Windows 11
New Windows 11 PC: Privacy Setup
Out of the box Windows 11 collects diagnostics, builds an ad profile, and logs your activity. A few minutes in Settings fixes most of it.
The Settings to Change
1
Consider a local accountDuring setup you can use a local account instead of a Microsoft account for more privacy. You can also switch later in Settings → Accounts.
2
Turn off the advertising IDSettings → Privacy & security → General → turn everything off, including the advertising ID and tailored experiences.
3
Send less diagnostic dataSettings → Privacy & security → Diagnostics & feedback → Required only; turn off Improve inking & typing and tailored experiences.
4
Stop activity historySettings → Privacy & security → Activity history → turn it off.
5
Lock down locationSettings → Privacy & security → Location → off, or allow per app.
6
Review camera & micSettings → Privacy & security → Camera and Microphone: turn off for apps that do not need them.
7
Tame searchSettings → Privacy & security → Search permissions → turn off cloud content search and search history.
8
Harden EdgeEdge → Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Tracking prevention: Strict. Switch the default search engine to DuckDuckGo.
Common Questions
Local account or Microsoft account?
A local account keeps more off Microsoft's servers, but you lose easy sync and some features. Either is fine; just know the tradeoff.
Can I turn telemetry off completely?
On Windows Home you can only reduce it to Required. Pro and Enterprise allow more control via policies.
Will Required diagnostics still update Windows?
Yes. Required data covers security and updates. Optional data is the marketing and behavior part you are turning off.
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