A list of settings that you can change right now to make your device more secure and private.
Windows 10 from Microsoft is currently the most popular operating system in the world. If you want your data to always be safe and not fully viewed by the system, then check out the tips presented in this article.
Windows 10 runs on 700 million devices and is currently the most popular desktop OS in the world. It features shortcuts with quick access to programs, thoughtful features and high-quality user speech recognition. However, there is one thing that should be given special attention to each owner of this OS. And that’s safety.
Like any other OS, Windows will by default collect data about its customers in any way it can. There are, however, a number of simple steps you can take to understand exactly what data is being collected and what can be done to prevent it from happening.
Below is a list of settings that you can change right now to make your device more secure and private.
Microsoft says it only collects some data to provide you with a personalized experience, an improved OS, and personalized advice. If you don’t need any of these, it’s worth checking out the Diagnostics and Feedback tab in the Privacy section of your system settings. There you can track exactly what data your OS collects.
By default , Microsoft looks at the sites you visit and also keeps track of the apps and features you actively use. You can turn on basic mode so that the company only collects information about your device and its configuration; in addition, users can delete all information that was previously collected.
Another feature to look out for is the timeline, which allows Windows to log what activities you have performed so that the user is able to resume their activity on any other Windows-based device. You can disable this setting by unchecking the " Save my activity on this device " and " Send my activity history to Microsoft " checkboxes in your privacy settings.
Put an end to targeted advertising
Microsoft also collects information about its users in order to create personalized advertising identifiers for them, which applications can access in order to tailor the advertising itself to the individual preferences of the person. If you don’t like this approach, then you can prevent apps from accessing your advertising ID in the General tab of your privacy settings.
It is worth remembering that this will not completely save you from ads. You will continue to see it using various Microsoft applications, but the advertisements will not be related to your previous searches and preferences.
If you’re more unhappy that the ads you’ve seen are n’t relevant enough for you, then on this tab, the user can reset their ID by clicking on the " Off " button and then turning it back on.
Manage the data your apps can access
The easiest way to make sure apps only get access to the data you’re willing to share is to manage your privacy settings manually on the Privacy tab under Account Information. Here you will be able to prevent apps from accessing information stored in your Microsoft account.
Moreover, if continuously tracking your location makes you feel uncomfortable (Windows 10 keeps a history of GPS fixes for 24 hours after allowing access to your location), you can disable this feature entirely by clicking on the Change button on the Location tab» your privacy settings. These changes will prevent mapping apps and localized search from accessing your location, but you can set a default location if needed.
You’ll also be happy to know it’s time to get rid of that black tape that’s stuck on your webcam. You can easily manage camera access from the Camera menu under Privacy.
Manage your privacy with ease
Is all this difficult? Tab-to-tab transitions, toggle switches on and off, difficulty navigating through the various settings on your device? And there is. It’s time to know that Microsoft has created a web-based tool to help you manage your data privacy with ease.
It’s called Privacy Dashboard. The tool is highly intuitive and will allow you to monitor and manage a large amount of information collected about you. You can turn off ad targeting, delete your browsing history as well as your location history, clear the folder with audio files stored after using the voice assistant, and so on.
The only catch is that the tool does not allow you to see your data when you are using browsers other than Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer.
Control Cortana Activity
There ‘s a smart balance to be struck between letting Cortana do the things you want and letting it access all of your data. However, if you want to keep your personal information safe, you can prevent Cortana from knowing the sensitive details of your life.
Open Cortana settings and click on the " Permissions & History " button to uncheck items that contain private information (from your location history to contacts and email). If you’ve already downloaded the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard, you’ll be able to manage a mountain of information that Cortana can no longer access. In addition, you can clear all the data that has already been collected by the voice assistant.
In the privacy settings, you can also go to the Speech, drawing and typing section to turn off the voice assistant. This means you will no longer be able to talk to Cortana and Microsoft will stop using your voice to improve their speech services.
Protect your browser
There are a number of things that will help make your surfing the Internet safer.
The first thing to do is access the Microsoft Edge privacy settings. You will find this menu by clicking on the "three dots" in the upper right corner of the browser. Once you are logged in, go to the " Clear data " section to manage the data you would like to delete (browsing history, cookies, download history ). This tab also gives you access to manage your location, microphone, and webcam settings.
On the Advanced Settings tab, you can block pop-ups ; make sure your passwords are not saved (but use a secure password manager instead ); block cookies and set an anonymous default search engine like DuckDuckGo.
Strengthen lock screen protection
The lock screen actually contains a lot of the user’s personal information. For example, you want to hide private notifications from chats. To do this, you should go to the settings and turn off the option " Show notifications on the lock screen " in the " Notifications and actions " tab. You can also hide your email address when logging in by disabling the " Show account details on the login screen " option in the Accounts tab of your settings.
You can use a local account when you sign in instead of using a Microsoft account, which contains your personal information, saved passwords, and settings. A local account doesn’t require you to enter an email and will greatly reduce the amount of information you share with Microsoft. Go to the " Sign in with a local account " section in the " Info " section of your account settings. Yes, you won’t be able to buy apps from the Windows Store or sync files to OneDrive, OneNote, or Office 365, but your personal information will be kept safe.