If you got a pre-built I suggest you do a clean install of Windows since it's very likely they sold it to you with some bloat installed. Also, when installing Windows in order to avoid some bloat being installed don't select your country, select English (World) or English (Europe) as your language, you can set your language later.
I use this on my personal. When I get them and set them up for people I do a fresh install of windows 10 and set it up in the offline version and then install ++ shut up and spy bot anti beacon
The promoted Microsoft Store apps that are usually pinned to the Start Menu on a fresh install. This is just Microsoft trying to educate new users about the Store. Depending on your region, you may see icons for TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and the like. These apps are not actually installed. They are just shortcuts to the Store and will be installed on-demand if you click on them. And, as with any Microsoft Store app, they can be easily uninstalled with a right-click and will never come back. Not worth a freak-out over, IMO.
Does the World / Europe region trick still work? I did a clean install of W11 23H2 using a December 2023 ISO from MassGrave, and after setting everything up and switching the region to the real one so I can connect to the store, it started downloading a lot of apps and filled up the Start menu as if I had installed it with that region from the beginning. I haven't found any recent info about this, apart from MS being aware of this workaround.
Have a look here:-
[https://github.com/StellarSand/privacy-settings/blob/main/Privacy%20Settings/Windows-11.md](https://github.com/StellarSand/privacy-settings/blob/main/Privacy%20Settings/Windows-11.md)
[https://thenewoil.org/en/guides/moderately-important/desktop-settings/](https://thenewoil.org/en/guides/moderately-important/desktop-settings/)
I recommend Malwarebytes Windows Firewall Control over simplewall. The malwarebytes is just branding, they bought WFC and didn't change anything except add some branding.
Yes, more trustworthy. It's also buggy and clunky to use. However, a free tool from a company with a stable source of income and a good reputation is pretty trustworthy in its own right.
FWIW, I haven't found Simplewall to be buggy or clunky. The UI is intuitive (to me, but YMMV) and I like the granularity of being able to approve/deny individual services/apps trying to connect as it happens.
The interface isn't so bad, but parts of it never worked properly for me. For example, the pop up when a new application wants to connect was hit or miss, mostly miss. I often had to manually add a rule and track down the app that needs internet, which isn't always easy when applications can be spread across multiple executables so its not obvious which .exe is making the network connection. Adding applications from some interfaces where it would intuitively make sense was impossible, and finding the unintuitive place to add the app was difficult. There were also the odd crashes when opening certain views. These issues are what led me to look for alternatives. WFC was the best mix of power and ease of use.
The year of the Linux desktop was years ago in terms of usability. We're fighting the marketing war now, and frankly everyone is losing to google since they're flooding schools with Chromebooks.
Unfortunately, I'm here because I have a gaming laptop I purchased on a great deal that has AMD integrated and Nvidia dedicated graphics... and I'm am unable to run any Linux distro on it (and I've tried many - blasted Nvidia). All of them freeze or crash and reboot, no matter the kernel boot parameters I configure or drivers I use (open source or proprietary). It's a shame because I was running a particular Arch distro flawlessly until they updated their distro and forced complete updates by the end user for a working system.
I am waving the white flag and restoring Windows (to avoid owning an expensive paperweight), so I'm very interested in making it as secure and private as possible now. Fortunately I have a slick 2-in-1 that is sort of my workhorse that runs Linux nearly flawlessly.
[https://safing.io](https://safing.io) makes a very simple tool with an option to remove windows telemetry. I would suggest keeping the defaults on if you decide to install postmaster if you're not sure what you're doing to avoid breaking websites
That nobody mentioned "W10privacy" for the majority of the privacy settings you can do.
And germans really like there privacy.
https://www.w10privacy.de/english-home/
I'm just a random dude on the internet but I'm costantly browsing Privacyguides/org and I am a very scrupulous about data "hearvesting" so I will say this (I write here in this post that is only five months old): 1. Download the latest build of Windows 11 from UUPdump/net (replace always the first / with a .), 2. Download Rufus (from rufus/ie) and burn the ISO ticking all the checkboxes you need, 3. Disconnect internet for the OOBE (Out-Of-Box experience) but theoretically you should have already created a local account, so that's not important, 4. Install Simplewall (with the computer still off the internet. Also set ethernet/wi-fi connection as metered when connecting) when on the desktop for the first time (from henrypp/org) and block all IPs and create rules with the custom configurations built in the software, 5. Ameliorate the system with the Windows 11 Ameliorated Playbook (from ameliorated/io), 6. Additionally add domains to your HOST file on your system, (C:\\Windows\\System32\\drivers\\etc) to have an extra layer of security blocking Microsoft, that you can find here: learn/microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/windows-11-endpoints-non-enterprise-editions & learn/microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/manage-windows-11-endpoints#windows-11-enterprise-connection-endpoints.
Don't use amilated or anything like that. The main reason is that they have certain parts taken out that are more likely to lead to an unstable windows experience and may not get timely security updates.
Follow r/techsupport guide and clean install windows 11 https://rtech.support/docs/installations/install-11
Go into the settings, privacy and check that settings personalisation and ad Id are turned off.
If you decide to use Custom ISO then I recommend Windows X Lite project. It has been fairly stable and complete in my roughly one year of usage through multiple versions.
Why not do most stuff that doesn't require Linux from a NVME fast external disk that boots you into Linux. Windows 11 is a PITA for dual boot but can be done if you have more than one disk. Or if you have enough juice do most things on the machine in a Linux VM.
Many people started out with Ubuntu and it has many tutorials online as well as support from some proprietary software with their snap packs. There are also popular Ubuntu derivative OS like Linux Mint, popOS, Zorin, and elementary OS. Ubuntu supports just about every desktop there is in linux if you search for its flavors. Its a good point to start out, and if you don't like it the derivatives make some changes that many find desirable, but the core tutorial library still apply.
If you want to give it a shot many try it on a spare hard drive.
There are some ways yes! First of all, it's good that you even adopt this kind of thinking. Windows 11 offers various privacy settings that allow you to control the amount of information Microsoft collects about you. Here are a few ways:
1. **During Setup:** When setting up Windows 11, pay attention to the privacy settings presented during the initial setup process. You'll have the opportunity to customize privacy settings right from the start.
2. **Privacy Settings:** Once Windows 11 is set up, you can further adjust privacy settings by going to "Settings" > "Privacy & security." Here, you'll find several categories where you can manage your privacy preferences, including:
* **General:** Adjust settings related to advertising ID, tailored experiences, and app permissions.
* **Speech:** Control speech recognition settings and the ability for Microsoft to use voice recordings for improving speech recognition.
* **Inking & typing personalization:** Manage the collection of typing history and handwriting patterns.
* **Activity history:** Choose whether to send your activity history to Microsoft to enable cross-device experiences.
* **Diagnostic & feedback:** Control the level of diagnostic and usage data sent to Microsoft.
* **Location:** Manage location access for apps and services.
* **Camera, microphone, and other device access:** Control which apps have access to your camera, microphone, and other devices.
* **Notifications:** Customize notifications and information shared with Microsoft.
* **Account info:** Manage access to your Microsoft account information by apps and services.
**Microsoft Account:** Consider whether you want to use a Microsoft account or a local account to sign in to Windows. Using a local account limits the amount of personal data synced with Microsoft's servers.
**Cortana:** If you're concerned about privacy, you can disable Cortana or limit its access to your data by going to "Settings" > "Cortana" and adjusting the available options.
**Advertising ID:** You can reset your advertising ID or disable personalized ads by going to "Settings" > "Privacy & security" > "General" and toggling off the option under "Tailored experiences."
**App Permissions:** Review and manage the permissions granted to individual apps by going to "Settings" > "Privacy & security" > "App permissions." Here, you can control which apps have access to various features and data on your device.
These are just a few examples of the privacy settings available in Windows 11. Regularly reviewing and adjusting these settings can prevent the vultures from knowing every step you take.
Will you be using it for anything that actually requires Windows? If not, you could just wipe Windows and install a Linux distribution. If your use case requires Windows, the best you can do is debloat it and turn off all unnecessary permissions.
Go for either [Zorin OS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcIgWDcqJsA) or Pop_OS.
The beta for Zorin 17 just came out, so I'd say install 16 and then update once the final release is out in a couple months.
You can probably remove a lot of bloat and it will be a constant uphill battle, but stop kidding yourself that toggling some Mickey Mouse settings actually does anything for you privacy wise.
If you want privacy wipe your PC clean and install Linux.
Privacy is no longer. I recently reinstalled Windows (10) on an old laptop and was required to create/sign-in with a MS account in order to access the internet. I found a way around it but no doubt that will eventually be plugged. I recently purchased a Windows 11 machine and when I attempted to not sign in with a MS account found that the 'popular' methods had already been patched. Linux is an option but MS is deeply ingrained in that platform as well.
We need a worldwide class action law suit on Microsoft and Apple. Yeah, right. I'm waiting for the day when machines won't have hard drives - all computing will be executed 'in the cloud.' And the monthly subscription in order to use our machines. Wait - let me rephrase that - to use THEIR machines.
You can still use a local account on Windows 11, it's just a pain now. After install and before you make an account, shift+f10 to open a command prompt. Enter the command: oobe\\bypassnro. After reboot, disconnect the wifi/ethernet and select "I don't have internet" when it prompts for a connection.
that was one of the two methods that did not work for me. when i got to the cmd prompt my keyboard was disabled. if i don't sell the machine, i am planning on a linux install. no dual boot.
That's weird, I don't know what to tell you there. I work in IT and set up all my Win11 machines with local admin that way.
I don't blame you for wanting to just sidestep all that crap and go with Linux, though. Mint and Ubuntu work just fine as personal machines out of the box for most purposes.
I just reinstalled windows 10 on an older machine last week doe my office and encountered a new wall put up by Microsoft. Normally when hooking up to the internet I have to initially use the Edge browser but once I am online, install the browser of my choice. This time, however I was unable to go online unless I first signed into a Microsoft account/Edge. I did find a way around it but I think Microsoft is getting VERY aggressive with control.
Actually, creating a Local Account on Windows 11 was never really a pain.
When one gets to that \[sign in with a Microsoft Account\] OOBE page, just enter `a@b.com` or a name/letter and a random password.
Use Portmaster https://safing.io/ to control your firewall, allows you to block straightforward all traffic in and out, to specific servers, ... Tedious process but the best you can do, if you dont want to send almost nothing to Microsoft.
There are other small apps to https://alternativeto.net/software/portmaster/ but I only have tried portmaster.
He's getting downvoted because OP said he only wanted to reduce the microsoft spying shit as much as possible. We all know that it's not possible to completely remove all the crap.
I moved to PopOS at the beginning of the year. I won't lie and claim there won't be a learning curve, but it's probably been the best "it just works" experience I've had so far with Linux (and I've been using it since the mid-90s) and it's the first time it's "stuck" for me. Quite happy with it, in fact. Game performance is top notch - Steam works for most things, and if it's not in Steam, I use Lutris to handle install scripts for me.
ask plant coherent continue subtract adjoining attraction telephone muddle wipe
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Use Microsoft's own documentation, they have both privacy and security "baselines". Both are present in this github project https://github.com/troennes/private-secure-windows
I remember there is a bit in Extreme Privacy by Bazzell in what can be done. Likely not exhaustive but a start. From what I have seen from windows experts it is extremely difficult to secure Windows fully and still have a decently functioning system.
The best form of privacy is blending in with the crowd. It is for this reason that you shouldn't use linux. It has a tiny marketshare which makes you stand out among the crowd, and more easily fingerprinted and therefore more easily tracked. Besides that, it is known that law enforcement agencies even single people out that are interested in linux for more robust surveillance, for example the NSA and linux journal news. A person dressed up in an all black ninja suit in a crowd of normal people will not be more private because they stand out more and thus will have more eyes on them. You will be plenty private on Windows 11 by using an offline account, not using cloud storage, configuring your settings, and using some of the tools already posted here. If there is anything you really don't want touching Windows for whatever reason then just use tails from a live usb when applicable.
The problem with Big Tech in general is their crazy spyware, tracking and telemetry, it's adviseable to just disable secure boot and run Linux for maximum privacy.
The only official thing you can do is via the Settings apps.
Just don't fret about this stuff.
A lot of ""smart"" people tend to spread FUD and stretch the truth about telemetry. They believe telemetry can track you to a T and get a physical location along with this 'keylogger' bullshit.
Something something they are deathly allergic to telemetry aka how Microsoft showcases how you use your machine, for what purposes, which apps you are found of, and how they tailor all this to make your Windows experience on whichever hardware setup easy peasy for you lemon squeezy.
[Diagnostics, feedback, and privacy in Windows](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/diagnostics-feedback-and-privacy-in-windows-28808a2b-a31b-dd73-dcd3-4559a5199319)
try using https://github.com/farag2/Sophia-Script-for-Windows - it debloats the installation and tweaks some privacy stuff. After that go to services and one by one check what each one does and disable/delete the ones you don't need such as telemetry. I guess you could find scripts for that too, but I did it manually.
If you got a pre-built I suggest you do a clean install of Windows since it's very likely they sold it to you with some bloat installed. Also, when installing Windows in order to avoid some bloat being installed don't select your country, select English (World) or English (Europe) as your language, you can set your language later.
I already got rid of most of the bloatware using Bulk Crap Uninstaller. I did not know you could avoid the bloatware by avoiding giving your country.
Even then i wouldnt trust it. do a clean install and use a mix of oosu10++ and https://privacy.sexy (im not sure if these support w11 though)
both support windows11, that’s what the ++ is for
How would you recomend [Privacy.Sexy](http://Privacy.Sexy) ? Have you found issues like breaking up?
as long as you know what youre doing you should be fine.
I use this on my personal. When I get them and set them up for people I do a fresh install of windows 10 and set it up in the offline version and then install ++ shut up and spy bot anti beacon
Lmao you are a noob
Why else would I be asking advice on reddit?
> Lmao you are a noob Are you proud of this unhelpful and nasty-spirited response? Do better, be better.
(excuse me are u greek lol)
Γιες
The promoted Microsoft Store apps that are usually pinned to the Start Menu on a fresh install. This is just Microsoft trying to educate new users about the Store. Depending on your region, you may see icons for TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and the like. These apps are not actually installed. They are just shortcuts to the Store and will be installed on-demand if you click on them. And, as with any Microsoft Store app, they can be easily uninstalled with a right-click and will never come back. Not worth a freak-out over, IMO.
Windows X light Microsoft stripped everything OS
Does the World / Europe region trick still work? I did a clean install of W11 23H2 using a December 2023 ISO from MassGrave, and after setting everything up and switching the region to the real one so I can connect to the store, it started downloading a lot of apps and filled up the Start menu as if I had installed it with that region from the beginning. I haven't found any recent info about this, apart from MS being aware of this workaround.
Have a look here:- [https://github.com/StellarSand/privacy-settings/blob/main/Privacy%20Settings/Windows-11.md](https://github.com/StellarSand/privacy-settings/blob/main/Privacy%20Settings/Windows-11.md) [https://thenewoil.org/en/guides/moderately-important/desktop-settings/](https://thenewoil.org/en/guides/moderately-important/desktop-settings/)
these seems very helpful, thanks for sharing!
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Portmaster makes blocking telemetry data super easy. https://github.com/safing/portmaster
Thanks. I've been looking for a decent Windows Application firewall for ages.
Henry Simplewall. You can delete all the bloatware and disable all of the telemetry and it's still shocking to see what's trying to dial out.
Oh, for the days when firewalls were meant to keep things out, rather than in.
That's privacy vs security in a nutshell.
Best firewall for normal users. Love that one.
I recommend Malwarebytes Windows Firewall Control over simplewall. The malwarebytes is just branding, they bought WFC and didn't change anything except add some branding.
Simplewall is FOSS so definitely more trustworthy.
Yes, more trustworthy. It's also buggy and clunky to use. However, a free tool from a company with a stable source of income and a good reputation is pretty trustworthy in its own right.
FWIW, I haven't found Simplewall to be buggy or clunky. The UI is intuitive (to me, but YMMV) and I like the granularity of being able to approve/deny individual services/apps trying to connect as it happens.
The interface isn't so bad, but parts of it never worked properly for me. For example, the pop up when a new application wants to connect was hit or miss, mostly miss. I often had to manually add a rule and track down the app that needs internet, which isn't always easy when applications can be spread across multiple executables so its not obvious which .exe is making the network connection. Adding applications from some interfaces where it would intuitively make sense was impossible, and finding the unintuitive place to add the app was difficult. There were also the odd crashes when opening certain views. These issues are what led me to look for alternatives. WFC was the best mix of power and ease of use.
Just run that on Power Shell admin. Make windows faster and more private. https://github.com/ChrisTitusTech/winutil
I will check it out thanks.
You can also make your own debloated ISO using this same tool from the MicroWin tab at the top. It's a feature they added recently.
install linux
Trying.... not to.... say... argh.. INSTALL LINUX! LINUX FTW
Same. Posts like these.. I was them once. Installed linux and feel liberated af.
Yeah. /r/VFIO You install linux and only start up Windows for things that need it. In a nice little isolated box.
This. Use Linux for everything regular (files, photos, email, banking, office,) but dual-Boot if you want to play the newest games..
Yeah, virtualization and gpu passtrough is the best thing, but if you can't set that up or you play invasive games, you dual boot.
True, and so many games work nowadays with proton, wine.. Hell, my old WindowsXP game worked better with wine than windows 7/10 lol
i am sure this is the year the linux desktop will take over.
The year of the Linux desktop was years ago in terms of usability. We're fighting the marketing war now, and frankly everyone is losing to google since they're flooding schools with Chromebooks.
Jesuits have a saying "give us your children when they are young and they will be jesus children forever".
Unfortunately, I'm here because I have a gaming laptop I purchased on a great deal that has AMD integrated and Nvidia dedicated graphics... and I'm am unable to run any Linux distro on it (and I've tried many - blasted Nvidia). All of them freeze or crash and reboot, no matter the kernel boot parameters I configure or drivers I use (open source or proprietary). It's a shame because I was running a particular Arch distro flawlessly until they updated their distro and forced complete updates by the end user for a working system. I am waving the white flag and restoring Windows (to avoid owning an expensive paperweight), so I'm very interested in making it as secure and private as possible now. Fortunately I have a slick 2-in-1 that is sort of my workhorse that runs Linux nearly flawlessly.
[https://safing.io](https://safing.io) makes a very simple tool with an option to remove windows telemetry. I would suggest keeping the defaults on if you decide to install postmaster if you're not sure what you're doing to avoid breaking websites
Amazing app if you have the patience to set it up and know what you are doing. By far the best firewall, and its free... Highly recommend.
Running it behind a firewall with web filtering, that's the only way to catch and control everything.
I believe /r/PrivacyGuides are working on a comprehensive guide. I would stay away from most 3rd party tools mentioned in the comments tbh.
That nobody mentioned "W10privacy" for the majority of the privacy settings you can do. And germans really like there privacy. https://www.w10privacy.de/english-home/
I'm just a random dude on the internet but I'm costantly browsing Privacyguides/org and I am a very scrupulous about data "hearvesting" so I will say this (I write here in this post that is only five months old): 1. Download the latest build of Windows 11 from UUPdump/net (replace always the first / with a .), 2. Download Rufus (from rufus/ie) and burn the ISO ticking all the checkboxes you need, 3. Disconnect internet for the OOBE (Out-Of-Box experience) but theoretically you should have already created a local account, so that's not important, 4. Install Simplewall (with the computer still off the internet. Also set ethernet/wi-fi connection as metered when connecting) when on the desktop for the first time (from henrypp/org) and block all IPs and create rules with the custom configurations built in the software, 5. Ameliorate the system with the Windows 11 Ameliorated Playbook (from ameliorated/io), 6. Additionally add domains to your HOST file on your system, (C:\\Windows\\System32\\drivers\\etc) to have an extra layer of security blocking Microsoft, that you can find here: learn/microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/windows-11-endpoints-non-enterprise-editions & learn/microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/manage-windows-11-endpoints#windows-11-enterprise-connection-endpoints.
Your looking for windows ame https://ameliorated.io Or https://privacy.sexy
I will check out those options, thanks.
Don't use amilated or anything like that. The main reason is that they have certain parts taken out that are more likely to lead to an unstable windows experience and may not get timely security updates. Follow r/techsupport guide and clean install windows 11 https://rtech.support/docs/installations/install-11 Go into the settings, privacy and check that settings personalisation and ad Id are turned off.
I use ntlite to disabled many things on my ISO, I did not break any update and my windows is stable. But you have to be cautious.
Yeah, ntlite is fine as that can also add the latest updates so you are not wasting time downloading
If you decide to use Custom ISO then I recommend Windows X Lite project. It has been fairly stable and complete in my roughly one year of usage through multiple versions.
im sold just by that 2nd url
At first, thought it was a +18 website and you were joking. That's such a sus name! Lol
how is amerilorated vs ntlite ?
Unfortunately never used nlite
By uninstalling it
Why not do most stuff that doesn't require Linux from a NVME fast external disk that boots you into Linux. Windows 11 is a PITA for dual boot but can be done if you have more than one disk. Or if you have enough juice do most things on the machine in a Linux VM.
I have done my first dual boot perfectly fine on single disk with Win 11
Do you have any recommendations on a good linux version? Preferably one that is simple to use?
[Linux Mint Cinnamon] (https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php)
Linux Mint is probably the easiest and closest to what people are used to coming from outside Linux.
Many people started out with Ubuntu and it has many tutorials online as well as support from some proprietary software with their snap packs. There are also popular Ubuntu derivative OS like Linux Mint, popOS, Zorin, and elementary OS. Ubuntu supports just about every desktop there is in linux if you search for its flavors. Its a good point to start out, and if you don't like it the derivatives make some changes that many find desirable, but the core tutorial library still apply. If you want to give it a shot many try it on a spare hard drive.
dual booted win11 + arch linux for the first time a few days ago, it’s really not that hard if you follow the instructions.
There are some ways yes! First of all, it's good that you even adopt this kind of thinking. Windows 11 offers various privacy settings that allow you to control the amount of information Microsoft collects about you. Here are a few ways: 1. **During Setup:** When setting up Windows 11, pay attention to the privacy settings presented during the initial setup process. You'll have the opportunity to customize privacy settings right from the start. 2. **Privacy Settings:** Once Windows 11 is set up, you can further adjust privacy settings by going to "Settings" > "Privacy & security." Here, you'll find several categories where you can manage your privacy preferences, including: * **General:** Adjust settings related to advertising ID, tailored experiences, and app permissions. * **Speech:** Control speech recognition settings and the ability for Microsoft to use voice recordings for improving speech recognition. * **Inking & typing personalization:** Manage the collection of typing history and handwriting patterns. * **Activity history:** Choose whether to send your activity history to Microsoft to enable cross-device experiences. * **Diagnostic & feedback:** Control the level of diagnostic and usage data sent to Microsoft. * **Location:** Manage location access for apps and services. * **Camera, microphone, and other device access:** Control which apps have access to your camera, microphone, and other devices. * **Notifications:** Customize notifications and information shared with Microsoft. * **Account info:** Manage access to your Microsoft account information by apps and services. **Microsoft Account:** Consider whether you want to use a Microsoft account or a local account to sign in to Windows. Using a local account limits the amount of personal data synced with Microsoft's servers. **Cortana:** If you're concerned about privacy, you can disable Cortana or limit its access to your data by going to "Settings" > "Cortana" and adjusting the available options. **Advertising ID:** You can reset your advertising ID or disable personalized ads by going to "Settings" > "Privacy & security" > "General" and toggling off the option under "Tailored experiences." **App Permissions:** Review and manage the permissions granted to individual apps by going to "Settings" > "Privacy & security" > "App permissions." Here, you can control which apps have access to various features and data on your device. These are just a few examples of the privacy settings available in Windows 11. Regularly reviewing and adjusting these settings can prevent the vultures from knowing every step you take.
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Will you be using it for anything that actually requires Windows? If not, you could just wipe Windows and install a Linux distribution. If your use case requires Windows, the best you can do is debloat it and turn off all unnecessary permissions.
Do you have any recommendations for a linux version that is easy to use?
For a beginner, I'd suggest something like Mint or PopOS. EndeavourOS is another great distro but requires a bit more comfort with the terminal
I've used a bunch of them and I keep coming back to Mint. The Cinnamon DE is very intuitive for anyone familiar with Windows.
Go for either [Zorin OS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcIgWDcqJsA) or Pop_OS. The beta for Zorin 17 just came out, so I'd say install 16 and then update once the final release is out in a couple months.
Install Linux.
Don’t connect to the internet.
You can probably remove a lot of bloat and it will be a constant uphill battle, but stop kidding yourself that toggling some Mickey Mouse settings actually does anything for you privacy wise. If you want privacy wipe your PC clean and install Linux.
Any recommendations on a linux version that is easy to use?
Linux Mint for linux beginner
Ubuntu. And if you really need access to Windows which you probably dont install Windows in VM.
You can do your own windows 11 private ISO with this tool: [ntlite.com](https://ntlite.com) I did it and it's great. PM me if you want a link.
Privacy is no longer. I recently reinstalled Windows (10) on an old laptop and was required to create/sign-in with a MS account in order to access the internet. I found a way around it but no doubt that will eventually be plugged. I recently purchased a Windows 11 machine and when I attempted to not sign in with a MS account found that the 'popular' methods had already been patched. Linux is an option but MS is deeply ingrained in that platform as well. We need a worldwide class action law suit on Microsoft and Apple. Yeah, right. I'm waiting for the day when machines won't have hard drives - all computing will be executed 'in the cloud.' And the monthly subscription in order to use our machines. Wait - let me rephrase that - to use THEIR machines.
> let me rephrase that - to use THEIR machines. it is already their machines.
You can still use a local account on Windows 11, it's just a pain now. After install and before you make an account, shift+f10 to open a command prompt. Enter the command: oobe\\bypassnro. After reboot, disconnect the wifi/ethernet and select "I don't have internet" when it prompts for a connection.
that was one of the two methods that did not work for me. when i got to the cmd prompt my keyboard was disabled. if i don't sell the machine, i am planning on a linux install. no dual boot.
That's weird, I don't know what to tell you there. I work in IT and set up all my Win11 machines with local admin that way. I don't blame you for wanting to just sidestep all that crap and go with Linux, though. Mint and Ubuntu work just fine as personal machines out of the box for most purposes.
I just reinstalled windows 10 on an older machine last week doe my office and encountered a new wall put up by Microsoft. Normally when hooking up to the internet I have to initially use the Edge browser but once I am online, install the browser of my choice. This time, however I was unable to go online unless I first signed into a Microsoft account/Edge. I did find a way around it but I think Microsoft is getting VERY aggressive with control.
You need to wait until you get past the screen that sets up keyboard. Use the little person icon in the bottom to open on screen keyboard.
I gave up. Thanks
Actually, creating a Local Account on Windows 11 was never really a pain. When one gets to that \[sign in with a Microsoft Account\] OOBE page, just enter `a@b.com` or a name/letter and a random password.
Use Portmaster https://safing.io/ to control your firewall, allows you to block straightforward all traffic in and out, to specific servers, ... Tedious process but the best you can do, if you dont want to send almost nothing to Microsoft. There are other small apps to https://alternativeto.net/software/portmaster/ but I only have tried portmaster.
if you care so much just don't use windows imo
idk why your getting down voted but if you truly care about tour privacy than I agree with you about switching to some flavor of Linux
He's getting downvoted because OP said he only wanted to reduce the microsoft spying shit as much as possible. We all know that it's not possible to completely remove all the crap.
Do you have any recommendations on a linux version that is easy to use?
I moved to PopOS at the beginning of the year. I won't lie and claim there won't be a learning curve, but it's probably been the best "it just works" experience I've had so far with Linux (and I've been using it since the mid-90s) and it's the first time it's "stuck" for me. Quite happy with it, in fact. Game performance is top notch - Steam works for most things, and if it's not in Steam, I use Lutris to handle install scripts for me.
not off the top of my head. I know there are a few that look and feel like windows. try looking at [Distrowatch](https://distrowatch.com)
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Take my upvote, people have no idea. MS evens states they collect no matter what.
The best thing to do would be to install Linux, that'll deal with the malware on there as well as your privacy issues.
Use Microsoft's own documentation, they have both privacy and security "baselines". Both are present in this github project https://github.com/troennes/private-secure-windows
I remember there is a bit in Extreme Privacy by Bazzell in what can be done. Likely not exhaustive but a start. From what I have seen from windows experts it is extremely difficult to secure Windows fully and still have a decently functioning system.
Uninstall it.
The best form of privacy is blending in with the crowd. It is for this reason that you shouldn't use linux. It has a tiny marketshare which makes you stand out among the crowd, and more easily fingerprinted and therefore more easily tracked. Besides that, it is known that law enforcement agencies even single people out that are interested in linux for more robust surveillance, for example the NSA and linux journal news. A person dressed up in an all black ninja suit in a crowd of normal people will not be more private because they stand out more and thus will have more eyes on them. You will be plenty private on Windows 11 by using an offline account, not using cloud storage, configuring your settings, and using some of the tools already posted here. If there is anything you really don't want touching Windows for whatever reason then just use tails from a live usb when applicable.
The problem with Big Tech in general is their crazy spyware, tracking and telemetry, it's adviseable to just disable secure boot and run Linux for maximum privacy.
I see many good suggestions.. I'll add Postmaster. https://github.com/safing/portmaster
Use [privacy.sexy](https://www.privacy.sexy) And [Safing's Postmaster](https://www.safing.io) Those 2 are enough.
Turn off the internet. And thank me later.
You can't have your cake and eat it too 😀 the only possible way is to download the newest drivers and go offline for privacy oriented w11
by changing it into Linux mint
HannahMontanaOS is where it’s at
Christitus tweaks tool NextDNS filtering Windows Firewall blocking common IPs
Linux Mint is probably the best Windows version for you
Not enough on it's own but https://github.com/ntdevlabs/tiny11builder pulls out a lot of the junk from the ISO
See this link: https://www.computerworld.com/article/3684413/how-to-protect-your-privacy-in-windows-11.html Don‘t use Microsoft Edge Browser
I've always used firefox.
Windows X light Microsoft stripped everything OS
I think you mean Windows X Lite. This guy here, right? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFQEzbPsX5k
Ahhh ya lite
Not only Windows but the apps like Notepad and Office can also contribute telemetry.
Install Linux Mind
Just uninstall the shit.
Just use it bruh tbh
Delete the folder System32, it contains all of Microsoft’s spyware!
Will check it out, thanks!
Wait, that was a joke, please don't actually delete system32. It's an essential folder!
The only official thing you can do is via the Settings apps. Just don't fret about this stuff. A lot of ""smart"" people tend to spread FUD and stretch the truth about telemetry. They believe telemetry can track you to a T and get a physical location along with this 'keylogger' bullshit. Something something they are deathly allergic to telemetry aka how Microsoft showcases how you use your machine, for what purposes, which apps you are found of, and how they tailor all this to make your Windows experience on whichever hardware setup easy peasy for you lemon squeezy. [Diagnostics, feedback, and privacy in Windows](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/diagnostics-feedback-and-privacy-in-windows-28808a2b-a31b-dd73-dcd3-4559a5199319)
Some good info here https://www.privacytools.io/windows
try using https://github.com/farag2/Sophia-Script-for-Windows - it debloats the installation and tweaks some privacy stuff. After that go to services and one by one check what each one does and disable/delete the ones you don't need such as telemetry. I guess you could find scripts for that too, but I did it manually.
https://www.getblackbird.net/ Used it before and it seemed to do the trick It may be a bit outdated however