DoNotSpy: Stop Windows 10 From Spying On You

Windows 10 is a successor to Windows 8 and Windows 7 in all departments, except user privacy. Not all users are concerned about their privacy, but many users want to protect their privacy and want to stop Windows 10 from collecting and sharing data with Microsoft.

Windows 10 offers a lot of settings and options for users who want to opt-out of the data collection. If you want more control or want to limit the data collection, you need to use a third-party tool to stop Windows 10 from spying on you.

Is Windows 10 spying on you?

Unlike Windows 7 or 8.1, a number of features and settings in Windows 10 can expose your privacy. In plain words, some of the features and options in the operating system might expose information that you might not want to share with Microsoft. For instance, location tracking is turned on by default and is required for using some features like Cortana.

It’s true that Windows 10 offers you change default privacy settings while installing Windows 10 or upgrading from a previous version of Windows to Windows 10 but not all users care to read and change privacy settings during the product installation.

One can also configure these privacy settings even after installing or upgrading to Windows 10 by navigating to the Settings app and then clicking the Privacy category. Under the Privacy section of the Settings app, you can change tens of Privacy settings from location to camera to microphone to contacts.

That said, there are some privacy settings that are not easy to understand or configure for novice users. To better protect your privacy while using Windows 10, you can now use a free third-party software called DoNotSpy.

DoNotSpy10 program for Windows 10

DoNotSpy10, as the name suggests, is a free software designed to help you configure various privacy settings in Windows 10 to avoid Windows 10 from spying on you! The current version (v5.1.0.0) offers over 100 options to better protect your privacy while using Windows 10.

Here are some of the options:

# Disable advertising in Windows 10 File Explorer

# Disable and reset the advertising ID

# Disable app suggestions in Windows Ink Workspace

# Disable Bluetooth advertising

# Disable Start menu app suggestions

# Disable third-party suggestions

# Defer Windows Updates

# Disable Access to Language List

# Disable and Reset Advertising ID

# Disable App Access to Account Info

# Disable App Access to Calendar

# Disable App Access to Camera

# Disable App Access to Location info

# Disable App Access to Messages

# Disable App Access to Microphone

# Disable App Access to Radios

# Disable App Notifications

# Disable Application Telemetry

# Disable Automatic Driver Update

# Disable Automatic Windows Updates

# Disable Biometrics

# Disable enabling Lock screen camera

# Disable Getting to know me

# Disable handwriting data sharing

# Disable inventory collector

# Disable location

# Disable OneDrive

# Disable password reveal button

# Disable sending writing info

# Disable sensors

# Disable SmartScreen filter for URLs

# Disable Steps Recorder

# Disable Sync with devices

# Disable web search

# Disable WiFi Sense feature

# Disable Windows Defender

# Disable Windows feedback requests

# Disable Windows media DRM internet access

# Disable Windows Update for other products

# Disable Windows Update sharing

As you probably have observed, some of these privacy settings can be configured from the Settings app as well.

Finally, you don’t need to turn off all the above-mentioned settings in Windows 10. Some features like OneDrive and Steps Recorder are really handy to have.

Lastly, most of the free apps out there for computers as well as smartphones spy on you in one or another way. So there is no point in blaming just Microsoft!

Important: The setup file of DoNotSpy itself offers you install some crapware. When you see the following screen, please select I don’t accept if you want to install DoNotSpy without that junkware.

Download DoNotSpy (Via MajorGeeks)