# Best tool to disable telemetry on Win11 **URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/best-tool-to-disable-telemetry-on-win11/18516 **Category:** Questions **Tags:** software **Created:** 2024-05-25T20:10:29Z **Posts:** 47 ## Post 1 by @win11.shading291 — 2024-05-25T20:10:29Z Hello, I know a lot of people would want me to not use Windows at all, but I’m not ready to do just that yet. So I went through a thread that talks about different tools to disable telemetry of Windows 11. I’m not sure which one I should use? - [privacy.sexy](https://privacy.sexy/) - [christitus windows-tool](https://christitus.com/windows-tool/) - [Donotspy11](https://pxc-coding.com/donotspy11/) - [Shutup10](https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10) - [WPD.app](https://wpd.app/) - [W10Privacy - Privacy made ​​easy - W10Privacy](http://w10privacy.de/english-home/) Also, this youtube video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvhRXLmsyJ8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvhRXLmsyJ8) --- ## Post 2 by @anon59474973 — 2024-05-26T01:12:38Z I do not recommend third-party solutions. I know Microsoft does allow a lot of their telemetry to be disabled in Windows Pro, Enterprise and Education but not Home, so it is best to buy either Pro or Enterprise if you want more control. Here is a guide for Windows [hardening](https://github.com/beerisgood/Windows11_Hardening) and [privacy](https://github.com/beerisgood/Windows11_Privacy). > stay away from “Anti-Spying”/“Anti-Telemetry”/.. tools and use official documentation From “Windows11\_Hardening”. --- ## Post 3 by @win11.shading291 — 2024-05-26T01:14:38Z Hi, thanks for your reply! What if I only have the home edition? --- ## Post 4 by @anon59474973 — 2024-05-26T01:35:55Z Apart from disabling everything you can in Settings, I think a third-party firewall might be fine or using [NextDNS](https://nextdns.io) with “Native Tracking Protection” enabled to block Windows telemetry (I don’t know how effective it is though). If you do use NextDNS, I recommend this [guide](https://github.com/yokoffing/NextDNS-Config). Windows does come with its own firewall, but I don’t know how configurable it is (I wouldn’t be surprised if it couldn’t block Windows telemetry) and whether or not it blocks incoming and outgoing connections or only incoming like macOS. However, I cannot recommend any third-party firewall as I’ve never used one for Windows. Hopefully someone else will be able to recommend one. Alternatively, you can upgrade to Windows Pro in the Microsoft Store if that is an option for you. Edit: I would recommend you check out the Windows11\_Hardening guide as that does contain a lot of useful info. I do also highly recommend Windows Pro over Home as that adds more security features over Home, like BitLocker. --- ## Post 5 by @win11.shading291 — 2024-05-26T01:50:29Z I went through all settings already. I use Firefox with ublock hardmode and decentral eyes extensions. The DNS I use is 1.1.1.1. I just need to disable telemetry now and all the other spying stuff that Microsoft does that I don’t want. Are any tools open source and/or trusted? I believe I saw Christitus stuff is open source? I’ll be reading the Windows Guide, but it seems to be reliant on Pro like you are suggesting, which I don’t have and can’t get for other personal reasons. --- ## Post 6 by @anon59474973 — 2024-05-26T03:10:52Z I believe decentraleyes is not recommended anymore. uBlock Origin is good. And from a security perspective, Microsoft Edge is better than Firefox (all chromium browsers are but Edge does also have security features only available to it), but Firefox isn’t as bad on Windows compared to Android and Linux. I personally use [Quad9](https://quad9.net). This [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUT4K3tk9Ns) and this update [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIu9aXWn5Xo) shows that Quad9 did very well in blocking malicious domains compared to Cloudlfare. I don’t really watch Chris Titus Tech, so I don’t know if it is open source. He most likely would have a link to GitHub if it is. Yes, I believe some of it does require Windows Pro but some of it should apply to both Home and Pro editions. It’s a shame that Microsoft splits them like that. Edit: Typo. --- ## Post 7 by @anon60350980 — 2024-05-26T06:39:52Z With [this](https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts) project you can get Windows 11 Enterprise through simple and safe hacks. I found out about it through [this thread](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/windows-guide/250/124) and have been using it for a month now with no issues whatsoever. The setup is pretty straightforward and gives you a TON a flexibility wrt disabling telemetry. Use at your own risk though! --- ## Post 9 by @win11.shading291 — 2024-05-26T21:00:31Z I know Linux is better, but for all sort of reasons, I’m sticking with Windows. From what I’ve read, Decentral Eyes is recommended again (there was a period where it wasn’t updated). I’ve started reading the Windows Guide, but it’s not straight forward at all. That’s why the programs seem far more easier to use. Does anyone know if any of those are safe to use please? If none of them are, I’m sure there is one out there that is that you could recommend? I want to disable Telemetry, delete any bloatware that Windows don’t allow me to delete and disable anything that is unnecessary. I think most of those program do that, but I’m not sure which one to use and why. Thanks! --- ## Post 11 by @jerm — 2024-05-27T12:40:02Z > [@win11.shading291](#): > > Decentral Eyes is recommended again No, it is not [4.1 Extensions · arkenfox/user.js Wiki · GitHub](https://github.com/arkenfox/user.js/wiki/4.1-Extensions#-dont-bother) --- ## Post 15 by @JibJab — 2024-05-27T17:20:32Z To disable a lot of Windows telemetry copy paste this into your etc/host file and reboot. [https://github.com/hagezi/dns-blocklists/blob/89289aa5fa5825307a658ff68873069bdab99f6f/hosts/native.winoffice.txt](https://github.com/hagezi/dns-blocklists/blob/89289aa5fa5825307a658ff68873069bdab99f6f/hosts/native.winoffice.txt) For those who think the host file has been obsolete since 1994… > **[Everything about Windows Hosts file. The Complete Guide. - PCInsider](https://www.thepcinsider.com/hosts-file-complete-guide/#benefits)** > > Everything about the Windows Hosts file - Definition, Benefits, Locate, Edit, Test, Protect, Download. What is DNS What is Windows Hosts file How the Hosts file Work Hosts file Type Location of the Hosts file Which Address to Use Benefits of Using a... --- ## Post 16 by @Sharply — 2024-05-27T17:41:28Z I haven’t used Windows for a while now, but in the past, I generally used a combination of: Windows 11 group policies ([This](https://github.com/TommyTran732/Windows-Setup) has some good ones to set). For these to be the most effective, you’re going to want to use Windows 11 Enterprise or Education. Great open source script to achieve that [here](https://massgrave.dev/). [SophiApp](https://github.com/Sophia-Community/SophiApp) - The best 3rd party tool for this sort of thing imo. It’s open source and works extremely well at disabling some of the telemetry and other nonsense, debloating it, and improving privacy & security in general. [WindowsSpyBlocker](https://crazymax.dev/WindowsSpyBlocker) - Classic open source tool that works great, allows blocking domains and IP addresses used for telemetry on the system itself (Like what @JibJab described). Also lets you change domains for connectivity checks/captive portals from Microsoft’s to i.e. Mozilla’s or Debian’s. [Hardentools](https://github.com/hardentools/hardentools) - This isn’t necessarily related to disabling telemetry, but it’s an essential open source tool imo for improving security on Windows. Does a lot and it’s very effective. Beyond that, I’d also recommend making use of DNS content blocking like [NextDNS](https://nextdns.io), as well as of course following other good practices. This should get you most of the way there. In general though, fuck Windows, it’s only getting worse and worse, and I’d really recommend avoiding it if you can. --- ## Post 17 by @win11.shading291 — 2024-05-27T20:50:33Z My bad, I had check somewhere, but searched again and it seems it’s not. Just removed it, thanks. @Sharply Thanks! I unfortunately use Windows 11 Home. Am I good using only SophiApp and WindowsSpyBlocker? Also, should I understand that the whole list I provided are “bad”? Meaning, they they have some sort of loop holes in terms of privacy and/or security? Thanks! :slight_smile: --- ## Post 18 by @Sharply — 2024-05-27T21:30:27Z I would recommend checking out the Massgrave script, but if you can’t/or are unwilling to, then I would say it’s better than not to still run SophiApp and WindowsSpyBlocker. It’d be tough for me to ever say Windows is “good”, even if you could apply the policies, it’s all about harm reduction here. --- ## Post 19 by @wojciechxtx — 2024-05-28T11:48:51Z > [@brivacy](#): > > Best tool is not to use windows use linux os. Valid point :smile: > [@brivacy](#): > > run bottles to run windows apps. Although possible, there are better (memory-wise) ways to run W apps on Linux… > [@brivacy](#): > > Removing telemetry is hard Its as hard as vendor (MS in this case) wants it to be. > [@Sharply](#): > > I haven’t used Windows for a while now Me neither. I have not touched Windows since… like 2009. And guess what? Im good :smile: --- ## Post 20 by @Bhaelros — 2024-05-28T12:50:26Z I think easiest way to block them is to use a managed DNS provider like NextDNS, Control D or Adguard. --- ## Post 21 by @anon94009837 — 2024-05-28T12:50:53Z As other people previously mentioned, you are probably going to want Windows 11 Enterprise or Education in order to be able to set group policies. Microsoft has official [documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/manage-connections-from-windows-operating-system-components-to-microsoft-services) detailing **ALL** settings that make **ANY** connection to Microsoft and how to disable these connections. [This](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/manage-windows-11-endpoints) is a list of what the actual connection endpoints are and what purposes they each serve. **I highly recommend thoroughly reading through both these links and understanding what each connection does in order to be able to assess if you will require it or not.** The first article listed provides all the group policies and registry key modifications for each setting so you can manually disable what you need disabled and leave any important features such as Windows Updates and Automatic Root Certificates Update. Listed in the first article is also a link to download the “Windows Restricted Traffic Limited Functionality Baseline”. If you know how to apply the baseline using LGPO then you can do so, but that is more advanced. **Do not apply the baseline if you do not know what you are doing**. This baseline applies all the modifications that are listed in the first article instead of you having to do it manually. The article details which connections are allowed after the baseline is applied (only 4 connections related to Certificate Validation). Microsoft does not recommending applying the baseline directly and it would be wise to modify the baseline in order to allow things like Windows Updates, the Microsoft Store, Microsoft Defender and Automatic Root Certificates Update. The baseline also breaks any Microsoft apps such as Word, Excel, etc. This is the best method to disable all telemetry because it is officially documented by Microsoft. It exists for enterprise users who many need these settings for compliance reasons, so Microsoft has no reason to lie about this. What better way to stop sending telemetry to Microsoft than to stop sending any data to Microsoft at all? It could also be possible to put the connections listed in the second article in a DNS blocklist and apply the DNS system-wide but I haven’t tried that. Edit: I read that OP uses Windows Home but still this is relevant information for anyone who might be looking for a solution. The system-wide DNS using blocklist of connections from the second article I listed would probably be a solution for OP. --- ## Post 30 by @Valynor — 2024-05-28T18:46:06Z [lots of off-topic removed. please keep threads ON TOPIC] --- ## Post 32 by @win11.shading291 — 2024-05-29T03:03:12Z Thanks for the insightful answer! The documentations are too much for me. From my understanding, playing with group policies changes stuff in the registry, correct? If so, then it would mean, everything would be possible to do with Windows Home, correct? If both these assessments are correct (which they might not), then a program could do all of that for me and I’m sure it exists. There are definitely a lot of options and this is truly where I need help. Choosing the right program that is not invasive and does the job. Meaning, not only providing an illusion of privacy. So far, only @Sharply suggested programs to help (SophiApp and WindowsSpyBlocker). Now I understand there is an official guide (this [one](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/windows-guide/250/13)) that points towards Windows Enterprise and tweaking lots of stuff with Group Policy. I’m really looking for a more straightforward answer and less time consuming. Of course, you could argue that all telemetry are encrypted and whatever you do on Windows, but you could also argue that all computers have hidden chipset that will monitor everything you do anyways and these are just counter-productive. Let’s remain on topic please and thank you @Valynor. Topic being: choosing a program for Windows 11 to help on privacy (disabling telemetry, deleting bloatware that you can’t do within the uninstall app page, any other relevant tweaks). Thanks everyone for your precious help! --- ## Post 35 by @anon94009837 — 2024-05-29T18:46:46Z > [@win11.shading291](#): > > From my understanding, playing with group policies changes stuff in the registry, correct? Yes, group policy changes are written to the registry. > [@win11.shading291](#): > > If so, then it would mean, everything would be possible to do with Windows Home, correct? Theoretically yes, but not everything would be possible. The main example I know of that is definitely not available on Windows Home is setting the Telemetry level to `0` or `Security`. The lowest telemetry setting available on Windows Home is `Required`. This setting disables all telemetry connections that Windows makes and is only available on Windows Enterprise and Education. However, this setting does not stop connections to Microsoft itself, just the telemetry of the Operating System. You can read more about it [here](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/configure-windows-diagnostic-data-in-your-organization) under the heading `Diagnostic Data Settings`. Imo, this is the simplest answer to your question as it fully disables Windows Telemetry and is not time consuming. I would recommend installing Windows Enterprise honestly. As for a third party tool to easily achieve this, I am not sure. In SophieApp’s documentation, under `Key Features` it says `Configure your Windows by officially documented methods.` So in case installing Enterprise is not an option, I would recommend using SophieApp and comparing the settings with the official documentation to ensure you have covered as much as you can on Home. Good luck. --- ## Post 36 by @lepras — 2024-05-30T03:15:15Z [https://github.com/builtbybel/Winpilot](https://github.com/builtbybel/Winpilot) --- ## Post 37 by @Average_Joe — 2024-05-30T03:42:35Z Some great ideas in this thread! I’ll keep checking it for updates, however this looks a bit dodgy? Link: > **[Instructions](https://www.w10privacy.de/english-home/instructions-1/)** > > Installation Starting with version 3.4.0.0 W10Privacy is provided in the form of an installer. This can be used to install the software regularly or, in portable mode, to extract the software as an executable file in any folder (in portable mode,... --- ## Post 38 by @win11.shading291 — 2024-05-31T03:24:59Z Thanks again for the insightful answer. I duckduckgo’ed a bit and found this: [https://windowsreport.com/disable-windows-11-telemetry/](https://windowsreport.com/disable-windows-11-telemetry/) I know this is probably one settings of many to change, but wouldn’t this work on Windows 11 Home? ![1](//forum-uploads.privacyguidesusercontent.com/original/2X/9/956aefab5583f3afe6efdb7b4c04688ce77a267c.jpeg) @Average_Joe the program you linked is the one I used in Windows 10. I only had to use it once at the very beginning and of course you need to be careful when disabling things, but I never had any problems with it for 5 years. Maybe it didn’t do what is said it did though, I have no idea. It apparently works in Windows 11. That’s why I’m asking what’s the best one to use. --- ## Post 39 by @anon94009837 — 2024-05-31T03:45:31Z Honestly, I’m not sure. There is an official Microsoft app on the Microsoft store called “Diagnostics Data Viewer”. This app shows all telemetry being sent. Try setting the telemetry setting to 0 as per the screenshot, reboot your device, then download the app and monitor if any telemetry connections are sent. Keep us updated! --- ## Post 40 by @win11.shading291 — 2024-06-01T01:39:04Z ![](//forum-uploads.privacyguidesusercontent.com/original/2X/7/7ea78e752bb4996cd91062fe171058e33f156302.gif "Fine I") :stuck_out_tongue: --- ## Post 41 by @win11.shading291 — 2024-06-02T20:12:50Z I have the same problem as them for the Diagnostic Data Viewer. > **[unable to view diagnostic data - Microsoft Q&A](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/9fc03fed-bb41-42bf-9121-6e7254d58a39/unable-to-view-diagnostic-data?forum=windows-all&referrer=answers)** > > hi > I can't get access to my diagnostic data viewer when I open the app a message pops up saying The current user has no access to local diagnostic data. I'm running Win 10 pro version 2004 insiders preview I will instead search for each of the program in this thread to see which one seem to be the best and come back to post my findings. Also, I don’t need NextDNS as my router still is configured with [1.1.1.1](https://developers.cloudflare.com/1.1.1.1/setup/router/) Edit: This was probably the issue, I will report back in a couple days just to gather data. ![Diagnostic](//forum-uploads.privacyguidesusercontent.com/original/2X/5/507511fcbb63601f23d88e80f33da9f50565b0e2.jpeg) --- ## Post 42 by @Dkama — 2024-06-09T02:04:40Z As I said in the other thread (with the proposed guide), I installed win11 Enterprise and followed the guide (but no, I haven’t read all MS’ documentation), but AdGuardHome still caught Windows pinging some telemetry urls. So be careful trusting group policies. Or hosts files. Windows has been caught bypassing that as well. And even DNS filters probably will only filter the more benign telemetry and give you the desired false sense of security. Be sure the really nasty stuff is going to be sent to hard coded IPs, IPs found via DOH or even more likely via innocent-looking Windows Update urls. Now that they’re P2Ping updates they even have an excuse to upload gigabytes from your computer with plausible deniability! With Windows you have to pile up the defenses: download the Enterprise version and run the massgravel script: apply all the group policies; run the 3rd party scripts - I checked and OO Shutup seems to be very clear of what’s safe to apply and what’s risky, so if you stick with the “green” stuff you’re not going to run into the issues that cause people to warn against these tools/scripts; install Portmaster and whatever else is being suggested here: if you can use a network-wide filter like AdGuardHome or pihole; And most importantly, try some alternatives to abandoning Linux altogether: if possible, have only Linux installed and use Windows inside a VM. If not, dual booting Linux and Windows is still better than using Windows for everything. Edit: typo --- ## Post 43 by @win11.shading291 — 2024-06-23T23:23:17Z Ok, so I had to do these steps to make the Diagnostic Data Viewer Windows tool to work: 1- Settings \> Privacy & Security \> Diagnostic and feedback \> Send optional Diagnostic Data ON 2- Settings \> Privacy & Security \> App Diagnostics \> App Diagnostic access ON 3- Run \> Services.msc \> Connected User Experiences And Telemetry \> Properties \> Statup type \> Automatic 4a- CMD \> Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth 4b- Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth 4c- Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth 4d - SFC /scannow 5- Reboot computer The Diagnostic Tool should now work. I confirm that adding the regedit “AllowTelemetry” form my earlier post will not end all telemetry. Once I was able to confirm that, I reversed step 1 to 3 to OFF, OFF and DISABLED, respectively. To make a comprehensive list, I used perplexity AI to ask my questions. This was my prompt: “I’m a new Windows 11 Home user and I value my privacy. I do not like telemetry and apps that I can’t disable on my own. My trust level of Microsoft is low, but I must unfortunately use Windows for my day to day tasks. Linux is thus, not an option. Considering all of that, I am considering different tools to help me. Here is the list: W10Privacy, christitus windows-tool, Donotspy11, privacy.sexy, Shutup10, WPD.app, SophiApp, WindowsSpyBlocker, Hardentools, Postmaster, . Please rank all of them based on the above needs. If any are open source, it’s a huge plus for me. Also state why they got that specific rank.” Here is the answer: "Based on your requirements as a privacy-conscious Windows 11 Home user who wants to minimize telemetry and disable unwanted apps, here’s a ranking of the tools you mentioned, with open-source options highlighted: 1. privacy.sexy (Open Source): This tool ranks first due to its open-source nature, extensive customization options, and focus on privacy and security for Windows 11. It provides a user-friendly interface to apply various tweaks and offers transparency in its operations. 2. O&O ShutUp10++ (Free, not open source): While not open-source, this tool is highly regarded for its ease of use and comprehensive privacy settings. It works well with Windows 11 and provides clear explanations for each setting. 3. WPD.app (Open Source): This open-source tool offers granular control over Windows privacy settings and telemetry. It’s regularly updated and provides a good balance between functionality and user-friendliness. 4. WindowsSpyBlocker (Open Source): An open-source tool that focuses on blocking Windows telemetry at the network level. It’s particularly effective for users who want to prevent data transmission to Microsoft servers. 5. DoNotSpy11: Specifically designed for Windows 11, this tool offers a wide range of privacy tweaks and is relatively easy to use. However, it’s not open-source. 6. W10Privacy: Despite its name, it works with Windows 11 and offers extensive privacy controls. It’s not open-source but provides detailed information about each setting. 7. SophiApp (Open Source): An open-source PowerShell script that allows for extensive customization of Windows 11, including privacy settings. It’s powerful but may require more technical knowledge. 8. Shutup10: Similar to O&O ShutUp10++, it offers good privacy controls but isn’t open-source. It’s ranked lower due to less frequent updates. 9. christitus windows-tool: While useful, it’s more of a general Windows optimization tool rather than a dedicated privacy tool, hence the lower ranking. 10. Hardentools and Postmaster: These tools are ranked last as they are less focused on Windows 11 privacy specifically and may offer fewer relevant features for your needs. The top-ranked tools (privacy.sexy, O&O ShutUp10++, and WPD.app) offer the best combination of features, ease of use, and privacy focus for Windows 11. The open-source options (privacy.sexy, WPD.app, WindowsSpyBlocker, and SophiApp) provide additional transparency and community oversight, which aligns with your preference for open-source solutions. Remember to create a system restore point before using any of these tools, as some changes may affect system stability or functionality." Follow-up question: “Should I use a combination of these tools or only the most comprehensive one?” When deciding whether to use a combination of privacy tools or just the most comprehensive one, it’s important to consider the specific features and strengths of each tool. Here’s a detailed comparison based on the search results: Comprehensive Tools ``` O&O ShutUp10++ Strengths: Highly effective at disabling telemetry, user-friendly, regularly updated, and provides clear explanations for each setting. Updates: Requires manual updates. Effectiveness: Comprehensive in managing privacy settings and telemetry. WPD.app Strengths: Full-fledged privacy dashboard, allows turning off telemetry, removing pre-installed apps, and configuring firewall settings. Updates: Likely requires manual updates. Effectiveness: Powerful and portable, offering extensive control over privacy settings. DoNotSpy11 Strengths: Advanced privacy protector, easy to use, allows disabling telemetry and data collection, and provides control over app notifications and location tracking. Updates: Requires manual updates. Effectiveness: Effective at disabling telemetry and managing various privacy settings. W10Privacy Strengths: Offers granular control over privacy settings, including telemetry, with a user-friendly interface. Updates: Requires manual updates. Effectiveness: Comprehensive and detailed, suitable for power users. ``` Specialized Tools ``` privacy.sexy (Open Source) Strengths: Open-source, extensive customization options, and focuses on privacy and security. Updates: Provides automatic updates. Effectiveness: Highly effective for users who prefer open-source solutions and frequent updates. WindowsSpyBlocker (Open Source) Strengths: Focuses on blocking telemetry at the network level. Updates: Likely requires manual updates through GitHub. Effectiveness: Effective at preventing data transmission to Microsoft servers. ``` Recommendations Using a Single Comprehensive Tool If you prefer simplicity and ease of use, choosing a single comprehensive tool like O&O ShutUp10++ or WPD.app would be beneficial. These tools offer extensive privacy settings and are user-friendly, making them suitable for most users. Using a Combination of Tools For maximum privacy and control, using a combination of tools can be more effective. Here’s a suggested combination: ``` O&O ShutUp10++ or WPD.app: For comprehensive privacy settings and telemetry control. privacy.sexy: For additional customization and open-source transparency. WindowsSpyBlocker: To block telemetry at the network level. ``` This combination ensures that you cover all aspects of privacy, from disabling telemetry and data collection to blocking network-level telemetry. Conclusion Using a combination of tools can provide more robust privacy protection, especially if you are comfortable managing multiple applications. However, if you prefer a simpler approach, a single comprehensive tool like O&O ShutUp10++ or WPD.app should suffice for most privacy needs. Regularly check for updates and apply configurations to maintain optimal privacy settings." So based on perplexity, I should be using O&O ShutUp10++ or WPD.app with privacy.sexy and WindowsSpyBlocker. I’m curious to know community thoughts, but I’ll still start exploring these. Edit: Following [this topic](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/ai-generated-content-is-forbidden/26625/4), please note that WPD is not open source, as wrongly state by AI above. --- ## Post 46 by @win11.shading291 — 2024-06-24T16:47:41Z Here are the results of my “exploring”: I started with WPD. Even though its last update date is in 2021, it can uninstall bloatware like the game bar, anything xbox related or anything else you don’t want, which O&O ShutUp++ doesn’t do. I then used O&O Shutup10++ and it worked great. It has a clean interface and explains each toggle clearly. Thanks @Dkama as well. It isn’t open source, so there is always a risk, but it all comes down to trust in the end. Do I trust more a random person who made a software with privacy in mind vs Microsoft? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Fortunately, privacy.sexy exists. I tried it, which is similar to O&O Shutup10++, but Privacy.sexy seems even more complete and the description of each toggle is really thorough. Since privacy.sexy is open-source and seems more complete then the other two, using a combination of programs seem redundant. I would recommend only this one. It takes some time to read what each action does (and you really should because it will break things if you apply some stricter rules), but at least, you are in control of what you need. It also can remove bloatware. I feel like people saying “using this software provides a false sense of privacy/security” haven’t actually looked at the scripts. Finally, I tried WindowsSpyBlocker. I only added the recommended “spy rules”. I didn’t touch anything as I had no idea what I was doing. Edit to add this: > [@Windows Guide](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/windows-guide/250/345): > > Ok so here it is. DISCLAIMER I am not an expert and based all the decisions on the information provided in the privacy.sexy program on my own judgement. I STRONGLY advise to read each and everyone one of the option if you want to use the “STRICT” option. Also, because everyone uses different programs. For example, the strict option removes some Windows Defender and Windows Update stuff that might not be desired, especially in the “privacy over security” section. For instance, I disabled the a… --- ## Post 47 by @imls — 2024-06-24T17:24:11Z I trust Chris Titus