Windows 11 Privacy

OBJECTIVE: Make Windows 11 Private!

Steps:

• Open Settings < 'Privacy & security' < 'Windows permissions' < 'General' and turn the followings off:

  (a) Let apps show me personalized ads by using my advertising ID.

  (b) Let websites show me locally relevant content by accessing my language list.

  (c) Let Windows improve Start and search results by tracking app launches.

  (d) Show me suggested content in the Settings app.

• Go to 'Speech' and under 'Online speech recognition', turn off the toggle.

• Go to 'Inking & typing personalization' and turn off Personal inking and typing dictionary, and under 'Personal dictionary', click on Clear your personal dictionary.

• Go to 'Diagnostics & feedback' and do the following:

(a) Under 'Diagnostic data', turn off Send optional diagnostic data.

(b) Turn off 'Improve inking and typing'.

(c) Turn off 'Tailored experiences'.

(d) Under 'Delete diagnostic data', click Delete.

• Under 'Activity history', uncheck Store my activity history on this device and under 'Clear activity history', click on Clear.

• Under 'Search permissions', Turn off 'Cloud content search' for 'Microsoft account' and 'Work or school account', and under 'History', turn off Search history on this device, and click on Clear device search history.

• Navigate to 'App permissions'.

• Go through 'Location, Camera, Microphone, Voice activation, Notifications, Account info, Contacts, Calendar, Phone calls, Call history, Email, Tasks, Messaging, Radios, Other devices, App diagnostics, Automatic file downloads, Documents, Downloads folder, Music library, Pictures, Videos, File system, Screenshot borders, and Screenshots and apps', and:

  (i) Select which apps to have access to which permissions and turn off unnecessary app permissions (Recommended).

  Examples: Maps (Location), Camera (Camera), Voice Recorder (Microphone), etc.

  (ii) Or turn off permissions for all of these app permissions (Not Recommended).

Doing all of these will make your Windows 11 as private as possible.

Other Important Implementations

• Use a strong password/PIN to sign in.

• Use a Local Account, instead of a Microsoft Account.

  How: Settings < Accounts < Other users < Add account When the sign-up prompt pops out, select I don’t have this person’s sign-in information. Then click on Add a user without a Microsoft account and click on Next. Then, fill up the username and password and answer the security questions, and finally click on Next. The local account will be created successfully.

• Don't use Cortana.

• Use Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security and configure which apps should connect to the internet and which not accordingly, this prevents sending any kind of information to the servers, therefore highly impacting your privacy in a positive manner.

  Other Methods

  Make Windows 11 private through O&O ShutUp10++.

  Is It Possible?

  Well, Windows 11 is a secure operating system, but it's not private. Even if you implement all these settings, Microsoft will still collect some personal data (of course, less after implementing these settings).

Thanks!

Thank you for having a look here!