Windows 10 – Privacy Fix
By default, Windows 10 will automatically share browser history and credentials to Microsoft, to friends, and to strangers. The following sections below share what Windows 10 shares and how to stop it.
IMPORTANT NOTE #1: Whatever is disabled below will re-enable after every Windows update. Make sure you check your settings each time just to make sure.
IMPORTANT NOTE #2: All services related to sharing browser history cannot be turned off or removed unless you have the Enterprise Version of Windows 10.
Windows Uses your Bandwidth
Windows 10 will use your computer as a torrent seed for Windows updates for all other internet users. Windows makes the claim that this will not happen on metered connections.
If you want to turn this off, do the following:
START > Settings > Update&Security > Windows Update > Advanced Options > Choose how your updates are delivered.
Here is where you can adjust those settings.
Windows Collects Your Data
Windows 10 will pull to their server information like your WiFi SSIDs and passwords, your browser information, history, and settings, as well as any passwords for apps or websites.
You can handle this by following the steps at the following website:
Windows 10 Sync Settings
Windows Shares your info with Ad Companies
Windows 10 creates a specific Advertising ID for each user on each device. This includes information about web searches and sites visited. This will be provided to Ad companies to better customize your adds.
There are two things you can do to stop this:
- Opt out of personalized ads at the following link: Ad Opt Out
- START > Settings > Privacy > General > Change Privacy Option
You can disable the option from here
Windows Shares your WiFi credentials
Windows 10 will share your wifi credentials with all of your facebook friends. What’s worse is that if anyone connects to your wifi successfully, then your wifi credentials will be shared with all of that person’s facebook friends.
In order to stop sharing with your facebook friends, do the following:
START > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage Wi-Fi settings
Disable everything.
In order to stop connected people from sharing your credentials with their facebook friends, you must add “_optout” to the end of your SSID.