Turn off Windows 10’s invasive settings

Turn off Windows 10’s invasive settings

Windows 10 is slowly becoming the operating system of choice because of its improvements over past versions. But it isn't perfect, as many users have complained about its intrusive default privacy settings. Reclaim your privacy with these tips on disabling its nosy settings.

Turn personalized advertising off

For those unaware, Windows 10 assigns each user an “advertising ID” to personalize your ad experience based on your recent browser history. If you’re okay with seeing generic ads targeted to you based on demographics rather than your ID, we recommend turning this feature off.

  1. First, click on the magnifying glass symbol next to the Windows logo, at the bottom left of your screen.
  2. Next, type in Privacy; click on it, and select General.
  3. Check your computer’s privacy settings for any changes.
  4. Lastly, open your web browser and go to this link. Once there, select Off for :Personalized ads wherever I use my Microsoft account” and “Personalized ads in this browser.”


Disable Cortana

Voice-controlled digital assistants have become big business. Microsoft capitalizes on this market with Cortana, an incredibly resourceful, built-in assistant that allows you to quickly set reminders, schedule events, and send email, among many other intuitive features. It uses the information it collects similarly to how Google’s Android-based assistant does it. However, Cortana can become overbearing at times.

  2. Click on Settings; this should present you with the first option that says, “Cortana can give you suggestions, ideas, reminders, alerts and more”. Slide that to Off.

Once disabled, the Cortana option disappears, and you’re now presented with a search bar that you can use to search for things online or on your desktop.

Stop peer-to-peer file sharing


  1. Head over to Settings once again.
  2. Click on Update and Security > Windows Update > Advanced Options, and finally select Choose how updates are delivered.
  3. By default, the “Updates from more than one place” setting is on, followed by two options: distribute updates only to PCs on local network, and shut off P2P updates entirely. If you want to disable this feature entirely without worrying about specifics, then move the slider to Off.

If you want to share your files with PCs on your in-house network only, leave the slider in the On position and select PCs on my local network. For more detailed instructions on how to stop P2P updates, click here.

Blunt Microsoft’s Edge


Once in, click on View Advanced Settings. There you have the option to disable Adobe Flash — which stops those Flash cookies from going anywhere. You’ll also encounter a bunch of settings you might want to disable under the Privacy and Services section.


Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.