Windows 10 Privacy: Step by step

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  • Windows 10 Settings

    Windows 10 Settings

    Begin your Windows 10 lockdown by going to Settings/Privacy.

    Caption by: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

  • Windows 10 Privacy Master Screen

    Windows 10 Privacy Master Screen

    On the General privacy page, turn off advertising ID and sending Microsoft info about how you write. You should leave SmartScreen, a security routine that prevents bad apps from sending you to malware-corrupted websites, on. The language option is harmless so I've left it on.

    Caption by: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

  • Windows 10 Advertising Settings

    Windows 10 Advertising Settings

    To control your ad personalization, Windows 10 sends you to the Web with its Edge web browser. I prefer to turn this off.

    Caption by: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

  • Windows 10 master Location setting

    Windows 10 master Location setting

    I'd prefer Microsoft not know where I am every time I'm working on my computer. If you agree, turn location off.

    Caption by: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

  • Windows 10 Location specific settings

    Windows 10 Location specific settings

    If you do elect to use location, do yourself a favor and don't give every application permission to use your location data.

    Caption by: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

  • Windows 10 Getting to know you

    Windows 10 Getting to know you

    I really wish Microsoft had named "Getting to know you" something else. It sounds friendly, but what it really means is Microsoft will be watching every typed or spoken word. I'd prefer to turn this off but without it neither dictation nor Cortana will work.

    Caption by: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

  • All of Windows 10 privacy settings are important.

    All of Windows 10 privacy settings are important.

    Be sure to check all the other privacy controls. For example, calendar should certainly access the Mail and Calendar app, but the App connector? Microsoft hasn't even made it clear what the App connector is! It appears to be an application programming interface (API) for data services. If I don't know what something is, I don't use it. You shouldn't either.

    Caption by: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

  • Windows 10 Backgrond apps

    Windows 10 Backgrond apps

    I don't like apps running in the background, both for power and privacy concerns, unless I really need them. Many of Windows 10 default background apps don't need to be running. Turn them off.

    Caption by: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

  • Disable Windows 10 Tracking

    Disable Windows 10 Tracking

    With all those privacy screens don't you wish there was a simple way to deal with them? A first try at this is the brand-new, open-source program is Disable Windows 10 Tracking. I can't recommend this bare-bones program to anyone except experts. Eventually, I hope it will give Windows 10 users an easy, clear way to protect their privacy.

    Caption by: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

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Windows 10 Getting to know you

I really wish Microsoft had named "Getting to know you" something else. It sounds friendly, but what it really means is Microsoft will be watching every typed or spoken word. I'd prefer to turn this off but without it neither dictation nor Cortana will work.

Caption by: Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

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