Microsoft introduced a lot of new features in Windows 10 such as Cortana. However, most of them are breaking your privacy. For example if you’re using the default settings, each time you start typing in search box in taskbar , your local search terms and location are sent to Microsoft, some of which advertise to you. To make matters worse, who knows what web results will be returned?
Also, by default (default = if you don’t change this then it will do it) Windows 10 has permission to report a huge amount of data back to Microsoft. By clicking through “Express Settings” during installation, you allow Windows 10 to gather up your contacts, calendar details, text and touch input, location data, and a whole lot more.
By default, Windows sends a lot of your information to their servers sometimes without asking you to opt-in.
However we can turn most of these tracking features off. Follow these guides to fix Windows 10 and restore your privacy.
How to disable Cortana (it’s always on and listening) and the search online features (which will show web results along with local files/folders):
- Right click the Windows icon (i.e. the start button)
- Select Search
- Select Settings (the cog-wheel) on the left
- Turn off Cortona
- Turf off Search online and include web results
