Windows 11 Privacy Settings: What Each Toggle Really Does

Windows 11 privacy settings are spread across more than twenty pages, and the names do not always make it obvious what a switch does. This guide goes through the Windows 11 privacy settings in the order they appear, says what each one controls, and suggests sensible choices. Nothing here needs registry edits or third-party tools; every change is a normal toggle you can switch back.

All of the pages are in Settings > Privacy & security (press Win+I, then select Privacy & security). Menus are the same on Windows 11 version 24H2 and 25H2, Home and Pro. If a page described here is missing on your PC, your build may differ slightly; use the search box in Settings to find it.

How the Privacy & security page is organised

The page has three groups:

Group	Pages
Security	Windows Security, Find my device, Device encryption (on supported PCs), For developers
Windows permissions	General, Speech, Inking & typing personalization, Diagnostics & feedback, Activity history, Search permissions, Searching Windows
App permissions	Location, Camera, Microphone, Voice activation, Notifications, Account info, Contacts, Calendar, Phone calls, Call history, Email, Tasks, Messaging, Radios, Other devices, App diagnostics, Documents, Downloads folder, Music library, Pictures, Videos, File system and others

The rest of this guide covers the pages that matter most.

General: advertising ID and suggestions

Settings > Privacy & security > General has a short list of switches:

• Let apps show me personalized ads by using my advertising ID. Turning this off stops apps using the ID. You will still see ads in some apps, but they will not be personalised with this ID.
• Let websites show me locally relevant content by accessing my language list.
• Let Windows improve Start and search results by tracking app launches. Turning this off also affects the Most used list in Start.
• Show me suggested content in the Settings app.

None of these is needed for Windows to work. Turning them all off is a reasonable choice. For other places where Windows shows promotions, see how to disable Windows 11 ads and suggestions.

Diagnostics & feedback

This is the page that controls what Windows sends to Microsoft about how your PC is working.

• Diagnostic data. Required diagnostic data is always sent on Home and Pro; it covers basic device information and whether the PC is working properly. The Send optional diagnostic data switch adds information such as websites you browse in Edge, app usage and enhanced error reporting. Turning it off is the privacy-friendly choice.
• Improve inking and typing. Sends optional inking and typing data. It is tied to optional diagnostic data.
• Tailored experiences. Lets Microsoft use your diagnostic data to personalise tips, ads and recommendations. Turn it off if you do not want that.
• View diagnostic data. Turns on the Diagnostic Data Viewer so you can see what is sent. The viewer is a separate app from the Microsoft Store and the option uses some disk space.
• Delete diagnostic data. Deletes diagnostic data Microsoft has collected about this device.
• Feedback frequency. Sets how often Windows asks for feedback. You can choose Never.

One caution: Microsoft lists optional diagnostic data being turned off as one of the reasons Smart App Control is off on a PC, so weigh that if you use it. Our Windows 11 security hub explains what Smart App Control does.

Activity history

Activity history stores a record of apps and services you use on the device. Uncheck Store my activity history on this device if you do not want it kept, and select Clear history to delete what is already there.

Search permissions

Search permissions controls Windows Search and the search box on the taskbar:

• SafeSearch (Strict, Moderate or Off) filters adult content in web previews.
• Cloud content search lets Windows Search show results from your Microsoft account (for example OneDrive and Outlook) or your work or school account. Turn each off to keep results local.
• Search history on this device improves suggestions based on what you searched before. Select Clear device search history to wipe it.
• Show search highlights under More settings shows trending content and illustrations in the search box. Turning it off makes search plainer.

Searching Windows is a separate page that controls which folders are indexed. It is about speed and results, not privacy, but you can exclude folders you never want indexed.

Camera, microphone and location

These three pages work the same way, with three layers of switches:

1. A master switch (Camera access, Microphone access, Location services) that turns the feature off for everything.
2. Let apps access your camera (or microphone or location), which controls Store apps, with a per-app list underneath.
3. Let desktop apps access your camera (or microphone or location), which covers traditional programs such as Zoom installers or browsers. Desktop apps are not listed individually with switches, but you can see which ones recently used the device.

Each page shows recent activity, so you can see which app last used the camera or microphone and when. If a webcam or headset suddenly stops working in an app, check these switches first.

Location also has a Default location setting, used when a precise location is not available, and a Location history section with a Clear button.

Find my device and device encryption

Find my device lets you see your PC’s approximate location on a map and lock it remotely from your Microsoft account. It only works when you sign in with a Microsoft account and location services are on. If you turn location off, Find my device cannot report a location. If you are thinking of dropping the Microsoft account altogether, read what changes when you switch to a local account first.

Device encryption appears here only on PCs that support it, usually on Windows 11 Home. If it is on, your drive is encrypted and the recovery key is saved to your Microsoft account. Before turning it off or changing hardware, make sure you know where that key is; our BitLocker recovery guide explains how to find it.

Settings worth checking after every feature update

Most toggles stay as you set them, but it is worth glancing at Privacy & security after a major update or a Windows 11 reset, because a reset returns settings to defaults. The other pages that shape what Windows shows you are covered in the Windows 11 Settings tour.

If children use the PC, parental controls in Windows 11 explains how Microsoft Family Safety adds screen time limits and web filters.