How to Disable Telemetry in Windows 10 and Windows 11
Diagnostics · Feedback · Privacy

What Is Windows Telemetry and Diagnostic Data?

In Windows, telemetry usually means diagnostic data that the operating system collects and sends to Microsoft. This data is used for Windows reliability, compatibility, security, update quality, crash analysis, and product improvement. Microsoft now describes these settings primarily as Diagnostic data rather than only “telemetry.”

The important difference is between Required diagnostic data and Optional diagnostic data. Required data is the minimum Windows uses to keep the device secure, up to date, and operating normally. Optional data can include more detailed information such as app activity, device health, enhanced error reporting, and, in Microsoft browsers, browsing-related diagnostic events depending on region, version, and settings.

Can You Completely Disable Telemetry in Windows 10 and Windows 11?

On Windows Home and Windows Pro, you can reduce telemetry but usually cannot disable every required diagnostic event. Windows still needs some required diagnostic data for update reliability, compatibility checks, security, and basic operating system health. You can, however, turn off optional diagnostic data and many related privacy features.

On Windows Enterprise, Education, IoT Enterprise, and some managed environments, administrators have access to stricter diagnostic data controls, including the Diagnostic data off / Security level. These settings are meant for organizations and may not appear in the normal Settings interface.

Before You Disable Telemetry: Create a Restore Point and Check Your Edition

Before changing Group Policy, Registry values, services, or scheduled tasks, check which Windows edition you are using. Some privacy controls behave differently on Windows Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Education.

Check your Windows edition

1. Press Win + R.
2. Type winver and press Enter.
3. Look for the edition, such as Windows 11 Home, Windows 11 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise, or Windows 10 Education.

Create a restore point

1. Open Start and search for Create a restore point.
2. Select your system drive, usually C:.
3. Click Configure and make sure system protection is enabled.
4. Click Create, enter a name such as Before telemetry changes, and save it.

How to Disable Optional Diagnostic Data in Windows Settings

This is the safest method for most users because it uses the built-in Windows privacy interface and does not modify system services or registry policy keys.

Turn off optional diagnostic data

1. Open the Diagnostics & feedback page using the path for your Windows version.
2. Find Diagnostic data.
3. Turn off Send optional diagnostic data or select the Required diagnostic data option.
4. If the setting is greyed out, check whether your PC says Some settings are managed by your organization.

Turn off related privacy switches

• Turn off Improve inking and typing if you do not want Windows to use typing and handwriting data to improve recognition services.
• Turn off Tailored experiences or Personalized offers if your Windows version shows those options.
• Set Feedback frequency to Never if the option is available.
• Open Delete diagnostic data and click Delete to remove diagnostic data stored for the device where possible.

How to Disable Windows Telemetry Using Group Policy

Group Policy is the cleanest administrative method on Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education. Windows Home does not include the Local Group Policy Editor by default, so Home users should use Settings or the Registry method instead.

Configure the Allow diagnostic data policy

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. Go to Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Data Collection and Preview Builds.
3. Open Allow diagnostic data. On older Windows 10 builds, the policy may be named Allow Telemetry.
4. Set the policy to Enabled.
5. In the options box, choose the lowest level available for your edition: Diagnostic data off / Security on supported Enterprise or Education editions, or Required diagnostic data on editions where Security is not available.
6. Click Apply and OK.
7. Restart the PC or run the command below in an elevated Terminal:

Command Prompt / PowerShellgpupdate /force

Limit dumps and diagnostic logs

On Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022, Microsoft also documents policies for limiting optional diagnostic dump and log collection. Check the same Group Policy folder for these policies:

• Limit dump collection — reduces crash dump types sent through Windows Error Reporting.
• Limit diagnostic log collection — prevents additional diagnostic logs from being sent.
• Do not show feedback notifications — stops Windows feedback prompts.

How to Disable Telemetry with Registry Editor

The Registry method applies a local policy key. It is useful on Windows Home or when you want to script the setting. Make a restore point before editing the Registry.

Set AllowTelemetry manually

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Go to this key:

Registry pathHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection

3. If the DataCollection key does not exist, create it.
4. Create or edit a DWORD (32-bit) Value named AllowTelemetry.
5. Set it to the lowest level supported by your edition.
6. Restart Windows.

Apply the setting with Command Prompt

To set Windows to the lowest practical diagnostic data level for most personal PCs, run this from an elevated Command Prompt or Windows Terminal:

Command Promptreg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection" /v AllowTelemetry /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

On supported Enterprise or Education devices where you intentionally want the Security level, use this command instead:

Enterprise / Education onlyreg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection" /v AllowTelemetry /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Disable feedback notifications with Registry

This policy stops Windows from showing feedback prompts:

Command Promptreg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection" /v DoNotShowFeedbackNotifications /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Disable tailored experiences with Registry

This policy prevents Windows from using diagnostic data for tailored experiences:

Command Promptreg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent" /v DisableTailoredExperiencesWithDiagnosticData /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

How to Disable Windows Telemetry Services

Windows includes services related to diagnostics and connected user experiences. Disabling them can reduce telemetry activity, but it can also affect troubleshooting, reliability data, and some Windows features. Use this method only after applying Settings or policy controls.

Disable Connected User Experiences and Telemetry

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Find Connected User Experiences and Telemetry.
3. Double-click the service.
4. Click Stop if the service is running.
5. Set Startup type to Disabled.
6. Click Apply and OK.

You can also disable the same service from an elevated Command Prompt:

Command Promptsc stop DiagTrack
sc config DiagTrack start= disabled

Optional: disable dmwappushservice on Windows 10

Some Windows 10 systems include Device Management Wireless Application Protocol Push message Routing Service, also known as dmwappushservice. If it exists on your PC and you do not use enterprise device-management features, you can disable it.

Command Promptsc stop dmwappushservice
sc config dmwappushservice start= disabled

How to Disable Telemetry Tasks in Task Scheduler

Task Scheduler contains tasks that collect compatibility, application experience, and customer experience data. Disabling selected tasks can reduce background diagnostic activity. Do not disable random tasks outside the listed folders unless you understand what they do.

Disable tasks manually

1. Press Win + R, type taskschd.msc, and press Enter.
2. Open Task Scheduler Library → Microsoft → Windows.
3. Check the folders listed below.
4. Right-click a task and select Disable.

Disable common tasks with PowerShell

Run Windows Terminal as Administrator and use these commands. If a task does not exist on your build, PowerShell may show an error for that task; that is normal.

PowerShellDisable-ScheduledTask -TaskPath "\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\" -TaskName "Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser"
Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskPath "\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\" -TaskName "ProgramDataUpdater"
Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskPath "\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\" -TaskName "StartupAppTask"
Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskPath "\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\" -TaskName "Consolidator"
Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskPath "\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\" -TaskName "UsbCeip"

Re-enable tasks if needed

PowerShellEnable-ScheduledTask -TaskPath "\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\" -TaskName "Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser"
Enable-ScheduledTask -TaskPath "\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\" -TaskName "ProgramDataUpdater"
Enable-ScheduledTask -TaskPath "\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\" -TaskName "StartupAppTask"
Enable-ScheduledTask -TaskPath "\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\" -TaskName "Consolidator"
Enable-ScheduledTask -TaskPath "\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\" -TaskName "UsbCeip"

How to Check Whether Windows Telemetry Is Reduced

After changing settings, verify them instead of assuming they worked. Use Settings, Registry, Services, Task Scheduler, and the Diagnostic Data Viewer.

Check diagnostic data setting

1. Open Diagnostics & feedback in Settings.
2. Confirm that Optional diagnostic data is off or that Required diagnostic data is selected.
3. If the setting is greyed out, confirm that the policy is intentional.

Check Registry policy

Command Promptreg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection" /v AllowTelemetry
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection" /v DoNotShowFeedbackNotifications

Check service status

Command Promptsc query DiagTrack
sc qc DiagTrack

Check scheduled task status

PowerShellGet-ScheduledTask -TaskPath "\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\" | Select-Object TaskName, State
Get-ScheduledTask -TaskPath "\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\" | Select-Object TaskName, State

Use Diagnostic Data Viewer

Windows includes a Diagnostic Data Viewer option on the Diagnostics & feedback page. It can show diagnostic data while the viewer is running. It is useful for transparency, but it does not show a complete historical archive of everything that was ever sent.

Additional Windows Privacy Settings Worth Checking

Telemetry is only one part of Windows privacy. For a cleaner setup, review app permissions and cloud-connected features as well.

Frequently Asked Questions About Disabling Windows Telemetry

Official Microsoft References

The terminology and policy names in this guide are aligned with Microsoft’s current Windows diagnostic data documentation. For administrator-level details, see Microsoft’s official privacy and diagnostic data pages.

• Diagnostics, feedback, and privacy in Windows
• Configure Windows diagnostic data in your organization
• Windows Privacy Compliance Guide
• Manage connections from Windows components to Microsoft services