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What Data Does Windows 10 Collect From You?

Category: Windows-10

The Creators Update of Windows 10, which will start rolling out on April 11, 2017, will include changes to the amounts and types of data that Windows 10 collects from your system and transmits to Microsoft. Here is an overview of what you can expect, to help you decide what to allow.

Read on…

The Scoop on Windows 10 Data Collection

After the Update, there will be only two options: Basic and Full diagnostic telemetry. The Basic level collects only data that is essential to keeping Windows 10 running smoothly. Here are the types of data collected at the Basic level, in Microsoft’s own words:
“Basic device information, quality-related information, app compatibility, and Windows Store. When the level is set to Basic, it also includes the Security level information.” It’s not clear what “Windows Store” means, but I think it’s reasonable for the owner of the store to collect data about what you download from it.

According to Microsoft, collecting Basic data “helps to identify problems that can occur on a particular device hardware or software configuration. For example, it can help determine if crashes are more frequent on devices with a specific amount of memory or that are running a particular driver version. This helps Microsoft fix operating system or app problems.”

Privacy Switch Windows 10

Along with the new settings, Microsoft is further reducing the amount of data collected by the basic setting. And they want users to know that regardless of your data collection choices, they will not use the contents of your email, chat, files, or pictures to target ads to you.
Drilling down into specific data that is sent to Microsoft gets overwhelming quickly; a lot of different “fields” or bits of data are collected. But most of the brief explanations of what each bit of data collect means are comprehensible to laypersons.

One field that may concern the less scrupulous user is “GenuineState - retrieves the ID Value specifying the OS Genuine check.” Yes, of course Microsoft wants to know if you have a pirated or hacked copy of Windows 10. If GenuineState equals “no,” the user will get a polite but firm alert and an opportunity to buy a genuine Windows 10 license.

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