W10Privacy

Privacy is important for all persons since nobody likes to have their movements tracked every step of the way. The same goes for computer users, no matter the operating system they are working on.

W10Privacy is one of the many specialized applications that focus on removing all tracking elements from your PC, even if you are not a tech-savvy user. However, it is best to create a restore point before tampering with any of the settings.

This utility comes with a user-friendly graphic interface, and all its available functions are neatly organized into tabs, each featuring a relevant title.

Moreover, W10Privacy is a portable solution, which means that you do not need to install on your PC to enjoy its feature-set. Despite its name, it can also be used on Windows 8.1 computers without any issues.

You can start by disabling location details about your device, turn off SmartScreen Filter or prevent programs from using your advertising ID for experiences across apps. You can stop other software utilities from accessing your calendar entries, your messages, account info (such as name or picture) or radio stations.

W10Privacy can also help you disable speech recognition or the option to display the password while also preventing the camera to be used on the lock screen.

When it comes to blocking telemetry and data collection, you set this application to block IP addresses of known Microsoft telemetry servers through the HOSTS file or firewall rules.

Edge is the new default browser of Windows 10, and you can alter some of its options to protect your online privacy. As such, you can disable saving passwords or form entries, block third-party cookies or prevent SmartScreen Filter from protecting against suspicious downloads and websites.

OneDrive can be stopped from running at startup, and it can also be removed from the File Explorer sidebar. If you are willing to restart your device, you can prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage.

To wrap it up, there are many tweaks you can make to your PC using W10Privacy, yet you should take the time to research them before applying them, lest you end up affecting your PC’s stability and performance.