Brian Santacruz

1. Introduction

It’s important to improve privacy in Windows 11 because Windows 11 collects a lot of data by default and this data can be used to track your online activity and personal information. By improving privacy in Windows 11, you can help protect your personal information and reduce the risk of your data being used for malicious purposes.

2. How to disable online speech recognition

Online speech recognition is a feature in Windows 11 that allows Microsoft to collect voice data from your device and use this data to improve speech recognition algorithms. While this feature can be useful for some users, it’s important to disable it if you’re concerned about your privacy. By disabling online speech recognition, you can help protect your voice data and reduce the risk of it being used for malicious purposes.

Here are the steps to disable online speech recognition in Windows 11:

1. Click on the Start menu and select “Settings”.
2. Click on “Privacy & security”.
3. Click on “Speech”.
4. Under “Online speech recognition”, toggle the switch to “Off”.
That’s it! Once you’ve completed these steps, online speech recognition will be disabled on your device.

3. How to disable ad tracking

Ad tracking is a feature in Windows 11 that allows Microsoft to collect data about your online activity and use this data to show you targeted ads. While this feature can be useful for some users, it’s important to disable it if you’re concerned about your privacy. By disabling ad tracking, you can help protect your personal information and reduce the risk of your data being used for malicious purposes.

Here are the steps to disable ad tracking in Windows 11:
1. Click on the Start menu and select “Settings”.
2. Click on “Privacy & security”.
3. Click on “General”.
4. Under “Ad tracking”, toggle the switch to “Off”.

4. How to disable diagnostic data

Diagnostic data is a feature in Windows 11 that allows Microsoft to collect data about your device and use this data to improve the operating system. While this feature can be useful for some users, it’s important to disable it if you’re concerned about your privacy. By disabling diagnostic data, you can help protect your personal information and reduce the risk of your data being used for malicious purposes.

Here are the steps to disable diagnostic data in Windows 11:
1. Click on the Start menu and select “Settings”.
2. Click on “Privacy & security”.
3. Click on “Diagnostics & feedback”.
4. Under “Diagnostic data”, select “Basic”.

5. How to disable Activity History

Activity History is a feature in Windows 11 that allows Microsoft to collect data about your activity on your device and use this data to show you personalized content. While this feature can be useful for some users, it’s important to disable it if you’re concerned about your privacy. By disabling Activity History, you can help protect your personal information and reduce the risk of your data being used for malicious purposes.

Here are the steps to disable Activity History in Windows 11:
1. Click on the Start menu and select “Settings”.
2. Click on “Privacy & security”.
3. Click on “Activity history”.
4. Under “Store my activity history on this device”, toggle the switch to “Off”.

6. How to disable location access for unwanted apps

Disabling location access for unwanted apps is important because it can help protect your privacy and prevent your location from being tracked. Some apps may use your location data to show you targeted ads or collect data about your activity. By disabling location access for unwanted apps, you can help protect your personal information and reduce the risk of your data being used for malicious purposes.

Here are the steps to disable location access for unwanted apps in Windows 11:
1. Click on the Start menu and select “Settings”.
2. Click on “Privacy & security”.
3. Click on “Location”.
4. Under “Allow apps to access your location”, toggle the switch for each app you want to disable location access for.

7. How to disable Shared Experiences

Shared Experiences is a feature in Windows 11 that allows you to share content across devices and with other users. While this feature can be useful for some users, it’s important to disable it if you’re concerned about your privacy. By disabling Shared Experiences, you can help protect your personal information and reduce the risk of your data being used for malicious purposes.

Here are the steps to disable Shared Experiences in Windows 11:
1. Click on the Start menu and select “Settings”.
2. Click on “System”.
3. Click on “Shared Experiences”.
4. Under “Nearby sharing”, toggle the switch to “Off”.

8. How to disable personalized suggestions

Personalized suggestions are a feature in Windows 11 that allows Microsoft to collect data about your activity on your device and use this data to show you personalized content. While this feature can be useful for some users, it’s important to disable it if you’re concerned about your privacy. By disabling personalized suggestions, you can help protect your personal information and reduce the risk of your data being used for malicious purposes.

Here are the steps to disable personalized suggestions in Windows 11:
1. Click on the Start menu and select “Settings”.
2. Click on “Personalization”.
3. Click on “Start”.
4. Under “Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer”, toggle the switch to “Off”.

9. How to delete your data from the Microsoft website

Deleting your data from the Microsoft website is important because it can help protect your privacy and reduce the risk of your data being used for malicious purposes. By deleting your data, you can help ensure that your personal information is not being collected or used without your consent. Additionally, deleting your data can help reduce the amount of data that is stored on Microsoft’s servers, which can help improve the performance of their services.
Here are the steps to delete your data from the Microsoft website:

1. Go to the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard at https://account.microsoft.com/privacy/.
2. Sign in with your Microsoft account.
3. Click on “Privacy settings”.
4. Click on “Clear activity history”.
5. Click on “Clear” to confirm.

10. Turn on DNS over HTTPS

DNS over HTTPS (DoH) is a protocol that encrypts your DNS queries and sends them over HTTPS. This can help protect your privacy and security by preventing third parties from intercepting your DNS queries and tracking your online activity. By turning on DoH, you can help ensure that your online activity is kept private and secure.

Here are the steps to turn on DNS over HTTPS in Windows 11:
1. Click on the Start menu and select “Settings”.
2. Click on “Network & internet”.
3. Click on “Advanced network settings”.
4. Under “DNS over HTTPS”, toggle the switch to “On”.

11. Switch your PC account to a local one

A local account is an account that is created on your device and is not connected to any online services. By switching your PC account to a local one, you can help protect your privacy and reduce the risk of your data being used for malicious purposes. Additionally, using a local account can help reduce the amount of data that is stored on Microsoft’s servers, which can help improve the performance of their services.

Here are the steps to switch your PC account to a local one in Windows 11:
1. Click on the Start menu and select “Settings”.
2. Click on “Accounts”.
3. Click on “Sign-in options”.
4. Under “Password”, click on “Change”.
5. Click on “Next”.
6. Click on “Sign in with a local account instead”.
7. Enter your current password and click on “Next”.
8. Enter a new username and password for your local account and click on “Next”.
9. Click on “Sign out and finish”.

That’s it! Once you’ve completed these steps, you will enjoy a better privacy experience in Windows 11.