How to Stop Windows 11 from Spying on You — Step-by-Step

If you arrived here from Instagram, skip to step 10 to copy and paste my privacy script aka Bill Gates Hide N Seek, to keep windows from spying on you. Remember to copy the 64 telemetry websites to block as well. The script performs most of the following nine steps. Now you can hide from Bill Gates!

🔐 STEP 1: Use Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise

• Why? Home edition lacks access to Group Policy Editor and other administrative tools.

• If you're on Home, consider upgrading via:

  Settings → System → Activation → Upgrade to Pro

⚙️ STEP 2: Configure Privacy Settings via UI

1. Go to Settings → Privacy & Security
   Go through each section and disable all non-essential options:

   • General: Turn off ad tracking, suggested content

   • Speech: Disable online speech recognition

   • Inking & typing personalization: Turn off

   • Diagnostics & feedback:

     • Send optional diagnostic data → Off

     • Improve inking & typing → Off

     • Tailored experiences → Off

     • Feedback frequency → Never

2. Activity History:

   • Uncheck “Store my activity history on this device”

   • Clear history

3. Location: Disable or restrict per app

4. App Permissions: Disable camera, microphone, and other hardware access for apps you don't trust

🛠️ STEP 3: Disable Telemetry via Group Policy

Only works in Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, hit Enter

2. Navigate to:

   Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Data Collection and Preview Builds

• Double-click Allow Telemetry → Set to Disabled

• Also set:

  • Allow Diagnostic Data Submission → Disabled

  • Do not show feedback notifications → Enabled

  • Turn off consumer experiences (under Cloud Content) → Enabled

🔌 STEP 4: Disable Tracking Services

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc

2. Set these services to Disabled:

   • Connected User Experiences and Telemetry (DiagTrack)

   • dmwappushsvc

   • Windows Error Reporting Service

   • Geolocation Service (optional)

   • Remote Registry (optional)

   • RetailDemo (if present)

🧱 STEP 5: Block Microsoft Tracking with Firewall or Hosts File

Option A: Hosts File

1. Open Notepad as Administrator

2. Open file:

   C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Add:

127.0.0.1 telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 watson.telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 settings-win.data.microsoft.com

Warning: Windows Defender or updates may reset this.

🔄 STEP 6: Switch to a Local Account

Why? Microsoft account syncs data to the cloud (settings, OneDrive, Edge history, etc.)

Switch to Local Account:

1. Settings → Accounts → Your Info

2. Click Sign in with a local account instead

You can still use the Microsoft Store and OneDrive manually.

🗑️ STEP 7: Remove Bloatware and Unnecessary Microsoft Apps

PowerShell (Run as Administrator):

Get-AppxPackage xbox | Remove-AppxPackage

Get-AppxPackage bing | Remove-AppxPackage

Get-AppxPackage yourphone | Remove-AppxPackage

Get-AppxPackage MicrosoftTeams | Remove-AppxPackage

🌐 STEP 8: Use a Privacy-Respecting DNS

Set DNS to:

• 1.1.1.2 (Cloudflare with malware blocking)

• 94.140.14.14 (AdGuard DNS)

• Or configure NextDNS.io with telemetry blocks

Set DNS System-Wide:

1. Settings → Network → Properties

2. Edit DNS settings → Manual

3. Enter custom DNS IPs

🧪 STEP 9: Avoid These Microsoft Features

To maintain privacy, minimize or disable:

• Microsoft Edge (use Firefox or Brave instead)

• OneDrive auto sync

• Bing search integration

• Widgets (uses Edge + tracking)

🧰 STEP 10: Just use my script below & include the 64 telemetry sites:

# Windows 11 Privacy Boost Script Bill Gates hide n seek

# Run this script as Administrator!

Write-Host "Starting Windows 11 privacy Boost..." -ForegroundColor Green

# --- 1. Disable Telemetry Services ---

$services = @(

"DiagTrack",

"dmwappushservice",

"WMPNetworkSvc",

"WerSvc"

)

foreach ($svc in $services) {

Get-Service -Name $svc -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Set-Service -StartupType Disabled -PassThru | Stop-Service -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Write-Host "Disabled service: $svc"

}

# --- 2. Disable Feedback and Telemetry in Registry ---

$regPaths = @(

"HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection",

"HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\DataCollection"

)

foreach ($path in $regPaths) {

New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null

Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name AllowTelemetry -Value 0 -Type DWord

Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name AllowDiagnosticData -Value 0 -Type DWord -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Write-Host "Set telemetry settings in: $path"

}

# Disable feedback prompts

New-Item -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Siuf\Rules" -Force | Out-Null

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Siuf\Rules" -Name NumberOfSIUFInPeriod -Value 0

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Siuf\Rules" -Name PeriodInDays -Value 0

# Disable Cortana

New-Item -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" -Force | Out-Null

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" -Name AllowCortana -Value 0

# --- 3. Disable Scheduled Telemetry Tasks ---

$tasks = @(

"\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser",

"\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\ProgramDataUpdater",

"\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\Consolidator",

"\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\UsbCeip",

"\Microsoft\Windows\Autochk\Proxy",

"\Microsoft\Windows\DiskDiagnostic\Microsoft-Windows-DiskDiagnosticDataCollector"

)

foreach ($task in $tasks) {

try {

schtasks /Change /TN $task /Disable

Write-Host "Disabled scheduled task: $task"

} catch {

Write-Host "Failed to disable: $task" -ForegroundColor Yellow

}

}

# --- 4. Add Telemetry Domains to Hosts File ---

$hostsPath = "$env:WINDIR\System32\drivers\etc\hosts"

$telemetryDomains = @"

127.0.0.1 vortex.data.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 settings-win.data.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 watson.telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 reports.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 df.telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 feedback.windows.com

127.0.0.1 feedback.microsoft.com

"@

if ((Get-Content $hostsPath) -notmatch "telemetry.microsoft.com") {

Add-Content -Path $hostsPath -Value "`n# Block Microsoft telemetry domains`n$telemetryDomains"

Write-Host "Telemetry domains added to hosts file"

} else {

Write-Host "Telemetry domains already present in hosts file"

}

# --- 5. Disable Tailored Experiences and Ad Tracking ---

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Privacy" -Name TailoredExperiencesWithDiagnosticDataEnabled -Value 0

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdvertisingInfo" -Name Enabled -Value 0

# --- 6. Disable Tips, Suggestions, and App Suggestions ---

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager" -Name "SystemPaneSuggestionsEnabled" -Value 0

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager" -Name "SubscribedContent-338389Enabled" -Value 0 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager" -Name "SubscribedContent-310093Enabled" -Value 0 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Write-Host "`Windows 11 privacy Boost complete." -ForegroundColor Cyan

🛑 64 Telemetry and Tracking Domains to Block

127.0.0.1 a.ads1.msn.com

127.0.0.1 a.ads2.msads.net

127.0.0.1 a.ads2.msn.com

127.0.0.1 a.rad.msn.com

127.0.0.1 ac3.msn.com

127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net

127.0.0.1 ads.msn.com

127.0.0.1 ads1.msads.net

127.0.0.1 ads1.msn.com

127.0.0.1 aidps.atdmt.com

127.0.0.1 aka-cdn-ns.adtech.de

127.0.0.1 apps.skype.com

127.0.0.1 az361816.vo.msecnd.net

127.0.0.1 b.ads1.msn.com

127.0.0.1 b.ads2.msads.net

127.0.0.1 b.rad.msn.com

127.0.0.1 c.msn.com

127.0.0.1 cdn.atdmt.com

127.0.0.1 choice.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 choice.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

127.0.0.1 compatexchange.cloudapp.net

127.0.0.1 corp.sts.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 corpext.msitadfs.glbdns2.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 cs1.wpc.v0cdn.net

127.0.0.1 df.telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 diagnostics.support.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 fe2.update.microsoft.com.akadns.net

127.0.0.1 feedback.microsoft-hohm.com

127.0.0.1 feedback.search.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 feedback.windows.com

127.0.0.1 i1.services.social.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 i1.services.social.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

127.0.0.1 ipv6.msftncsi.com

127.0.0.1 login.live.com

127.0.0.1 m.adnxs.com

127.0.0.1 msftncsi.com

127.0.0.1 oca.telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 oca.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

127.0.0.1 pre.footprintpredict.com

127.0.0.1 redir.metaservices.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 reports.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 schemas.microsoft.akadns.net

127.0.0.1 services.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 settings-sandbox.data.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 settings-win.data.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 sls.update.microsoft.com.akadns.net

127.0.0.1 sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net

127.0.0.1 statsfe1.ws.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 statsfe2.update.microsoft.com.akadns.net

127.0.0.1 statsfe2.ws.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 survey.watson.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 telemetry.appex.bing.net

127.0.0.1 telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 telemetry.urs.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 vortex-bn2.metron.live.com.nsatc.net

127.0.0.1 vortex-cy2.metron.live.com.nsatc.net

127.0.0.1 vortex.data.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 vortex-sandbox.data.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 vortex-win.data.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 watson.live.com

127.0.0.1 watson.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com

127.0.0.1 www.msftncsi.com

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