Windows 10 Privacy Settings: Step-by-Step Guide

This guide walks you through customizing the privacy settings in Windows 10 to control what Microsoft and apps can access on your device. You’ll learn how to adjust location, camera, microphone, diagnostics, and more. No special tools are needed—everything is done through the Settings app.

What You’ll Need

A PC running Windows 10 (any edition)
Administrator account (to change some settings)
About 10–15 minutes of time

Step-by-Step

Open Settings. Click the Start button (Windows icon) in the bottom-left corner, then click the gear icon (Settings). Alternatively, press Windows + I on your keyboard.
Go to Privacy. In the Settings window, click the Privacy tile (it has a lock icon). This opens the Privacy hub.
Review the General section. The first page shows several toggles like “Let apps use advertising ID,” “Let websites provide locally relevant content,” and “Let Windows track app launches.” Turn off any you don’t want. We recommend turning off the advertising ID and tracking toggles.
Set Speech and Inking. Click Speech in the left sidebar. Turn off “Online speech recognition” if you don’t want Microsoft to collect your voice data. For Inking & typing personalization, you can turn off the toggle to stop Windows from learning your writing habits.
Manage Diagnostics & Feedback. Click Diagnostics & feedback. Set “Diagnostic data” to Required (or Basic on older versions) to send only essential data. Under “Improve inking & typing,” turn off the toggle if you don’t want to share that data. Also, set “Tailored experiences” to Off.
Adjust Activity History. Click Activity history. Uncheck “Store my activity history on this device” and “Send my activity history to Microsoft.” Clear existing history with the Clear button.
Control Location Access. Click Location. Turn off “Location for this device” if you want to block all access. Or, keep it on and toggle off “Allow apps to access your location.” You can also scroll down to choose which individual apps can use location.
Manage Camera and Microphone. Click Camera and toggle off “Allow apps to access your camera” to block all camera access. Or, turn off specific apps below. Repeat the same for Microphone.
Review Notifications and Other Permissions. Go through each item in the left sidebar: Notifications, Account info, Contacts, Calendar, Call history, Email, Tasks, Messaging, Radios, Other devices, and Background apps. For each, decide whether to allow apps to access that data. For background apps, you can turn off the master toggle or disable individual apps.
Customize App Permissions. For each permission (like Calendar or Contacts), you’ll see a master toggle “Allow apps to access [item].” Turn this off to block all, or leave it on and toggle individual apps below.
Check the “App diagnostics” and “Documents” sections. If you want to prevent apps from accessing your file system, click Documents and turn off “Allow apps to access your documents.” Similarly for Pictures and Videos.
Review the “Other devices” section. This controls whether apps can automatically open and transfer data to USB devices or other paired devices. Turn it off if you don’t need that.
Finalize and Restart. After making changes, close Settings. Some changes take effect immediately, but a restart is recommended to ensure everything applies correctly.

Common Mistakes

Turning off everything blindly. Some settings, like “Diagnostic data,” are required for Windows Update to work properly. Setting it to “Required” is fine, but turning it off entirely (if possible) can break updates.
Forgetting to check individual app toggles. The master toggle might be off, but some apps have their own overrides. Always scroll through the list.
Not clearing existing activity history. Changing settings doesn’t delete data already collected. Use the “Clear” button in Activity history.
Assuming all settings are in Privacy. Some privacy-related settings are in other places, like “Network & Internet” for Wi-Fi Sense (older versions) or “Accounts” for sign-in options.

Tips

Use the “Find a setting” search box. In Settings, type “privacy” to jump directly to the relevant page.
Check the “Permission history” for each app. The Privacy pages show a timestamp of when an app last accessed a resource, which can help you spot suspicious activity.
For maximum privacy, use a local account. If you sign in with a Microsoft account, more data is shared. Consider switching to a local account in Settings > Accounts > Your info.
Use “Privacy” settings in the Start menu. Right-click the Start button > Settings > Personalization > Start, and turn off “Show suggestions occasionally in Start” to reduce ad-like content.

Troubleshooting

Settings won’t open. Restart your PC. If it persists, run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter (Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Windows Store Apps).
Changes don’t stick. Some settings are controlled by Group Policy (in Windows Pro/Enterprise). If a toggle is grayed out, it’s managed by your organization or a local policy. Check with your system administrator.
Apps still access camera after disabling. Ensure you’ve turned off both the master toggle and the specific app toggle. Also, check if the app is a desktop app—some legacy apps bypass these settings. Use the app’s own settings to disable camera access.
Location is still being used. Some apps use a different location service (like the “Location” icon in the taskbar). Click the location icon in the system tray and ensure it’s turned off.
After updating Windows, settings reset. Major feature updates can reset some privacy settings. Revisit the Privacy page after a big update.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off diagnostics break Windows Update?

No, setting diagnostic data to “Required” (or “Basic”) still allows Windows Update to function. It’s the minimum required for updates.

Can I disable all location tracking?

Yes, turn off “Location for this device” and “Allow apps to access your location.” This blocks all location access.

What does “Tailored experiences” do?

It uses your diagnostic data to show personalized tips and ads from Microsoft. Turn it off to stop that.

How do I stop apps from running in the background?

Go to Privacy > Background apps and toggle off “Let apps run in the background.” Or, disable individual apps.

Are these settings the same as Windows 11?

No, Windows 11 has a different Privacy layout, but many concepts are similar. This guide is for Windows 10 only.

Can I reset all privacy settings to default?

Yes, there’s a “Reset” button at the bottom of some sections (like Diagnostics & feedback). You can also use Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC (but that’s more drastic).

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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