How to Block Telemetry in Windows 7 and Protect Your Privacy

Here we can see, “How to Block Telemetry in Windows 7 and Protect Your Privacy”

Whether you like it or not, Microsoft does not directly disclose the kind of data it gathers as part of the telemetry for Windows 7 and 8.1, however it does make you aware of it.

More importantly, Redmond hides the information contained in the telemetry that its servers gather from your PC.

Thankfully, some creative users were able to quickly come up with several alternatives to restrict Microsoft’s data collecting and transfer policies.

In this article, we’ll explain what you can do to attempt and block telemetry in Windows 7 and 8.1.

We can’t guarantee that after you make the suggested modifications, Microsoft won’t still be able to collect data from your machine.

How do I turn off Microsoft Telemetry in Windows 7?

1. Remove telemetry and diagnostic data updates

These are the Windows updates for telemetry first:

KB971033: Description of the update for Windows Activation Technologies
KB2952664: Compatibility update for keeping Windows up-to-date in Windows 7
KB2976978: Compatibility update for keeping Windows up-to-date in Windows 8.1 and
Windows 8
KB2977759: Compatibility update for Windows 7 RTM
KB2990214: Update that enables you to upgrade from Windows 7 to a later version 
of Windows
KB3021917: Update to Windows 7 SP1 for performance improvements
KB3022345: Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry
KB3035583: Update installs Get Windows 10 app in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 SP1
KB3044374: Update that enables you to upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10
KB3068708: Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry
KB3075249: Update that adds telemetry points to consent.exe in Windows 8.1 
and Windows 7
KB3080149: Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry
KB3123862: Updated capabilities to upgrade to Windows 8.1 and Windows 7

You must hit the Windows key, enter Windows Update, and then press Enter to uninstall any of these updates. To remove the patch from the system, choose the installed update that you want to remove from the list and then right-click.

Recall that Microsoft has a bad habit of routinely releasing the unpleasant Windows 7, 8.1 updates KB2952664 and KB2976978.

Despite the lack of definite evidence, many users assume these upgrades merely spy on them.

Another approach is to enter a search term in the Windows Search bar while pressing the Shift and Ctrl keys at the same time.

This method leads you to an elevated command prompt. You can also use the command wusa/uninstall/kb:add the KB number/quiet/norestart to uninstall the updates.

Replicate the instruction, replacing the digits after “kb:” with the serial number of the unwanted update.

2. Remove the diagnostic tracking service

Although your system may already be free of the diagnostic tracking service, it pays to be extra vigilant and look for it.

The following instructions can be used to check if your PC still has the telemetry service installed. Run the following commands in an elevated command prompt first:

• • sc stop Diagtrack: it stops the Diagtrack service.
  • sc delete Diagtrack: this command deletes the Diagtrack service.

3. Run this script to block Windows 7 telemetry

On your Windows 7 PC, you can use and execute a particular script if you’re seeking for a quick fix. The majority of the telemetry technologies that Microsoft placed on your device will be disabled by this script.

For more information, you can check out this GitHub page and get the script from there.

4. Disable Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program

Disabling the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program, often known as CEIP, is one method for manually preventing telemetry. Do the following to make it inactive:

1. 1. Change the Action Center settings by going to Control Panel > Action Center.
   2. Improvement of the Customer Experience Settings for the programs in the Related settings
   3. Select I’m not interested in taking part in the program, no. Click Save Changes now.

You must now make Task Scheduler’s telemetry tasks inactive. Follow these steps to do that:

1. 1. Access the Control Panel > Administrative Tools by clicking there. Choose Task Scheduler next.
   2. Go to the Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > Application Experience in the left pane.
   3. Disable the ProgramDataUpdater and AITAgent tasks in the right pane.
   4. Go to the Customer Experience Improvement Program section of the Task Scheduler Library under Microsoft > Windows.
   5. Disable the Consolidator, KernelCeipTask, and USBCeip tasks in the right pane.

Remember that while using this technique should disable most telemetry settings, not all of them will be.

Conclusion

I hope you found this guide useful. If you’ve got any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to use the shape below.

User Questions

1. How can I prevent Microsoft from watching me?

1. 1. If you have a Microsoft account online (optional). Select Privacy from the Settings menu, followed by Activity History.
   2. Disable every setting as depicted in the image.
   3. To erase past activity history, select Clear under Clear activity history.

2. How do I configure my PC for privacy?

Select Start, then Settings, then Privacy & security to accomplish this. A list of available privacy options will be displayed. There are links to individual privacy options on the left side of the page. See the Data collection summary for Windows for further details.

3. Does Windows 7 come with security built-in?

Even though Windows 7 has some built-in security features, you should still run some antivirus programs from a third party to protect yourself from malware infections and other issues. This is especially important given that most of the victims of the massive WannaCry ransomware attack were Windows 7 users. Hackers are likely to target.

4. Blocking Telemetry in Windows 7 and 8.1 : r/privacy – Reddit

Blocking Telemetry in Windows 7 and 8.1 from privacy

5. How to make Windows as private as possible : r/privacytoolsIO

How to make Windows as private as possible from privacytoolsIO