Windows 10 privacy settings does not close. Allow ad personalization in Microsoft Office Starter
Many people know that Windows 10 collects personal data from users and stores it on its servers. Such tracking is due to the desire of Microsoft to increase the responsiveness of the system, to adapt it to a specific user. If you use handwriting input or voice commands - the OS will store samples of your handwriting and voice to understand you better and faster. The Ten also remembers what you searched for on the Internet in order to show you ads that might interest you.
Not everyone wants to participate in this, and this article describes the process of setting up privacy.
Configuring privacy during installation
If you're just going to install Windows 10, you have the option to easily disable most of the tracking during system installation. As soon as all the necessary files are copied to the hard drive, the installer will ask you to log in to the system using your Microsoft account.
It is worth noting that if you use this type of accounting, then your OS will synchronize with the server. This can be very handy if you are installing Windows 10 on multiple devices and want the same settings for them. Also in this mode you will have access to the functions of the Windows Store. If you are not interested in such services, click " Skip this step»To create a regular local account like in Windows 7 or XP.
Immediately after that, the window “ Increase work speed».
Here you need to click on the small "" button on the left side of the page. You will be taken to a special menu containing privacy settings.
It is recommended to disable all items here, except for " Browser and security". You can also leave enabled the option " Send error information"If you want to help Microsoft fix all Windows 10 problems as soon as possible.
Setting up an installed Windows 10
After the installation of Windows 10 is complete, users are given the opportunity to further fine-tune their privacy settings. To get to the menu, you need to click on the notification icon, open the section " All parameters"And select the item" Confidentiality". You can also use the keyboard shortcut Win + I. There are a lot of options here:
- General - Send samples of voice, handwriting and search information. It is recommended to disable everything except the " SmartScreen».
- Location - Information about the location of your computer. It can be disabled both for the entire Windows 10 system and for individual applications.
- Speech and Text Input - In addition to storing your voice, Cortana will collect data about your contacts, notes, and appointments to help you learn to be useful. If you don't need a computer assistant, click Stop learning.
- Camera - Here users can specify programs that can use the connected webcam.
- The microphone is the same, but for the microphone.
- Reviews and diagnostics - in the column " Sending data"You must select the item" Basic data"To improve the privacy of Windows 10.
- Background applications - here you can create a list of programs that can always run, even when you are not using them.
Safety
Windows 10 has built-in virus protection. To improve her performance, she also sends some information to the Microsoft cloud. This is unlikely to pose a threat to the privacy of personal data, however, this function can also be turned off.
Press Win + I to open the operating system configuration menu. Go to the category " Update and security"And open the" Windows Defender»In the navigation menu on the left. Here you can disable the items " Cloud protection"And" Sending samples».
It is important! After these changes, the built-in defender of Windows 10 will not work very well. Therefore, it is recommended to immediately install and run some other antivirus program. However, it should be remembered that almost all antiviruses send reports and samples of detected viruses to their own cloud servers.
Cortana
Windows 10 has a built-in virtual assistant Cornata, similar to Apple's Siri. Cortana is supposed to gather information about her master and train in this way. After collecting statistics, she will be able to accurately recognize speech, remind about upcoming events and missed calls, search for information on the hard drive or on the Internet.
The disadvantage of Cornata is the need to store a huge amount of personal information on Microsoft servers. Not every user wants his voice samples and correspondence history to be stored somewhere. To maintain the confidentiality of working with your computer, it is not recommended to use the services of an assistant.
At the moment, Cortana is not yet in the Russian version of Windows 10, so you don't have to worry about that. It will be released as a separate update, which you can simply not install or disable in the settings. Also, if you are using a local account and not a Microsoft account, Cornata will not work on your computer.
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One way or another, it transfers some (including personal) data to Microsoft servers. If these are just logs with errors, then this is quite useful for programmers. But now Windows, especially version 10, can send absolutely everything from a computer - data about location and user preferences, and even personal files. At the same time, the developers reserve the right to view it all at any time. Many people do not like such total control, and the question arises of adjusting privacy settings in Windows 10 in order to protect yourself and your personal information from unnecessary attention of strangers.
Specifics of configuring privacy settings in Windows.
When the system is first installed, at the end of this process, you can immediately configure privacy in Windows 10. This step is usually skipped, since the settings are not explicitly shown. To do this, on the "Increase the speed of work" screen, click the link "Parameter settings" below. A new screen will appear where the sliders can be used to disable and enable various options. By default, they are all enabled and will remain enabled unless you manually disable them here and continue with the installation using the "Use standard settings" button.
It has permission to send bug reports to developers, connect to available Wi-Fi networks, send personal data and locations, and more. If you care about at least minimal anonymity, then all this should be prohibited. The privacy settings on Windows 10 don't end there. On the screen where you are asked to enter data to use your Microsoft account, you do not need to enter it - click the "Skip this step" link. If you use an account, then your system will use cloud storage on Microsoft servers, where many of your personal files will be sent.
This is convenient if you log in under this account from different devices - all files are at hand. But at the same time they are stored on other people's servers, where someone will definitely view them! Therefore, it is better to use a regular, local account, and documents will not leave your computer. Configuring privacy settings when installing Windows 10 ensures that no personal data leaves your computer after the process is complete.
Privacy (or privacy) settings in Windows 10 can be done on an already installed system. To do this, go to "Start" - "System Settings" - "Privacy".
In the window that appears, there are many tabs - "General", "Location", "Camera", etc. Go through all the tabs and disable all unnecessary. So, you can turn off the webcam, disable the use of the microphone, control messages, and much more. Among the privacy settings in this window, on the Sync tab, you can turn off sync so that no personal files are uploaded to the OneDrive cloud storage.
Safety
From the Windows 10 privacy settings window, go back to Settings and then to Update & Security. There is a Windows Update tab here - click on the Advanced Options link and then Choose how and when to get updates. Disable the ability to receive updates from multiple locations.
The fact is that the system can download updates or parts of them from other computers both in the local network and on the Internet using P2P technologies, like torrents. It can also distribute available updates to other computers. This can pose a security risk. The system has a built-in defender - standard antivirus. It turns off when you install any third-party antivirus, but you can also turn it off manually in the Windows Defender tab.
IMPORTANT. It is not recommended to disable the built-in protection without installing another antivirus - this way you put your computer at great risk!
However, "Cloud Protection" and "Sample Submission" can be disabled, it will not do any harm.
Cortana
This is a voice assistant that, on command, can control the computer - launch programs, search for information, change settings, and much more. But this program, running in the background, collects and sends a lot of information to the cloud - samples of voice and handwriting, tracks user interests, addresses and events. Opening Cortana's settings is simple - you just need to click on the search field in the taskbar, and in the window that opens, on the gear icon. There is a switch that turns Cortana off. Keep in mind that Cortana does not work with Russian yet, so if you have a Russian-language interface installed, then the voice assistant is already disabled. But on the English-language interface, it is enabled by default.
Have you ever turned off any settings that threaten the security of your personal data? Share your experience, it will be of interest to our other readers.
Microsoft Windows Development Leader Terry Myerson says some of the most important improvements in the Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703) relate to privacy settings:
Microsoft: “With our commitment to transparency and privacy, we are introducing three major enhancements to help users stay more privacy informed on Windows 10.”
- Improving user awareness of the security of personal data... Brief descriptions of each individual privacy setting, as well as "More" buttons, make information about the correctness of your choice easily accessible and easy to understand.
- Microsoft privacy statement updates includes more information about the privacy improvements in the Windows 10 Creators Update, and also reveals more details about what data is collected and used to support new features in the major Windows 10 update. As with the previous privacy statement, this information is at multiple levels and available for review on the Internet, which allows users to verify that the privacy settings in Windows 10 are correct. Key revisions are reflected in the change history of the Microsoft privacy statement.
- Microsoft discloses more information about the data it collects... The data collected when you select the “Basic” data upload volume is used solely to keep your Windows device up-to-date and secure. Users who select “Complete” will participate in improving Windows and Microsoft products by submitting advanced diagnostic data (including browser usage, applications and features, and ink and data input). Redmond hopes this information will help users stay more informed about the types of data collected and make an informed decision.
Microsoft has already published a complete list of diagnostic data that is collected when you select the Basic level. Separate pieces of data related to a specific component or event are collected in a complex and are called Events. They are grouped into separate diagnostic areas. The company also provided a detailed summary of the data that is collected at the “Basic” and “Full” diagnostic levels.
Since the release of Windows 10 Anniversary Update, the Microsoft team has seriously revised what data needs to be collected at the Basic diagnostic level to keep the system up-to-date and secure. The main priority in the reassessment was to minimize the collection of necessary diagnostic information. As a result, the number of collected events was significantly reduced and the amount of data collected at the “Basic” level was approximately halved.
With the Creators Update (version 1703), Microsoft has taken significant steps forward to improve user awareness of the correct privacy settings in Windows 10. Let's take a look at the major privacy improvements introduced in this update.
First of all, there was an improvement in the “Privacy” section in the “Settings” application. Clear and understandable descriptions have been added for each individual setting, as well as "Learn More" buttons that allow you to explore in detail what data is collected and used by Microsoft.
Current Windows 10 users
If you are already using any version of Windows 10, you will receive a notification that you plan to upgrade to the Creators Update (version 1703) and can pre-configure your privacy settings (as shown in the screenshot).
The first screenshot shows what the privacy setting screen will look like. The actual values \u200b\u200bof the switches on the screen will correspond to the current settings in Windows 10. For example, if you turned off the location function, then this setting will be turned off on the preset screen.
Update (version 1703) and you can pre-configure your privacy settings (as shown in the screenshot).
The second screenshot shows the situation when all switches are set to “Off” (which corresponds to the “Basic” diagnostic level).
You can use the switches to adjust the parameters of your choice. Alternatively, at any time, you can go to the Settings app from the Start menu, then select the Privacy section to view the details and to open the Microsoft privacy statement.
If this is your first time setting up a new Windows 10 device or running a clean install of Windows 10, the new privacy settings screen will look like the screenshots below.
The first screenshot shows the situation when the parameters recommended by Microsoft are set. Each switch is provided with a brief description of the purpose of a particular parameter. If you would like to learn more information about the parameters, click the "Details" button. The recommended settings are optimized for maximum usability and best performance from built-in Windows 10 features.
The new screen replaces the Quick Start and Customize Settings screens that were available when you initially set up previous versions of Windows 10. You must customize the features on the screen before using Windows 10.
The second screenshot shows the same screen with all switches in the Off position (which corresponds to the Basic diagnostic level). Again, each switch has a brief description of the parameter's purpose.
In both images, the parameters are split into two columns (if required, depending on the screen resolution) in order to avoid scrolling and display all available options on the screen. If you are configuring manually or using advanced tools such as the Media Creation Tool, then single column display may be used - then scrolling may be required depending on language settings and screen resolution. These tools are recommended for use by experienced PC users only.
After reviewing and selecting the parameters, you need to make a final decision and approve your choice by clicking the "Accept" button.
More improvements to come
In future updates, the Microsoft team will continue to improve its data collection and privacy management policies. The company strives to help users get more information and view and delete data using the Microsoft Privacy Control Panel. Already in April, it is planned to add voice data to the panel so that users can control what information is used to improve the personal digital assistant Cortana.
Work will also continue to ensure that the Windows 10 data collection policy is aligned with the general data protection regulations of the European Union and the requirements of individual corporate environments.
By default, Windows sends tons of your personal information to its servers, sometimes without even asking you about it. Follow these instructions to get rid of Windows 10 surveillance.
1. Do not use Express Settings. Select "Parameter Settings", and make sure to turn off ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING.
2. It is highly recommended to use a local account. When asked to enter your existing Microsoft account information or register a new one, click "Skip this step". Then you can safely follow the instructions.
On the installed system.
1. Go to Settings\u003e Privacy and turn off everything if you really don't need something (for example, allow websites to provide access to the list of languages). At a minimum, pay attention to the General, Speech, Inking, and Location sections.
2. While in the privacy settings, go to the Feedback & Diagnostics sections and insert Never in the first and Basic information in the second menu.
3. Go to Settings\u003e Updates & Security\u003e Advanced Options\u003e Choose how and when to get updates and turn off the first option.
4. While in the update and security settings, go to the "Windows Defender" section and turn off cloud protection and sample submission.
Communication has become one of the main functions in the Windows 10 operating system, however, the default security settings leave much to be desired. If you use this operating system on any of your devices, then you probably store a huge amount of personal information. And you certainly hope that your account information, pictures and photos, and financial data will remain safe.
Unsurprisingly, after Terry Myerson, vice president of operating systems and head of Windows & Devices, said that the company collects a range of information in an effort to “improve product performance and security,” security and privacy has become a key topic.
Many of us, when installing this beautiful system on a computer, willingly agree to accept the license agreement and tick the boxes that seem funny and interesting. However, in reality, few people really understand how much personal information we provide access to. Of course, Windows puts it all in completely innocuous phrases like, "Let Cortana do its job better." However, since Windows is an extremely flexible and highly customizable system, you shouldn't worry too much, because you can always adjust the settings to better protect your privacy.
Privacy settings
If you want to find out what kind of data Microsoft collects on your device, then in the system settings you need to find the "Privacy" tab. There you can see exactly what data might be transferred to the company, such as location, search results, and account information. If after that Microsoft reminds you of "Big Brother watching you", then in this article you can find information that will help limit the amount of information collected.
