Windows 10 Privacy Settings
We are using Windows 10 but unaware of the services provided by the operating system. Windows has a lot of privacy settings and the system is very much concerned to maintain the privacy of its users. Due to the growing use of the internet, Windows included control features in their products.
Windows 10 provides the following privacy settings to give you control over your privacy:
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Advertising ID
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Windows Defender SmartScreen
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Website Access
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App Launch Tracking
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Suggested Content
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Location
Advertising ID
Windows generates a unique advertising ID for each user on a device, which app developers and advertising networks can then use for their own purposes, including providing more relevant advertising in apps. When the advertising ID is enabled, apps can access and use it in much the same way that websites can access and use a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Thus, app developers (and the advertising networks they work with) can associate personal data they collect about you with your advertising ID and use that personal data to provide more relevant advertising and other personalized experiences across their apps.
To turn off your advertising ID:
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Go to Start -> Settings -> Privacy -> General
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Choose your preferred setting for Let apps use advertising ID to make ads more interesting to you based on your app activity.
Note: Turning the advertising ID off will not reduce the number of ads you see, but it may mean that ads are less interesting and relevant to you. Turning it back on will reset the advertising ID.
Windows Defender SmartScreen
Windows Defender SmartScreen sends data to Microsoft about the websites you visit and files you download to warn you and help protect you and your device from unsafe web content or malicious software.
To turn off Windows Defender SmartScreen:
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Go to Start -> Settings -> Update and Security -> Windows Security -> App and Browser Control
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Choose your preferred settings for Windows Defender SmartScreen
Website Access of the Language List
Some websites may have their content available in different languages. Windows can share information about your preferred language list with websites so that they can have the opportunity to respect your language preferences without you having to independently set them for each site.
To turn off website access to the language list:
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Go to Start -> Settings -> Privacy -> General
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Choose your preferred setting for Let websites provide locally relevant content by accessing any language list
App Launch Tracking
Windows can personalize your Start Menu based on the apps that you launch. This allows you to quickly have access to your list of most used apps both in the Start Menu and when you search your device.
To control app launch tracking:
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Go to Start -> Settings -> Privacy -> General
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Choose your preferred setting for Let Windows track app launches to improve start and search results
Suggested Content
Microsoft can offer you suggestions throughout settings. This content comes in a variety of forms, and can help you discover new features within settings, or suggest new content and apps you may find interesting.
To disable these suggestions:
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Go to Settings -> Privacy -> General and then turn off Show me suggested content in the settings app
Location
You can allow or deny apps to access your location.
To set location permission:
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Go to Start -> Settings -> Privacy -> Location
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Then choose On/Off. On means allow and off means no permission.
Conclusion
Windows 10 offers a wide range of privacy settings that empower users to control how their personal data is used and shared. By understanding and adjusting these settings, users can enhance their privacy, limit data collection, and ensure safer interactions with apps and online content. Regularly reviewing these settings is important to maintain control over your digital information.