Help CenterIn today's digital world, your privacy is more important than ever. Windows 11 gives you plenty of options to lock down your personal data and keep it safe from prying eyes. But with so many settings, knowing which ones to tweak can feel overwhelming. Don’t worry—we’re here to help you navigate the most important ones! With these simple adjustments, you’ll be taking charge of your privacy in no time.
1. Set Up a Strong Password and Enable Secure Sign-In
Why it matters: Your password is your first line of defense against hackers. Setting up a strong password, along with a secure sign-in method like a PIN or fingerprint, adds extra layers of protection.
How to do it:
- Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
- Set a strong password (8+ characters, using letters, numbers, and symbols) and then enable Windows Hello for a PIN or Fingerprint sign-in.
- For PIN setup, select PIN (Windows Hello) and include letters and symbols for extra security.
A strong password is critical, but a PIN or fingerprint adds another layer of defense, especially since a PIN is tied to your device.
2. Turn Off Online Speech Recognition
Why it matters: Windows 11 has a feature that listens to your voice and sends data to Microsoft’s servers. If you don’t need this, turning it off keeps your conversations private.
How to turn it off:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Speech.
- Toggle off Online Speech Recognition.
This ensures that your voice data stays with you and doesn't get sent to the cloud.
3. Automatic Screen Lock and Dynamic Lock
Why it matters: Screen lock prevents unauthorized access if you step away from your PC. Dynamic Lock goes a step further by automatically locking your PC when your paired phone moves out of range.
How to set it up:
- For automatic lock, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, and set a screen saver with a lock option.
- To enable Dynamic Lock, go to Accounts > Sign-in options and pair your phone via Bluetooth.
Your PC will lock when it detects that you've stepped away, giving you peace of mind if you’re in a shared space.
4. Disable Ad Tracking
Why it matters: Windows assigns you a unique ID to show you personalized ads based on your usage. But let’s be real—who needs more targeted ads?
How to turn it off:
- Open Settings > Privacy & Security > General.
- Turn off Let Apps Show Me Personalized Ads by Using My Advertising ID.
Disabling this option stops Windows from tracking your activity for ads.
5. Stop Sending Optional Diagnostic Data to Microsoft
Why it matters: Microsoft collects data from your PC to improve Windows, but they also gather extra diagnostic data about your browsing and app usage. If you'd prefer to keep that to yourself, you can turn it off.
How to turn it off:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Diagnostics & Feedback.
- Turn off Send Optional Diagnostic Data.
Microsoft will still collect the basics for security purposes, but the extra info won't be sent.
6. Turn Off Activity History
Why it matters: Windows tracks your activity to offer personalized experiences. But if you're signed into a work or school account, Microsoft could access this info. Better to turn it off if you don’t need it.
How to turn it off:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Activity History.
- Toggle off Store My Activity History on This Device and click Clear to delete previously collected data.
This ensures that your past activity stays private.
7. Manage Location Access for Apps
Why it matters: Some apps don’t need to know where you are, but still ask for location access. You can stop them from tracking your location by disabling this feature.
How to adjust:
- Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location.
- Under Let Apps Access Your Location, toggle off apps that don’t need location access.
Now, only the apps you trust can see your location.
8. Control Camera and Microphone Access
Why it matters: Certain apps can access your camera or microphone. Limiting which apps have access helps prevent unwanted snooping.
How to manage:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera or Microphone.
- Toggle off access for apps that don’t need it.
Protect your space from potential prying eyes and ears.
9. Create a Backup of Your Files
Why it matters: Backups are a lifesaver if your PC crashes or gets attacked by malware. Windows offers cloud storage through OneDrive, but it’s smart to keep local backups as well.
How to set it up:
- For OneDrive, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection > Ransomware Protection, then log in to OneDrive.
- For local backups, connect an external drive, search for File History, and set up automatic backups.
Having a backup keeps your data safe, no matter what happens.
10. Disable Notifications and Ads
Why it matters: Windows loves to give you tips and product suggestions, but if you don’t want that constant stream of notifications, it’s easy to turn off.
How to turn them off:
- Open Settings > System > Notifications.
- Uncheck Get tips and suggestions when using Windows.
Silence the noise and get back to focusing on what matters.
11. Use a Local Account Instead of a Microsoft Account
Why it matters: Using a Microsoft account means more of your data could potentially be shared across apps and services. Switching to a local account minimizes that exposure.
How to switch:
- Head to Settings > Accounts > Your info, and follow the steps to convert your Microsoft account to a local one.
A local account keeps your data more private.
12. Disable Shared Experiences
Why it matters: Windows 11 allows you to share activities between your devices using the same Microsoft account. If you'd prefer not to sync your data across devices, you can disable this feature.
How to turn it off:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & Features > Share Across Devices.
- Toggle it to Off.
Now your activities stay on one device.
13. Turn On DNS Over HTTPS (DoH)
Why it matters: Normally, when you visit a website, your DNS requests are unencrypted, meaning anyone could potentially spy on your activity. Turning on DNS over HTTPS encrypts these requests, adding extra privacy.
How to turn it on:
- Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Ethernet/Wi-Fi > Hardware Properties.
- Under DNS Settings, choose Manual and enable DNS over HTTPS (DoH).
Now your internet traffic is more secure from outside prying eyes.
14. Turn Off OneDrive
Why it matters: If you don’t use OneDrive for cloud storage, there's no need to have it running in the background, uploading your files.
How to turn it off:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, search for OneDrive, and disable it from starting automatically.
No more unwanted file uploads.
15. Delete Your Microsoft Account Data
Why it matters: Over time, Microsoft collects data like the websites you visit and your location history. You can review and delete this data if you want a clean slate.
How to delete it:
- Visit Microsoft’s Privacy page, sign in, and go through the various categories to delete data like Location Activity, Browsing History, and more.
You get to decide what data stays and what goes.
Wrapping Up
Windows 11 gives you the tools to take control of your privacy with just a few simple tweaks. By making these changes, you can keep your data more secure and enjoy peace of mind.