Detailed Guide to Disabling Telemetry on Windows 11
Disabling Windows telemetry cuts down on the data Microsoft collects about your PC. You can use built-in options or more advanced tools. Follow these detailed steps to minimize or stop telemetry.
Overview of Telemetry Levels
Windows 11 offers two telemetry levels:
- Required diagnostics: Sends only essential data about your device, its settings, and whether it’s working correctly.
- Full diagnostics: Sends additional data such as app usage, browsing history in Edge, and advanced error reports.
Setting telemetry to Required diagnostics meets Microsoft’s privacy rules while still letting Windows update securely.
1. Reduce Data Collection via Settings
- Press Win + I to open Settings.
- Select Privacy & security from the left pane.
- Click Diagnostics & feedback.
- Under Diagnostic data, choose Required diagnostics.
- Optional: Turn Off the switches under Improve inking & typing and Tailored experiences.
This method uses only built-in controls and has no risk of harming your system.
2. Disable Telemetry with Group Policy Editor
Group Policy Editor is available in Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education.
- Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
- In the Local Group Policy Editor, expand:
- Computer Configuration
- Administrative Templates
- Windows Components
- Data Collection and Preview Builds
- Double-click Allow Telemetry.
- In the window that opens:
- Select Disabled.
- Click Apply, then OK.
- Restart your PC for the change to take effect.
What this does: It blocks Windows from sending any telemetry beyond the absolute minimum.
3. Turn Off Telemetry via Registry Editor
Back up your registry before editing. A wrong change can harm Windows.
- Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
- Navigate to: text
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows - Right-click Windows, choose New → Key, and name it DataCollection (if it’s not already there).
- Select DataCollection, then in the right pane right-click and choose New → DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name the new DWORD AllowTelemetry.
- Double-click AllowTelemetry, set Value data to 0, and click OK.
- Close Registry Editor and restart your PC.
Result: This registry setting forces telemetry off completely.
4. Disable Telemetry Services
Stopping related services ensures telemetry code never runs.
- Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
- Scroll to Connected User Experiences and Telemetry.
- Double-click it, then:
- Click Stop.
- Under Startup type, choose Disabled.
- Click Apply, then OK.
- (Optional) Repeat for dmwappushsvc if present.
Why: These services handle telemetry uploads. Disabling them halts any data transfer.
5. Confirm Telemetry Is Off
- Reopen Settings → Privacy & security → Diagnostics & feedback.
- Verify Required diagnostics is selected.
- Use a network monitor (such as Windows Resource Monitor or third-party tools) to watch for connections to Microsoft telemetry servers.
Final Notes
- Windows Updates: Disabling telemetry may affect how updates and security features work.
- Support: If you need help later, you might have to re-enable telemetry.
- Reversal: To turn telemetry back on, reverse the steps above: set telemetry to Full diagnostics, enable the Group Policy setting, delete the registry key, and set services to Automatic.
By following these methods, you can tightly control what data leaves your PC.
