Do You Need to Worry About Privacy in Windows 10? Answer is NO

If you search about Windows 10 on Internet or if you talk about Windows 10 with anyone, the search or conversation starts with Windows 10 telemetry, automatic data collection and user’s privacy. It seems everyone is so much worried about the privacy and is afraid of using Windows 10. But this topic will clear all your doubts and you’ll find a detailed explanation of what kind of data Windows 10 collects and sends to Microsoft.

After reading this topic, you’ll get the answer whether you should use Windows 10 or not!

First let’s talk about what is telemetry and data collection which everyone talks about:

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People say that Windows 10 automatically collects users data and sends it to Microsoft. People also claim that Windows 10 connects to several Microsoft servers automatically but they don’t know why? People even claim that Windows 10 comes with a built-in keylogger which automatically stores your typed data and sends everything to Microsoft which is absolutely wrong and funny actually.

So what’s the truth? What kind of data Windows 10 collects and why?

In today’s world of Internet, almost all software collect some diagnostics data to improve software functionality and to add required features in future versions. If you check any software settings, you’ll find such kind of options to send data to the developer. Similar to those software, Windows 10 also collects some diagnostics data and sends it to Microsoft servers. But this data is anonymous and only includes statistics and usage data such as which kind of apps are used frequently, what phrases are searched frequently, how do users find regular settings and options, etc. It helps Microsoft in showing helpful app suggestions in Start Menu, better search results in Cortana, latest Spotlight content on Lock Screen, etc.

Windows 10 provides settings and options to turn off data collection. You can control your privacy in Windows 10 by following our exclusive tutorial to apply best privacy settings in Windows 10:

[Guide] Best Privacy Settings for Windows 10

And if you are worried about Cortana Search and modern (metro) apps data collection, you can uninstall/disable them using following guides:

[Guide] How to Remove All Built-in Apps in Windows 10

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[Windows 10 Tip] Remove Cortana, Edge, Contact Support, Feedback Apps

Common guys, Microsoft will never collect any personal information. They are not going to collect your credit card details, your software license keys, your mobile numbers, etc. They just collect some anonymous diagnostics data which is used by Microsoft to add new features in upcoming Windows 10 Insider Preview builds and to improve Windows 10 functionality. The collected data helps Microsoft in making Windows 10 a perfect OS.

People say you can’t completely disable telemetry and data collection in Windows 10. That’s true, so what? In fact Microsoft also mentions that. Check out following article which will clear your doubts:

Truth Behind Disallowing Telemetry and Data Collection Trick in Windows 10

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Microsoft clearly mentions that even if you set the option to allow telemetry to ‘0’, it’ll still send some security related data to the company and what does this data contain? Suppose you downloaded a file from Internet and it contained a virus or spyware in it. The built-in security program Windows Defender or SmartScreen filter detected the suspicious item and cleaned the file. Windows 10 will send this information to Microsoft so that the company can add this information to the known suspicious items list and can prevent other people from downloading such files in future. This security data is only collected to improve functionality of Windows Defender and other security features of Windows 10 so that Microsoft can provide a safer environment to all Windows 10 users.

You can also disable this security data collection if you want. Check out following article for details:

[Windows 10 Tip] Disable Data Collection and Telemetry in Windows Defender

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Believe me, Windows 10 is the best operating system Microsoft ever developed and its safer and more secure than any previous Windows version, so stop worrying about telemetry and data collection issues. Also never use any 3rd party software or tweak to disable/block Microsoft server IP addresses. These software block several IPs and domains via Firewall rules and hosts file which can cause some serious issues as a side effect. Check out following article:

[Fix] Can’t Open Bing, MSN, Outlook or Other Microsoft Websites in Windows 10

So the bottomline is that Windows 10 is an absolutely safe OS and you can use it without any worries. Since its free to upgrade to Windows 10 from genuine Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 OS, you can hurry up and switch to Windows 10 now.

Windows 10 Now Available for Download and Free Upgrade

There are reports that Microsoft may add new options to completely disable telemetry and data collection in future Windows 10 builds but there is no confirmation from Microsoft. We can only wait and watch the development of Windows 10 Insider Preview builds.

So go ahead and install Windows 10 if you haven’t installed it yet. You’ll enjoy the OS, believe me!

Also Check:

[Windows 10 Tip] How to View and Delete Collected Diagnostic Data

Published in: Windows 10

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

NOTE: Older comments have been removed to reduce database overhead.

  1. I have been using Windows 10 since Release Preview and even after so many Production Builds it is still not stable enough to upgrade from Windows 8.1 or Windows 7, though the added features are a nice addition.
    It will take some time to mature and let’s hope that the new system of testing builds makes the process faster.

  2. ^^ I’m using Windows 10 November Update build 10586 as primary OS in my personal machine and never faced any problem. 🙂

  3. The user should have a choice as to whether or not ANY of their usage information is sent to MS servers. The fact is, Microsoft has NOT been completely transparent on this matter. We also know that the level usage data sent to MS servers is unprecedented. You may as well have 40 different Microsoft spies standing behind you, looking over you shoulder while you use your computer. It is creepy, at least, and an unprecedented level of spying on what goes on in OUR homes and office, on OUR computers, and over OUR internet service.

    If we given in to this ridiculous invasion of our privacy, then what is left. What else do we have that belongs to us. What right does Microsoft have to know everything you do, every website you visit, every term you search on a search engine, every game you play, every minute you are in Windows 10?

    Someone will find a way to stop this egregious invasion of our personal privacy, and that person will be celebrated as a silicon hero.

  4. This is a bulls**t. Microsoft never say or you can’t check EXACTLY what data collected, only say “security data” and that’s it. You have not choice to decide you want to send data to Microsoft or not. It’s not fair and very very dangerous!!!

  5. Extremely well said Bubba Loui! And you actually made me remember something. There’s a program called “O&O ShutUp10”, by a German company called O&O Software GmbH in Berlin.

    I just ran it again now, and “something” had re-enabled one of the telemetry settings that I had disabled with this program.

  6. Yes W10 is quite good and much better than W8/8.1 (though W7 is still better at some points), and as far as privacy is concerned I don’t think that MS is stealing our data because they are a reliable company (at least to me), but I still strictly think that they should include an option to disable the data collection completely because it should totally depend on us whether we want to send our data or not.

  7. you give the answer your self : what kind of data Windows 10 collects, 2e : dont tell people your opinion is thru ! bring this article out in just your opinion

    the fact that windows 10 getting his update from other computers then there servers ( torrent based ) is save in your opinion

    well in my opinion NOT

  8. First – the main problem of 10 is in the EULA – it’s a bit general cand can be interpreted. They reserve the right to remove some aplications from your computer – wich can be helpfull in compatibility issues – but they let it in general way. Ans so on. Also about the data transmitted it is a mention that in some case they may transfer data who can identify you – by accident of course, but may happened.

    Also I also agree that you are very lucky to not have issues with Windows 10. It’s true, in some cases there are no issues. I have it on 4 computers at home and 4 at work.
    At home, 3 works perfect, my main PC don’t. I’ve got issues in web browsers – Ie and Egde on Twitter and facebook – scrolling a bit gived black screen with only restart button solution. In TH2 this was fixed, but now my VFD display don’t work well – a JRiver plugins fails to work.
    At work everything was fine until TH2, but after that there are nework problems, Net Use command for printers to map as LPT don’t work or if it work it’s lost after few hours even if using with persistent:yes. On computers who got the update form 7 to TH to TH2 even if I map the printers and net use says they are ok, I cannot print to them – on fresh TH2 I can print only one one of them.
    Also there are some glitces during IE or E#dge use – cannot copy/paste on some sites – even in compatibilty moe – again in TH2.
    Finally I have the impresion that each bug fix bring 2 or more other new bugs. Like in a perpetual beta version.

  9. “First lets talk about” **let’s** – it’s an abbreviation for “let us.”

    On the point of Windows 10, it’s obviously an unfinished OS – many Control Panel items have been moved to the Settings App, but not all. “Modern” apps are built on an incomplete, bloated framework based on .NET, which was also bloated, full of security holes, and slow as well as memory hungry (it used JIT compilation, which added to the apps’ size).

    Win10 didn’t even ship with DX12, which was promised. Meh. I’ll stick with Win7 until a *real* reason to upgrade comes along.

  10. My problem with not being able to “fully turn off” telemetry and the vagueness of the Microsoft EULA is that the scope of information leakage could very well expand without my knowledge through the simple fact that automatic updates are required. Not to mention that Microsoft has, several times now, put out updates that revert security settings and abuse the “important updates” label in prior versions of its OS to include the Windows 10 GWX nagware. I need a reliable OS for my business (of one) that doesn’t promise to potentially leak proprietary, or protected information. If the intent is to screw small businesses that can’t or won’t shell out for Enterprise, mission accomplished.

    Most of the specialized applications I use are on Windows, but I am already investigating Unix alternatives. If, in the future, I need to upgrade to 10, so be it. I’ll configure a separate network with a whitelist only firewall and suffer…

  11. I don’t see why Microsoft needs to spin up a harddisk (drive D:) that doesn’t contain any components and start dividing into the immense source trees for its compatibility telemetry. all “app” related data is on C:.

    Microsoft shouldn’t be surprised that people get all paranoid if services don’t do what they are advertised to do.

  12. I suspect that diagtrack and the bypassing of the host file is only the tip of the iceberg with Microsoft’s ability to access the system Windows 10 is installed on. The broad access they give them selves in the EULA and privacy agreement is a giveaway that there are many more undocumented subverted system processes that allows Microsoft such invasive access.

    Given Microsoft’s history of double crossing users and competitors, added to the year long malware style upgrade campaign for Windows 10 which they are now admitting “went too far.”. I expect we will hear in the news someone finding that there are in fact back-doors in Windows 10 and/or Microsoft has been collecting much more information than they have admitted. But I’m naturally suspicious.

  13. It’s nice not having the lag/ping spikes going off every 7 seconds while your playing a game and wondering what the hell is going on. When you do see the extent that they will go to, to peer over your shoulder and downplay it…it leaves you shaking you head. When I see that in every 8 hour period data is going someplace 5500 x’s, that’s concerning and why can’t they be more transparent.

  14. First, you have to be completely naive to trust that Microsoft is only collecting “anonymized” data. Do a quick search “Microsoft caught lying” and you’ll see how many times that they’ve been caught and the court cases they’ve lost or have had to pay an undisclosed amount to keep things from going to court.

    Microsoft sells your data; period. Governments want to track you; period. Read your history books to see what happens when governments track their people (Cambodia; Bolshevik Revolution; Sandinistas-Contras, et al.

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