Warning
Use an administrator account for these steps, and keep a recent backup before making repair or security changes.
What you will achieve
Tighten Windows privacy without breaking usability — what to turn off and what to leave on.
1) Change global privacy defaults
- Open Settings → Privacy & security → General.
- Disable advertising ID and tailored experiences if not needed.
- Set diagnostics to Required.
2) Review app permissions
Under Privacy & security, review Location, Camera, Microphone, and file access toggles per app.
3) Harden account sync
Under Accounts → Windows backup, disable sync categories you do not need on shared machines.