Truth Behind Disallowing Telemetry and Data Collection Trick in Windows 10
Everyone seems concerned about their privacy in Microsoft’s new operating system Windows 10. Although Microsoft has mentioned several times that Windows 10 doesn’t collect any personal data. It only collects some anonymous data and sends it to Microsoft to make the overall user experience and Windows functionality better. The collected data helps Microsoft in improving Windows 10 functionality and performance.
But still many Windows 10 users are worried about this automatic data collection. To help users in improving their privacy, Microsoft has provided several options to disable telemetry and diagnostic data collection in built-in Settings app as mentioned in following exclusive tutorial:
Best Privacy Settings for Windows 10
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After disabling the options and settings mentioned in the above tutorial, you can sit back, relax and stop worrying about your privacy in Windows 10.
But many people are still searching on Internet and following guides to turn off telemetry and data collection in Windows 10. Some websites suggest to use 3rd party software to block Microsoft servers IP addresses and URLs to disable telemetry but I’ll never suggest this as it may cause serious problems as mentioned in following article:
[Fix] Can’t Open Bing, MSN, Outlook or Other Microsoft Websites in Windows 10
Apart from 3rd party software, some websites also suggest a Group Policy trick to disable telemetry and data collection in Windows 10 which is actually useless if you are using Windows 10 (also known as Core or Home) or Windows 10 Pro editions which are the most common and most used editions of Windows 10. That Group Policy trick only works in Windows 10 Enterprise, Education, IoT and Server editions.
I have mentioned this trick long time back in the above mentioned “Best Privacy Settings for Windows 10” guide. I also mentioned that which Windows 10 editions support this trick. Still many people are unaware of the fact. I have received many emails from readers about applying this trick. People are confused whether this method is actually useful or is it just a myth.
That’s why today in this article, I’m going to reveal the truth behind this Group Policy trick so that everyone can understand this trick’s usage and functionality:
First of all lets talk about the trick!
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Its suggested that you can completely disable telemetry and data collection in Windows 10 by changing an option in Group Policy Editor. The whole method is as following:
Table of Contents
METHOD 1: Disable Telemetry in Windows 10 Using Group Policy Editor
1. Press WIN+R keys together to launch RUN dialog box. Now type gpedit.msc in RUN and press Enter. It’ll open Group Policy Editor.
2. Now go to:
Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Data Collection and Preview Builds
3. In right-side pane, look for “Allow Telemetry” option.
4. Double-click on “Allow Telemetry” and select Enabled option in the new window. Now you can set its value to any of following options from the drop-down list:
- 0 – Security
- 1 – Basic
- 2 – Enhanced
- 3 – Full
People suggest to set the option to “0 – Security” to completely disable telemetry and data collection in Windows 10.
METHOD 2: Disable Telemetry in Windows 10 Using Registry Editor
If you are using Windows 10 Home edition, you’ll not be able to run gpedit.msc command because this edition doesn’t come with Group Policy Editor.
If you can’t use or don’t want to use Group Policy Editor, you can take help of Registry Editor for the same task. Just follow these simple steps:
1. Press WIN+R keys together to launch RUN dialog box. Now type regedit in RUN and press Enter. It’ll open Registry Editor.
2. Now go to following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\
3. Create a new key under Windows key and set its name as DataCollection
4. Now in right-side pane, create a new DWORD AllowTelemetry and set its value to any of following:
- 0 (To set telemetry settings to security only)
- 1 (To set telemetry settings to Basic)
- 2 (To set telemetry settings to Enhanced)
- 3 (To set telemetry settings to Full)
People suggest to set the value to 0 to completely disable telemetry and data collection in Windows 10.
Close Registry Editor and restart your computer to take effect.
What Exactly Does This Trick Change?
This trick disables changing telemetry option in Settings app. Actually you can set what type of diagnostic and usage data should be collected and sent by Windows 10 using Settings app.
1. Open Settings app from Start Menu or by pressing WIN+I keys together.
2. Now go to “Privacy -> Feedback & diagnostics” and here you can select your desired option from drop-down list.
PS: Alternatively, You can directly launch this page using “ms-settings:privacy-feedback” command in RUN dialog box as mentioned here.
It allows you to set the option to any of following:
- Basic
- Enhanced
- Full
As you can see the “Security” option is not present in the drop-down list. That’s why people suggest to use the above mentioned Group Policy or Registry trick to set the telemetry option to “Security” which sends the minimal data to Microsoft.
Once you apply the trick, the option to change diagnostic and usage data in Settings app becomes grayed out and you can’t change the option. The page also shows “Some settings are managed by your organization” message at the top of the page.
Truth Behind This Group Policy or Registry Trick
If you are using Windows 10 (Core/Home) or Windows 10 Pro edition, this trick to set telemetry option to 0 – Security is useless for you. Microsoft has mentioned clearly in the description of “Allow Telemetry” option in Group Policy Editor that setting the option to “0 – Security” on Windows 10 Home or Pro editions is equivalent to settings it to “1 – Basic” which you can always change using Settings app without using Group Policy Editor or Registry Editor.
Actually settings telemetry option to “0 – Security” only works on Windows 10 Enterprise (including LTSB), Education, IoT and Server editions.
So if you are using Enterprise, Education, Server or IoT editions of Windows 10, then you can apply this trick to set the diagnostic and usage data collection to minimal (security data only) but if you are using Windows 10 Home or Pro editions, this trick will not work for you.
Also Check:
Do You Need to Worry About Privacy in Windows 10? Answer is NO
[Windows 10 Tip] How to View and Delete Collected Diagnostic Data
^^ Using method 2 but as mentioned in the tutorial this trick only works on Windows 10 Enterprise, Education, IoT and Server editions.
My observation is that changing the group policy, and/or the registry DWORD doesn’t really matter. The setting is reset to the default Basic option after running Windows Update…. even when using Enterprise.
Not sure what the latest information is regarding this issue, but, I have Windows 10 Pro and I have the ability to set my usage data to Security Only during a full install. I created install media for 32&64 bit just recently and the option to select this comes up when avoiding any of the express setup options.
Not sure why anyone would not just disable telemetry in the services. Why would I want to use group policy editor to set it to security only. We get all the security updates eventually. Those who are carelessly using their computers with all their telemetry settings wide open so Microsoft can embed themselves in their lives are all Microsoft needs. They make all to careless mistakes that open the doors to security issues in the first place. Once those security issues come to the attention of Microsoft, they provide updates and we end up getting them. My usage data is not going to mean much on this level, therefore I will not let them have any of it.
I am of the belief that if you let Microsoft in your computer, it’s like letting a stranger in your house. They may end up going through your things, finding something of interest, take it and use it for a purpose it was never intended and without our knowledge. Not gonna happen. Not on any level. Not basic, Not even for Security. Telemetry services OFF. I could care less if MSN, Skype. EDGE, IE or any of their apps work properly as I do not use 1 single Microsoft application & never will. I will use their OS as a vehicle to manage the apps I DO use. Until the day that this isn’t possible without the probing of their instruments, I will stay the course. There are other options besides Windows and I might not be inclined to bother with a conversion to Linux right now, however, I can easily be persuaded if arrogance continues to evolve
I set this to Basic thru Settings, easy and quick on Win 10 Home.
Microsoft and Windows 10 is the Hillary of Corporations and Operating Systems. They do a lot of shady stuff in the background and they lies right to your face, right smack in front of the very evidence that is convicting them.
You can disable the ‘Connected User Experience’ a.k.a Diagtrak and dmwappushservice in the Administrative Tools->Services. I also disabled in Task Scheduler all 3 tasks in ‘Customer Experience Improvement Program’ tasks, the first 2 tasks in “Application Experience’ and the task under Autochk. Which are all part of the Telemetry in Windows 10.
As far as system security I have removed PowerShell and all network sharing, remote desktop, network login, remote login, remote registry and related services. Being a bit paranoid but, Microsoft can probably bypass or over ride all this in Windows 10 after reading all the data they are able to grab if they “deem necessary”. Not to mention all the NSA hacking and secret deals.
Don’t know if Windows 10 home has the Services admin tool.
Most of the time my laptop disk (Hard Disk) is being used by telemetry service. If I don’t worry about policy, I can not let telemetry reduce the speed and harm the disk.
I just went to task sheduler and disabled Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser. And telemetry stopped using 100% of my disk. THE END.
Many thanks to @EvilWidder! I came here looking for a way to stop this obnoxious resource hog. For those wanting to know where “Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser” lives in Task Scheduler, it lives in “Task Scheduler Library/Microsoft/Windows/Application Experience/”. Once you have navigated to that folder, right-click the “Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser” task and click “Disable”.
If MS were honest about what they collect and allowed verification this situation would not exist. But not allowing me to see what info my computer is sending them? Well how can I be expected to believe it is just anonymous data when they are so adamant about keeping it hidden from me?
The problem I have with compatability telemetry is not privacy, tbh I don’t give a huge toss, I’ve got nothing to hide. But what I do care about is the disk usage it uses. I will often open task manager to find it’s executable hogging ~80% of disk usage, significantly slowing what I can do. This is what has frustrated me.
Microsoft could put an end to this whole conversation by giving all users on any version of Windows 10 a simple on/off switch for Telemetry and other controversial “features”.
The fact that they haven’t given us an on/off switch only fuels privacy concerns.
so theres no way to disable telemetry on pro or home editions? Or is there another trick that doesnt involve the above methoods, like disabling tasks.
^^ Following tutorial covers everything which can be done to disable telemetry and data collection in Windows 10:
https://www.askvg.com/guide-best-privacy-settings-for-windows-10/
Yep the privacy issue is not a concern. But when it can take 15 – 20 minutes before one can use the computer because of telemetry, that is a concern. The information collected is among other things to keep the computer “performant” (I think it is a made-up word), one would think it would signal to Microsoft that the tool itself prevents that.
The “Security Only” telemetry setting does absolutely nothing in any Windows 10 version other than Enterprise. Doesn’t matter if you use a registry hack or Group Policy setting, it is a meaningless option. I don’t even know ehy they put it there. (To make people feel better about what they got?)
@Tommy The privacy issue is most certainly a concern for those who value what few digital rights we have remaining to us.
It’s not really all about privacy.
It’s about microsoft running some s**t on your’e computer that takes up 100% disk for 10-20min, and you have 0 control over it.
If microsoft want’s to harvest any data from my computer, they can do like everyone else, PAY for IT.
Sometimes you gotta decide who do you trust more, hackers or Microsoft. You gotta decide if you want to install a sketchy app to block Microsoft’s bad practices, or if you just wanna let Big Brother in.
The option is Linux.
Windows 10 = Linux. In the way that both are headaches:
Windows makes you feel your computer belongs to Microsoft, not you. Sometimes the updates break your computer in a randomized manner. Sorry your sound card broke, here’s a forced restart. Sorry your MS software does’t work offline, we need to know what you write.
Linux makes you feel in control of your own computer and you are free to mess it up beyond repair, over and over again. > Install a Bluetooth driver and now the screen is all black, this starts an endless chain of constantly repairing the system until one day, you give up. Eventually you learn to live without WIFI/sound/3d graphics… or just install a fresh copy and try again for eternity.
Windows has the advantage that “things” are made exclusively for it (drivers only for Win, software only for Win/Mac).
Linux has to debug it’s own drivers, and has a lot of software that feels cheap or inferior compared to Win/Mac. At least it feels like you really OWN your computer.
My advice for all is:
Resize the Windows 10 partition to a minimum (30GB), install Linux on the freed space and little by little get used to it.
Change your WIFI password and don’t let Windows know it, only install trusted updates via wired connection.
Encrypt your Linux partitions so Windows can’t read them.
One thing to remember is that Windows10 also comes standard with a Keylogger…just
like what the NSA/CIA/Police stick on PC’s of folks they target. If you have any secure
email and you are using Win10 you have NO secure email because Microsoft now
has all your passwords.
PAY ATTENTION to the license agreement..one folks never read…Microsoft reserves
the right to share telemetry data they get from YOU with “law enforcement” if
THEY decide to…
The gentleman who says he has “nothing to hide” is a fool…times change and
everyone has something to hide…everyone…
I’ve disabled everything that I could find. Yet, Windows Telemetry still regularly accesses my hard drives.
How I know this? Since my OS is on an SSD, I can actually hear it when some program accesses my actual files. When that happens, I often go into task manager quickly. Then, I often find the culprit to be Windows Telemetry.
Once I’ve started task manager, the disk usage goes down fairly quickly.
I’m rather certain that there is a correlation between me not using my pc for a while, and Telemetry doing this.
I also think that there is a correlation between changing a lot on my drive (e.g. creating many new files, possibly moving files), and Telemetry getting active. But I’m less sure on this.
My question is very simple: What?
I used a trusted software called SpyBot Anti Beacon.
I also looked around on how to enable Group Policy Editor in Windows 10 Home, as well as disable Cortana completely.
I won’t mention it here due to getting in trouble, but do some digging on the web and you will find it.
And many thanks my friend for the info on this page but I think I have it all covered from here on in.
Considering how Google and Facebook collect even more personal data I don’t see how what Microsoft does is really that bad. But beyond the non issue, the telemetry collected hasn’t in my opinion helped improve Windows 10 at all. Maybe Microsoft is just overwhelmed with this data or it simply doesn’t filter out important statistics. In my opinion users should be given a option to completely opt out if they choose to. Or a better option is when your system crashes ask the user if they want to send Microsoft a report as they used to do. I see little reason to have regular reports sent to Microsoft.
I completely disabled the microsoft gunk by running linux.
problem solved.
its all fun and games until the data is used for the next holocaust.
Hello, I have been working several days to resolve the Windows 10 error: >Settings >Privacy >Diagnostics & Feedback “settings are managed by organizaton.” I need FULL reporting, in order to get Microsoft Family to work (supposedly) and report my child’s “Activity”, which it is not currently doing. I have Win10 Home. I took steps to install Group Policy Editor. I ran Registry Editor and Allowed Telemetry to 3. I did everything I could, but I am still getting the error. Unfortunately, many of the online fixes for GPE require you to manipulate certain folders which my GPE doesn’t have, like “Data Collection & Preview Builds” and “All Settings.” So frustrated…..Can you offer a suggestion? The only thing I can think of that I have done recently to cause this is work very hard to get Network Sharing accomplished on my PC and Laptops, so that I can share files across the Network, using File Sharing Advanced Permissions. Could that have mucked things up? Thanks!
^^ Check following:
https://www.askvg.com/fix-some-settings-are-managed-by-your-organization-in-windows-10/
Actually, this trick can work for windows home and pro users as in my case if we download and install the ‘missing by default’ group policy editor which microsoft provides for download.
BTW, can you suggest me a way to remove some specific app icons from my start menu list without messing/editing the registry as I want to keep some of my games out of the sight of my younger brother. The trick to ‘not show the start menu list’ has already been exposed.
Thank you for positive replies.
^^ Check out following tutorial:
https://www.askvg.com/tip-add-remove-and-group-program-shortcuts-in-windows-10-start-menu/
Clearly there are plenty of websites stating thise does work. Not sure the agenda