Microsoft’s new Windows 10 platform has received quite a reception from bloggers and tech journalists. More importantly, it has been received with open arms by consumers eager to wipe Windows 8 from their desktops and laptops, and start fresh.
A fresh start is exactly what Windows 10 has given Microsoft, but it’s not all good news. While the new software is certainly a huge step in the right direction, some serious privacy concerns have been raised following the revelation that Windows 10 may be spying on almost everything you do.
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Microsoft has indeed played fast and loose with users’ privacy in Windows 10. By default, the new operating system is configured to track usage, and even to monitor your files and folders in some cases. Just look at how scary Microsoft’s privacy statement is.
Features like this aren’t always a bad thing, but opting people in by default is hardly a user-friendly policy.
In an earlier post, we told you about a few things you can do to opt out of many of Microsoft’s tracking features in Windows 10. Since this is such a widely publicized issue, however, there are already plenty of tools you can use to help simplify the process of taking your privacy back in Windows 10. And in a recent post, gHacks supplied a nice quick comparison of six different options.
Below you'll find six different apps covered, along with brief descriptions. Click on the name of any app to download it.
Destroy Windows 10 Spying
This is a fairly basic program that allows users to enable a wide range of privacy settings in one simple interface, rather than having to dig around through Windows 10’s settings.
Download Destroy Windows 10 Spying
Disable Win Tracking
This app is similar in intent to Destroy Windows 10 Spying, but with only four options, its focus is far more narrow.
DoNotSpy 10
We have covered DoNotSpy10 before here on BGR, and it’s one of the most comprehensive options out there for taking control of your privacy in Windows 10. There’s a caveat, though: It’s freeware, but it installs Open Candy software on your PC, which will display ads automatically in other apps.
Windows 10 Privacy and S**t
This is just a simple batch file — check gHacks for details on how it works.
Download Windows 10 Privacy and S**t
Windows 10 Privacy Fixer
This app offers one tidy screen that lets you import your current privacy settings and then disable whichever features you want.
W10 Privacy
Last, and unfortunately also least, is W10 Privacy. This app is one of the best options out there in terms of covering as many privacy settings as possible… but it’s only available in German for the time being.
READ MORE: Windows 10 is spying on almost everything you do – here’s how to opt out
