These Windows 11 privacy and security settings are must-haves for every user. Each setting protects a different part of your digital life. Computer privacy settings work together to create a strong defense. You’ve locked down your messages; now it’s time for email.
Want to view or change your privacy or security settings, but don’t know where to find them? Use these direct links to check your online settings on popular devices and services or read about your platforms’ privacy policies. Microsoft can use the diagnostic data sent by you to serve you with personalized ads, tips, and recommendations. If you don’t want these tailored experiences, turn them off. To give you even more control, auto-delete settings let you choose a time limit for how long you want to keep your activity data.
Data older than the limit you choose will be continuously and automatically deleted from your account. This makes it easy for you to set it and forget it, but you can always go back and update these settings at any time. Check your computer privacy settings every month or after major Windows updates.
At the very least, every time the iOS version bumps up a whole number (say, from 18.5 to 19.0), go back through the settings to make sure nothing has been added or re-enabled. Go back to Privacy & Security, click Tracking, and then make sure Allow Apps to Request to Track is off. Most of the rest of these tabs are fodder for micromanagers, but you can leave them alone to save your sanity. They just show which apps have permissions for which phone functions. It’s not a huge concern, though, since they’d still need your Wi-Fi password (which is displayed below the toggle switch) to join. If you leave it off, you can still join your other devices to your hotspot, as long as they’re both logged into yosecur iCloud account.
Here, you’ll see devices you can use for 2FA, including the iPhone you’re using. To set it up, open Settings and go down to the bottom of the list for Apps. Find the Notes app and toggle the On My iPhone Account setting on.
If you let it, Microsoft will monitor the websites you browse and the apps you use in order to personalize your Windows experience. It uses browsing data to improve Bing search results, for example, and app data to spot malfunctioning installs. Windows 10 comes with its very own Privacy screen in the Settings panel; click the cog icon on the Start menu to find it.
After a drunk friend thought it’d be funny to snatch my phone and enter the wrong passcode nine times in a row, I’ve turned this off. There are other ways out there to lock down your iPhone if it’s lost or stolen. But if you’re very confident in your backups (and the sobriety of your friends), you can enable this at your own risk. Before you leave this screen, scroll down to Verification Codes and toggle Delete After Use on.
Windows 11 collects diagnostic data to improve user experience, but this includes information about websites you visit and apps you use. In today’s digital landscape, safeguarding your personal information is more crucial than ever. With tech giants like Microsoft continuously gathering data on user behavior, it’s essential to know how to protect your privacy while using Windows 11.
Generally, most Windows users never use voice recognition, voice dictation, or speech recognition. If you are one of them, there is no need to have Speech Recognition enabled. The good thing is, even after disabling the Online Speech Recognition, you can still use the built-in Windows Speech Recognition (Offline). Sure it won’t be as accurate, but it will be there in a clutch.
Using a local account instead of a Microsoft account enhances privacy by keeping your data stored locally rather than in the cloud. You can specify which apps have access to your library folders such as Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, and Videos. Here are 15 settings you should change to protect your privacy in Windows 11. For example, you might see recommended apps in the Start menu’s pinned apps section from time to time. Clicking on these apps will make Windows 11 download and install the target app automatically from the Microsoft Store. You can turn your existing online PC account into a local account, so you don’t have to create one from scratch and configure it.
His commitment to excellence has propelled the company to a leading position in the industry. Tools like Wireshark or GlassWire can help identify what data is leaving your device. Get these essential tools to fix issues, update drivers, and restore your PC to peak performance. ProtonVPN is the best VPN you can use, and you can get started with it for free.
Apple Advertising is more focused on privacy than other platforms, blocking ads from tracking you across websites and services. You’ve undoubtedly come across an app asking to track you, which the iPhone, thankfully, lets you deny. By default, the iPhone allows apps to request to track you, following you around other apps and websites to see what you’re doing. In the settings, you can automatically deny app tracking requests whenever you install a new app.
Just like the privacy settings, however, the particular settings you use here are up to you. Many security settings will sacrifice privacy, and vice versa. You can’t locate a stolen device if you aren’t using location services, for example. In the same Privacy & Security menu, just below the previous two settings, you’ll see a list of apps.
Camera permissions decide which apps can use your webcam. Windows 11 privacy and security settings prevent unauthorized recording. Computer privacy settings block malicious camera access. Computer privacy settings control what apps can access. Windows 11 privacy and security settings give you power over your information. The iPhone is pretty secure out of the box, and Apple courts users into leveraging its security features as you set up a new device.
Check out our guide on that topic to learn how to do just that. As long as you’re signed in to a Microsoft account on your PC, there’s a chance you’ll use an app or service that sends your data to the company. To reduce those possibilities, consider using a local account instead of a Microsoft account on your PC. Windows 11′ Shared Experiences allow you to leave an activity on one device and pick it up on another https://aliexpressofficial.com/ device where you’re signed in to the same Microsoft account. This basically means that your activity data is collected by Microsoft to then allow you to resume your activity on another device.
These are apps that other apps might request access to, and you can customize those settings here. You’ll see that the Focus app is shared with the Messages app, which is pretty useful to let your iMessage friends know that you need some time to focus. Open up Settings, then choose Privacy and Contacts to get to the relevant section. Here you can see which apps have access to your contact data, for whatever reason; maybe sharing files with them, for example.
It deletes those two-factor verification texts that websites like to send out for secure access. You might not worry about anyone watching you through your webcam, but what about people listening in? As with the camera, Windows 10 lets you restrict which apps can use the microphone, and you can even disable it altogether. The ‘Recommended’ section in the Start menu shows recently used apps and files, which could reveal your activity to others using your device. You can control which apps have access to your account information such as your name and picture. Below are several privacy settings you can modify to better protect your personal information on Windows 11.
I go through the settings every time I download a new app. I’m only highlighting the changes within Settings that’ll improve the privacy and security of your iPhone’s iOS operating system. There are more settings in there to do things such as set a default payment card for mass transit or save your shipping address for faster checkout when buying something. For more apps that can beef up your security, check out Best VPNs and our Guide to Password Managers once you’re done adjusting the settings on your iPhone. Up at the top of the screen you’ll find options for turning off app access to your contacts globally, so that none of your apps can get at them. The understandable exception is the People app, which actually manages contacts in Windows 10.
Windows 11 collects diagnostic data like crash reports and usage info to help Microsoft fix problems. Some data is needed for updates, but privacy settings let you control what’s shared. Privacy settings help protect your conversations and prevent Microsoft from saving your speech patterns. Adjust these settings to keep your voice data stored only on your device. It’s important to review these settings as soon as you install Windows 11. Some are tucked away in the menus, and a few may reset to default after updates.
