If you are looking for Windows 11 instructions, you can find these here.
Windows 10 analyses various personal data. Data affected here are for instance your e-mail address and contents of e-mails received and sent out, personal interests and favourites, purchase and payment data, your personal address book, etc.
Many of these data are also transmitted to Microsoft. Most of these data transmission mechanisms however can be switched off. On the one hand, you should consider certain criteria when first installing Windows 10; on the other, various settings can still be adjusted afterwards. Our instructions are meant to assist you with selecting the correct settings and to protect your data and all your private information in the best possible way.
We have tried to draw up as universally applicable a set of instructions for private users as possible. Nevertheless, the individual configuration options and settings may differ in specific cases. These instructions refer to the options available as at 31 May 2023.
Settings during Windows 10 installation
During any Windows 10 installation, you can already make some decisions regarding data protection. You will be asked how extensive you would like the amount of diagnostic data sent back to Microsoft to be. At this point, you can only choose between «Include as an option» and «Required only». To avoid Windows sending too many data to Microsoft unintentionally, please select «Required only».
After installation, you can personalise certain settings. Wait until Windows has finished installing, and then change your settings.
Settings after Windows 10 installation
Should you already have installed Windows 10, you can subsequently adjust settings in Windows. You will find the relevant menu under Start (Windows logo) > Settings (cog) > Privacy.
General
To protect your device against definite identification based on an advertising ID allocated by Windows, switch the first option «off».
You should leave the second option «on». This way, you ensure that websites are displayed in the language set as the Windows system language where possible.
The third option serves for local improvement of Windows and be left switched «on». Windows can launch apps in frequent use by you more quickly this way.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Let apps use advertising ID to make ads more interesting to you based on your app activity (turning this off will reset your ID) | Off |
| Let websites provide locally relevant content by accessing my language list | On |
| Let Windows track apps launches to improve Start and search results | On |
| Show me suggested content in the Settings app | Off |
Speech
Windows and the Cortana voice assistant can analyse your voice and improve personal recommendations that way. Since this allows Windows 10 to spy on your calendar, contact data and similar, you should switch this option off.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Online speech recognition | Off |
Inking & typing personalisation
Windows and the Cortana voice assistant can analyse your handwriting and improve personal recommendations that way. Since this allows Windows 10 to spy on your calendar, contact data and similar, you should switch this option off.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Getting to know you | Off |
Diagnostics & feedback
You cannot completely stop Microsoft from collecting any data. You can choose whether you would like to transmit few or plenty of data. To transmit as few data as possible, please select: «Required diagnostic data».
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic data | Required diagnostic data |
| Improve inking and typing | Off |
| Tailored experiences | Off |
| View diagnostic data | Depending on your requirements |
| Delete diagnostic data | Depending on your requirements |
| Feedback frequency | Never |
Activity history
Windows analyses which applications you have been working with, and offers a history of your activities.
If you use a Microsoft account and have cloud synchronisation activated, this will allow you to access the same timeline on several devices. If you don’t want this, you should switch it off.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Store my activity history on this device | Off |
| Send my activity history to Microsoft | Off |
| Clear activity history | Depending on your requirements |
Location
Location is used by your device to send the location where you are using it to Microsoft. Location detection should be switched off.
If location detection is active, organizations other than Microsoft can establish your location, too – in particular if you allow apps to access your location.
Scroll down a little bit, and by clicking on the «Delete» button any location data potentially submitted so far already can be removed from your device. Whether Microsoft will also then delete them, is not clear.
Should you have location activated anyway, you can enable or disable location detection for each of your installed apps individually as needed. Your location data will then potentially be passed on to the provider of all relevant apps you activate this for.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow apps to access your location | Off |
| Default | Depending on your requirements |
| Location history | Depending on your requirements |
Camera
Here you can stop every app automatically given access to your camera. Switch this option off.
Should you have a camera and would like to allow access to individual apps, you should do this for each app and enable or disable access for each one individually.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to the camera on this device | Off |
Microphone
Here you can stop every app automatically given access to your microphone Switch this option off.
Should you have a microphone and would like to allow access to individual apps, you should do this for each app and enable or disable access for each one individually.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to the microphone on this device | Off |
Voice activation
You can only change this setting if you have allowed access to a microphone above. If this is the case, you can determine whether certain apps are opened and are allowed to record your spoken words.
If you don’t want to control your device by your voice, you should switch everything off here.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow apps to use voice activation | Off |
| Allow apps to use voice activation when this device is locked | Off |
Notifications
You can basically enable or disable access to your notifications for all apps generally. If you don’t want to generally stop all access, you can enable or disable access for each app individually. Access should only be granted to trustworthy apps.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to user notifications on this device | Depending on your requirements |
Account info
Since this access is primarily required for personalised advertising, it is recommended to switch this option off.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to account info on this device | Off |
Contacts
You can basically enable or disable access to your contacts for all apps generally. If you don’t want to generally stop all access, you can enable or disable access for each app individually. Access should only be granted to trustworthy apps.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to contacts on this device | Depending on your requirements |
Calendar
You can basically enable or disable access to your calendar for all apps generally. If you don’t want to generally stop all access, you can enable or disable access for each app individually. Access should only be granted to trustworthy apps.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to the calendar on this device | Depending on your requirements |
Phone calls
You can basically allow all apps access to your telephone calls or stop them from accessing them. In case you don’t want to prohibit access in general, you can allow or prohibit access for every individual app. You should only allow trustworthy apps such access.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow calls on this device | Depending on your requirements |
Call history
You can basically enable or disable access to your call history for all apps generally. If you don’t want to generally stop all access, you can enable or disable access to every app individually. Access should only be granted to trustworthy apps.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to call history on this device | Depending on your requirements |
You can basically enable or disable access to your e-mail by all apps generally. If you don’t want to generally stop all access, you can enable or disable access to every app individually. Access should only be granted to trustworthy apps.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to e-mails on this device | Depending on your requirements |
Tasks
You can basically enable or disable access to your tasks by all apps generally. If you don’t want to generally stop all access, you can enable or disable access to every app individually. Access should only be granted to trustworthy apps.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to tasks on this device | Depending on your requirements |
Messaging
You can basically enable or disable access by all apps to your messages (SMS or MMS) generally. If you don’t want to generally stop all access, you can enable or disable access to every app individually. Access should only be granted to trustworthy apps.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to messaging on this device | Depending on your requirements |
Radios
You can basically enable or disable access to your radios (Bluetooth, etc.) by all apps generally. If you don’t want to generally stop all access, you can enable or disable access to every app individually. Access should only be granted to trustworthy apps.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to radios on this device | Depending on your requirements |
Other devices
An automatic exchange of information, for instance inside a public Wi-Fi network, poses a serious security risk. You should therefore switch this option off.
Please note however that contactless payments using a smartphone (under Windows 10 mobile) are no longer possible this way.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Communicate with unpaired devices | Off |
Background apps
Microsoft terms a program a «background app» if it always remains up-to-date, even if you are not actively using it. Withdrawing this right from an app can help you save power. Particularly with mobile devices, this will make for a longer battery life. However, these settings have nothing to do with data protection. You can set this option as required by you.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Background Apps | Depending on your requirements |
App diagnostics
As per their default settings, apps also transmit many diagnostic data to Microsoft. It is recommended to switch this option «off».
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to app diagnostic info on this device | Off |
Automatic file downloads
Has been deactivated as per your settings above.
Documents
You can enable or disable access to your document libraries by all apps overall. If you don’t want to generally stop all access, you can enable or disable access by every app individually. Access should only be granted to trustworthy apps.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to document libraries on this device | Depending on your requirements |
Pictures
You can enable or disable access to your picture libraries by all apps overall. If you don’t want to generally stop all access, you can enable or disable access by every app individually. Access should only be granted to trustworthy apps.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to picture libraries on this device | Depending on your requirements |
Videos
You can enable or disable access to your video libraries by all apps overall. If you don’t want to generally stop all access, you can enable or disable access by every app individually. Access should only be granted to trustworthy apps.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to video libraries on this device | Depending on your requirements |
File system
You can enable or disable access to all your files, including your documents, images, videos and local OneDrive files, overall. If you don’t want to generally stop all access, you can enable or disable access by every app individually. Access should only be granted to trustworthy apps.
| Option | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Allow access to the file system on this device | Depending on your requirements |
Data protection dashboard
To guarantee the transparency of all data collected, Microsoft offers a data protection dashboard which lists all information stored. You can also delete these details as long as you are logged in via a Microsoft account. Your data protection dashboard is available via «Privacy», «General», «Learn more about your privacy options» or via this link: https://account.microsoft.com/privacy
Microsoft account
You can use a Microsoft account to log into several Microsoft services. Amongst other things, this includes the online Office 365 software, the OneDrive cloud service, Teams and phone service and the Xbox Live games platform.
The advantage offered by a Microsoft account is that you are able to log into all Microsoft services using just a single e-mail address and password. You therefore don’t have to set up and remember several different user names and passwords. In addition, a Microsoft account facilitates the use of multiple Windows devices: Your activity history, cache, OneDrive plus various settings such as WLAN connections are automatically synchronised on all devices on which you log into your Microsoft account.
The drawback of a Microsoft account is data protection issues. You should be aware that Microsoft also collects data via your account: Locations, calendar entries, search queries, your browser history etc. These data are then for instance used to display suitable, personalised advertisements to you. If you don’t want this, it is better to use a local account.
