Advice Request Favourite tool to block Telemetry and disable Tracking in Windows 10? [Poll]

Please provide comments and solutions that are helpful to the author of this topic.

What is your preferred tool to block Telemetry and disable Tracking in Windows 10?

  • Ashampoo AntiSpy

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Blackbird

    Votes: 2 2.7%
  • Debotnet / SharpApp (Mirinsoft)

    Votes: 5 6.8%
  • O&O ShutUp 10

    Votes: 47 63.5%
  • WindowsSpyBlocker

    Votes: 2 2.7%
  • Windows Privacy Dashboard (WPD)

    Votes: 7 9.5%
  • Other (I will comment below..)

    Votes: 11 14.9%

  • Total voters
    74
F

ForgottenSeer 85179

Microsoft. Google. Amazon. Apple all use telemetry for diagnostics and subtle in-OS ads to sell their products. Open-source does not give it the legal status.
But not every telemetry is bad by default. Like in Windows 10 where some telemetry is needed or Microsoft can't fix random user configuration setups.
A lot depends on privacy policy's and company behaviour.

Also OpenSource doesn't mean it's telemetry-free nor better. OpenSouce mostly switch the owner (fork) or just dies and get problem with man power/ maintaining the code and keep it up2date & secure and of course that's harder without telemetry - if possible at all
 

SeriousHoax

Level 47
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Mar 16, 2019
3,630
From my understanding it's Microsoft turning off Defender if another AV is detected, not the vendor. -- Please correct if wrong.
I think it's not so easy like that. The vendors needs to gain a certification or something like that to disable the WD and integrate it into Windows Security. It costs money also I guess. Without that, any tool that tries to disable WD is likely to be flagged by WD as malware or blocked by tamper protection from modification.
 

show-Zi

Level 36
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Jan 28, 2018
2,463
I used to use a spybot. I have only adjusted it in the setting since I moved to 10. I don't think it's completely blocked, but I think it's a price to get updates.
I think we should consider the possibility that vendors of software that blocks telemetry can collect information. It simply results in increasing the number of vendors gathering information.
 

stefanos

Level 28
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Oct 31, 2014
1,712
I used to use a spybot. I have only adjusted it in the setting since I moved to 10. I don't think it's completely blocked, but I think it's a price to get updates.
I think we should consider the possibility that vendors of software that blocks telemetry can collect information. It simply results in increasing the number of vendors gathering information.
And i use it. Is the best for windows 8.1
 

Evjl's Rain

Level 47
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Malware Hunter
Apr 18, 2016
3,684
I think the safest tool to use is OOshutup. When I used WPD or the customized scripts (by me to tweak previous windows versions), windows 10 2004 was incredibly unstable with many functions unusable :(
I reverted back to 1909 with OOshutup, it is much more stable now
 

Marko :)

Level 20
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Aug 12, 2015
954
"Other":
using Windows internal privacy settings
I used W10Privacy. However, I plan on just using Windows built-in settings whenever I make a clean install of 2004.
Same here. You can't change things regarding telemetry (it's being sent either way), but you can mess up entire OS with these programs.
But not every telemetry is bad by default. Like in Windows 10 where some telemetry is needed or Microsoft can't fix random user configuration setups.
A lot depends on privacy policy's and company behaviour.

Also OpenSource doesn't mean it's telemetry-free nor better. OpenSouce mostly switch the owner (fork) or just dies and get problem with man power/ maintaining the code and keep it up2date & secure and of course that's harder without telemetry - if possible at all
Exactly! But IMHO Microsoft should provide an option to opt-out of data collection. Looking back at all scandals Microsoft had regarding privacy, I don't find them trustworthy company.
 

Marko :)

Level 20
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Aug 12, 2015
954
Well they provide a option..for enterprise.

I agree that they do some bad steps but most scandals are only misinformation and media hype.
That's why now such many anti-telemetry programs exist
I wouldn't call all of them misinformation and media hype. For example, when Chromium Edge came, a security researcher found out that SmartScreen isn't as private as they claim because, along with the URL, UUID was collected too. That was actually serious security and the privacy issue.

Regarding "anti-telemetry" software, these are not just for privacy. Some of them, like O&O ShutUp10, offer a lot of things; from disabling web search in Start to disabling ads.
 
Last edited:

show-Zi

Level 36
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Jan 28, 2018
2,463
But this Windons telemetry thing, I think it has no solution, it's like a forest fire, it goes out on one side and lights up on another site.:)
This is the truth. Windows keeps changing processes, settings, everything internal and these apps can barely keep up with them.
It's an endurance battle. MS will continue to do so until the user is tired of the measures and gives up. And I guess it's working reasonably well.🏳
 

oldschool

Level 81
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Mar 29, 2018
7,044
MS will continue to do so until the user is tired of the measures and gives up.
There must be millions, maybe billions, of users who never even venture deep into settings. They are in so many nooks and crannies, like these

Capture.PNG :LOL::LOL::LOL:
 

TairikuOkami

Level 35
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May 13, 2017
2,452
Microsoft list every used domain in their docs
Indeed, I have even seen somewhere the list of all domains used for windows updates.
 

9724anon7537

Level 2
Verified
Jun 12, 2018
65


O&O ShutUp10 and WPD are also good IMO
 

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