How to protect your privacy in Windows 10

(Note that when it comes to your browsing and search history, it only tracks your activity when you use Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer. It doesn't track data when you use other browsers, like Chrome or Firefox. And it only tracks your location history when you use Microsoft devices, not those that use iOS or Android.)

To use it, go to the information you want to view and delete, then click the relevant link (for example, to view and delete browser history in Microsoft Edge). Note that in some cases, you won't have full control over data deletion and management.

You can also customize privacy settings for other Microsoft products, including Xbox and Microsoft 365, in the Control Panel.

Get detailed information in the Settings app

All of this shouldn't take long and will go a long way in protecting your privacy. If you want to dig even deeper into privacy protections, start the Settings application and click PrivacyYou'll see the same General panel we covered in the first tip of this story. (If for some reason you're in a different Privacy section, click General on the left side of the screen.)

Below the switch to disable your Advertising ID are three more privacy settings you can turn off:

• List of languages: The list of languages ​​you have enabled on your machine is your business.
• Launching applications:This is used to create the “Most Used” list in the Start menu and influences the order of search results; probably not essential for those concerned about privacy.
• Suggested content: In Microsoft’s words, this is used to “suggest new content and apps that might interest you.” Trust me, you’re unlikely to find them interesting.

Disable these three options to further protect your privacy.

And there’s a lot more than just the General panel. On the left side of the screen, you’ll see additional areas where you can get more details about privacy—for example, in the “Inking and typing customization” section you can change your global privacy options for inking and your typing history.

Advice for the truly paranoid

If you want to take privacy even further, there are a few more things you can do.

Stop using OneDrive

If you don't like the idea of ​​syncing your data with Microsoft's OneDrive cloud storage service, you can stop using it. (There's no way to uninstall it.) Right-click the OneDrive icon in the notification tray at the bottom right of the Windows desktop and select Settings from the menu that opens. In the OneDrive Settings window, go to the Account tab, then click on the Unlink this PC button. Then click on the Synchronization and backup tab and uncheck Start OneDrive when I sign in to Windows.

Don't sync Windows settings between devices

You can also opt out of syncing Windows settings across devices. When you sync your settings, the way you've personalized and configured Windows 10 will be synced with Microsoft servers. If you want to turn this off, go to Settings > Windows Backup and move the slider from On to Off under “Remember my preferences” and “Remember my apps”.

Disable application diagnostics

Changing this setting isn't a particularly big privacy improvement, but if you're a real privacy fanatic, every little bit helps. It doesn't affect desktop apps like Word or Excel, but rather built-in Windows apps and apps you download from the Microsoft Store. Turning off App Diagnostics prevents those apps from getting details about other apps, like their internal names, package names, the username of the person running the app, and technical details like memory usage. Developers use this information all the time, but your run-of-the-mill apps shouldn't need it.

To disable it, select Settings > Privacy > App Diagnosticsand in the “Allow app access to diagnostic information on this device” section, click ChangeWhen a slider appears, move it to Off.

Don't share Windows updates

These steps can go a long way in ensuring that Windows 10 doesn't cross the line and collect data that you'd rather keep private.

This article was originally published in January 2016 and last updated in August 2024.