Windows 11 Privacy?

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NYCaviator
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Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by NYCaviator »

I got a new Windows 11 Pro computer, having always been a Mac user. I am concerned about privacy as I have started using the computer. It seems like Windows 11 is full of tracking features that are enabled by default, and the control panel settings are so complicated, I keep finding new settings to turn off. The lack of privacy seems baked into the computer. Even the edge browser is tracking what sites I visit and suggesting cheaper products (I didn't opt into that).

Is there an easy way to disable all of this garbage? I am seriously considering returning the computer.
dukeblue219
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by dukeblue219 »

Was there a compelling reason to go Windows 11 over a Mac? That stuff can be cleaned up, but if you're not a Windows person the little differences are probably still going to annoy you.
jebmke
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by jebmke »

NYCaviator wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 9:30 am Is there an easy way to disable all of this garbage?
Not really. You have to go into the PC Settings and do it one by one.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
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NYCaviator
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by NYCaviator »

dukeblue219 wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 9:38 am Was there a compelling reason to go Windows 11 over a Mac? That stuff can be cleaned up, but if you're not a Windows person the little differences are probably still going to annoy you.
Apps for work. They are antiquated and not yet updated for Mac so you have to do a bunch of workarounds to get them running.
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Voltaire2.0
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by Voltaire2.0 »

Windows has long been plagued by privacy and bloatware rabbit holes. This may help:
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/11 ... indows-11/

Regarding Edge, don’t use it. Firefox is better and has many fine and free add-ons to protect your privacy. The Duck Duck Go browser is even more secure, but less functional.
dukeblue219
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by dukeblue219 »

Voltaire2.0 wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 1:07 pmRegarding Edge, don’t use it. Firefox is better and has many fine and free add-ons to protect your privacy.
Firefox might be more private but it's a heaping mess of slow, old code. When I use any complex web apps on Firefox it's a nightmare compared to any Chromium-based browser like Edge.
jebmke
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by jebmke »

dukeblue219 wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 1:10 pm
Voltaire2.0 wrote: Tue Nov 30, 2021 1:07 pmRegarding Edge, don’t use it. Firefox is better and has many fine and free add-ons to protect your privacy.
Firefox might be more private but it's a heaping mess of slow, old code. When I use any complex web apps on Firefox it's a nightmare compared to any Chromium-based browser like Edge.
Brave seems pretty snappy - but I'm probably not a good benchmark since I probably don't use complex web apps.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
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Tubes
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by Tubes »

I just installed 11 on a new box and the process is no different than 10. I know this won't help OP, but for the record when you install, there is a "privacy" screen. Turn everything off. Everything. And install as a so-called "offline" account (pro version, or unplug on home version). Your experience won't be harmed. "Offline" doesn't mean no internet, it just means you are "offline" to Microsoft's data collecting pipeline.

The default is everything on and a forced sign in to MSoft.
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NYCaviator
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by NYCaviator »

Tubes wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:38 am I just installed 11 on a new box and the process is no different than 10. I know this won't help OP, but for the record when you install, there is a "privacy" screen. Turn everything off. Everything. And install as a so-called "offline" account (pro version, or unplug on home version). Your experience won't be harmed. "Offline" doesn't mean no internet, it just means you are "offline" to Microsoft's data collecting pipeline.

The default is everything on and a forced sign in to MSoft.
I did disable all of that, but there are still so many options that seem to be on by default. Edge has its own host of privacy settings, and there are seemingly many more in the start menu / control panel that aren't options to turn off when you first boot up.

I think I am just going to return this and find a way to work around our old software. Windows thoroughly creeps me out.
jebmke
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by jebmke »

Tubes wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:38 am I just installed 11 on a new box and the process is no different than 10. I know this won't help OP, but for the record when you install, there is a "privacy" screen. Turn everything off. Everything. And install as a so-called "offline" account (pro version, or unplug on home version). Your experience won't be harmed. "Offline" doesn't mean no internet, it just means you are "offline" to Microsoft's data collecting pipeline.

The default is everything on and a forced sign in to MSoft.
This might help but one still has to deal with the likes of Facebook, Google and Amazon, which collectively are probably scraping more data off the system than MS is.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
jebmke
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by jebmke »

NYCaviator wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:45 am
Tubes wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:38 am I just installed 11 on a new box and the process is no different than 10. I know this won't help OP, but for the record when you install, there is a "privacy" screen. Turn everything off. Everything. And install as a so-called "offline" account (pro version, or unplug on home version). Your experience won't be harmed. "Offline" doesn't mean no internet, it just means you are "offline" to Microsoft's data collecting pipeline.

The default is everything on and a forced sign in to MSoft.
I did disable all of that, but there are still so many options that seem to be on by default. Edge has its own host of privacy settings, and there are seemingly many more in the start menu / control panel that aren't options to turn off when you first boot up.

I think I am just going to return this and find a way to work around our old software. Windows thoroughly creeps me out.
Can you run a VM on a Mac with a Windows guest?
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
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NYCaviator
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by NYCaviator »

jebmke wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:48 am
NYCaviator wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:45 am
Tubes wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:38 am I just installed 11 on a new box and the process is no different than 10. I know this won't help OP, but for the record when you install, there is a "privacy" screen. Turn everything off. Everything. And install as a so-called "offline" account (pro version, or unplug on home version). Your experience won't be harmed. "Offline" doesn't mean no internet, it just means you are "offline" to Microsoft's data collecting pipeline.

The default is everything on and a forced sign in to MSoft.
I did disable all of that, but there are still so many options that seem to be on by default. Edge has its own host of privacy settings, and there are seemingly many more in the start menu / control panel that aren't options to turn off when you first boot up.

I think I am just going to return this and find a way to work around our old software. Windows thoroughly creeps me out.
Can you run a VM on a Mac with a Windows guest?
I probably could, but with the new M1 Macs I don't think you can just install windows through bootcamp anymore. I think it has to be through Paralells. I guess that it certainly a option (definitely more expensive) that I can try out. I haven't used parallels in years, but at least that would separate the work stuff from the home stuff.
bondsr4me
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by bondsr4me »

NYCaviator wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:49 am
jebmke wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:48 am
NYCaviator wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:45 am
Tubes wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:38 am I just installed 11 on a new box and the process is no different than 10. I know this won't help OP, but for the record when you install, there is a "privacy" screen. Turn everything off. Everything. And install as a so-called "offline" account (pro version, or unplug on home version). Your experience won't be harmed. "Offline" doesn't mean no internet, it just means you are "offline" to Microsoft's data collecting pipeline.

The default is everything on and a forced sign in to MSoft.
I did disable all of that, but there are still so many options that seem to be on by default. Edge has its own host of privacy settings, and there are seemingly many more in the start menu / control panel that aren't options to turn off when you first boot up.

I think I am just going to return this and find a way to work around our old software. Windows thoroughly creeps me out.
Can you run a VM on a Mac with a Windows guest?
I probably could, but with the new M1 Macs I don't think you can just install windows through bootcamp anymore. I think it has to be through Paralells. I guess that it certainly a option (definitely more expensive) that I can try out. I haven't used parallels in years, but at least that would separate the work stuff from the home stuff.
I thought that Windows 11, at some time in the future, would run natively on the new Mac's.
I don't know when this will happen though.
lobsterman2112
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by lobsterman2112 »

NYCaviator wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 6:45 amI think I am just going to return this and find a way to work around our old software. Windows thoroughly creeps me out.
This isn't a great option, but perhaps getting two computers: a work computer and a home computer and just use the work computer for work?

If you get a mac mini you can also use a keyboard/mouse/monitor switch (if you're not using mac mouse and keyboard) and limit the wasted space on your table top: https://smile.amazon.com/Rybozen-Comput ... NrPXRydWU=
gtd98765
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by gtd98765 »

I use the Privacy Badger app from the Electronic Frontier Foundation for Firefox, Chrome, and Edge. It and other tools are available here: https://www.eff.org/pages/tools
lobsterman2112
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by lobsterman2112 »

gtd98765 wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 9:10 am I use the Privacy Badger app from the Electronic Frontier Foundation for Firefox, Chrome, and Edge. It and other tools are available here: https://www.eff.org/pages/tools
Problem is Microsoft Windows has a lot of telemetry that is independent of the browser. I'm not sure they can all be turned off on a Home version of Windows. It's also an arms race against Microsoft. Every security update may undo some of the settings to their defaults (it's certainly happened multiple times in the past).

Best thing for the house is to either:
1 - Not care.
2 - Not use MS Windows.
3 - (for the advanced user) Use MS Windows in some sort of virtual environment and have it isolated from the rest of your network.
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greg24
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by greg24 »

The Brave browser is the best option for privacy and security. Dump Edge.
roamingzebra
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Re: Windows 11 Privacy?

Post by roamingzebra »

If Win 11 is anything like Win 10 you're likely to run into other weird and annoying things.

I have two Win 10 machines that have never touched the Internet. One is largely being used as external storage. Whenever I call up the screen, there is a GIGANTIC and I mean GIGANTIC "TEST MODE" overlay that covers the screen. Apparently it happens when you have non-Microsoft drivers on your system. In any case, to get rid of it, I have to go into Adminstrator's mode under the terminal and type in some gibberish and reboot, and it will give me a clean, unobstructed screen. But only for a few hours! Unbelievable.

I have heard that Microsoft has muted the Test Mode screen overlay by drastically reducing it and placing the label in the corner of the screen. But I'd have to connect to the internet to get that update, which I'm not willing to do. So "bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING OFF" it shall continue to be!
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