. I call back the idea is to salvage you from worrying about the extensions, and to keep you from poking around at Windows 10 stuff Microsoft doesn't want y'all messing with.

There are various problems with this approach, including a potential privacy event. If an attacker penetrates your reckoner's defenses, they are likely to install malware on the auto. Assuasive hidden files and folders on your system could give the malware a place to hibernate.

Another way to hibernate stuff on your computer is to give it the same proper name as a legitimate file, merely with a different extension. For example, this might be an executable file on your system named, "happy-birthday.jpg.exe." With file extensions turned off, that would wait like, "happy-altogether.jpg," perchance making you recollect information technology was a prissy birthday photo. Instead of seeing a photograph, double-clicking it would run the program, "happy-birthday.jpg.exe," which could practice something bad to your reckoner.

Follow these steps to make Windows stop hiding stuff from you:

Using the Windows search box, search for and open: file explorer options. This opens the File Explorer Options dialog box.
Select the View tab.
Under Advanced settings, set the Show subconscious files, folder, and drives option.
Uncheck Hibernate extensions for known file types.
Uncheck Hide folder merge conflicts.
Uncheck Hide protected operating organisation files (Recommended). Windows will object to y'all doing this past displaying the following alert.
Go ahead and exercise it anyhow (select Yes). Just call back not to mess with the files that are revealed unless your calculator is compromised and you have no other choice.
Click OK to exit.

Using Windows in a virtual machine for more privacy and security

Many people need to use Windows for piece of work or to access specific applications. Therefore the "Switch to Linux!" communication may not agree water for Windows-critical tasks. With that being said, there are still some good options for this situation.

One recommendation we often stress here on Restore Privacy is to apply virtual machines (VMs). A VM is basically a virtual operating system running on your (host) computer. This is very easy to do, and it's also complimentary with Virtualbox.

One of the large advantages of using VMs is that it gives you a strictly isolated surround to run Windows, which is separate from the rest of your organisation. This allows you to run Windows in a VM on a host computer, which could be running a privacy-respecting operating system, such as Linux.

You tin become started by simply downloading Virtualbox for your host operating system (bachelor for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux). And then, download the operating system you want to use, in this example, Windows x. Then you can go near setting upwardly your Windows ten VM (there are many tutorials for this).

Note: Both Windows ten and Virtualbox are free, and y'all don't need to register your Windows 10 version. Then, whenever you lot need Windows for specific tasks, simply fire upwardly your Windows 10 VM.

With this method, Windows volition exist safely secured and isolated from the remainder of your operating organization, data, and files.

Decision on Windows and privacy

As you can come across, there are many things you can do to ameliorate your privacy when using the latest version of Windows ten. While users of the home edition can no longer plow off Cortana without fooling around in the Registry, we tin can rein in Cortana to some extent, thereby minimizing her admission to our personal data. We'll have to wait and see the impact that the upcoming changes to Cortana have, but hopefully they volition requite us back a trivial more control over her.

While this guide was mainly focused on configuring your Windows settings for more privacy, there are other considerations as well. For example, a expert VPN service will encrypt net traffic betwixt your Windows figurer and a VPN server, while as well hiding your IP address and location. We comprehend the best VPNs in detail on this site. At that place are besides other privacy tools worth considering likewise.

What Windows x privacy tricks accept I missed? Let me know in the comments.

Source: https://restoreprivacy.com/windows-privacy/

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How To Change Privacy Settings On Windows 10