Some great ideas in this thread!
I’ll keep checking it for updates, however this looks a bit dodgy? Link:
Thanks again for the insightful answer. I duckduckgo’ed a bit and found this:
I know this is probably one settings of many to change, but wouldn’t this work on Windows 11 Home?
@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.
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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!
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I have the same problem as them for the Diagnostic Data Viewer.
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
Edit: This was probably the issue, I will report back in a couple days just to gather data.
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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
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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christitus windows-tool: While useful, it’s more of a general Windows optimization tool rather than a dedicated privacy tool, hence the lower ranking.
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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.
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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.
I trust Chris Titus
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