Take Back Your Windows 11 Privacy

I want my computer to run my programs, let me play my games, and not track what I do. I don’t want my everyday use to help build advertising profiles or send unnecessary reports. If you feel the same way, you can cut down on Windows 11 tracking without being a computer expert. We’ll use Chris Titus Tech’s free tool, WinUtil, to make privacy changes that go further than just tweaking a few settings. These steps will reduce tracking, but it’s not possible to guarantee zero telemetry. Just because there’s a 'Disable Telemetry' button doesn’t mean all connections to Microsoft will stop.

1. Open the Windows Utility.

Begin with the WinUtil project.

1. Click Start.
2. Type PowerShell.
3. Right-click Windows PowerShell.
4. Select Run as administrator.
5. When Windows asks for permission, click Yes.
6. Paste this command and press Enter:

irm "https://christitus.com/win" | iex

Make sure that the utility window appears. This command will download and run the program with admin rights. Be sure to use the exact official address above, since you’re giving the program permission to change Windows settings.

2. Allow Yourself a Means of Retreating

Before changing anything:

1. Open the Tweaks tab.
2. Choose just the option named Create Restore Point, which is sometimes displayed as Restore Point – Create.
3. Click Run Tweaks.
4. Hold for confirmation that it has finished successfully.

If something goes wrong, you can use a restore point to undo the changes. It’s also a good idea to keep a separate backup of your important files.

3. Make the changes to the privacy settings.

In this guide, pick the privacy settings one by one so you know exactly what you’re changing. The Standard preset also makes other changes that aren’t just about privacy. In the Tweaks section, you should look for these options, although the way they are worded might vary slightly:

Read each description, pick the changes you want, and click Run Tweaks. When you’re done, restart the program. You don’t have to pick every option. Removing Widgets, turning off hibernation, changing network settings, and removing apps are all separate choices.

4. Make sure that Windows Search stays focused on this computer.

I want to find my files easily when I search on my computer. In WinUtil’s customization options, you can turn off Bing integration in the Start Menu Bing Search setting if you don’t want web results in your Start menu searches.You can also adjust Start Menu Recommendations to reduce suggestions. Read the control description carefully, since some settings use an on/off switch instead of a checkbox labeled “Disable.”

5. Verify Windows' built-in privacy switches

Press Windows + I, then open: Privacy & security → Diagnostics & feedback

Turn off:

• Send optional diagnostic data.
• Improve both inking and typing, if these features are available.

Then go to Privacy & security → Recommendations & offers, or select General on earlier versions. Switch off Advertising ID and Personalized offers; in older versions this latter option is referred to as Tailored experiences.These settings also have options for sharing and personalization. Turning off ad personalization won’t remove all ads.

6. Check out your normal programs

After restarting, check your browser, games, printer, and anything else you use often. If a change causes problems, open WinUtil again, select the change, and use Undo Selected Tweaks if it’s available. If needed, search for 'Create a restore point' in Start, open System Restore, and choose the restore point you made earlier.Make sure Windows Update, Defender, and your firewall are all turned on. You shouldn’t have to make your computer less secure just to protect your privacy.My goal is simple: cut down on unnecessary reporting, get rid of ads, and make the computer more useful. These changes are a good first step, but if someone says their script gives you 'absolutely no tracking,' they’re promising more than they can prove.