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Disable user participation in Office Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP)

Overview​

About this script

This script improves your privacy on Windows.

These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.

This script disables user participation in the Microsoft Office Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) 1.

The CEIP allows Microsoft Office users to send usage information to Microsoft 1. When users join this program, Office applications transmit data to Microsoft about the user's interaction with the software 1. Part of this data includes identifying details, such as the user's IP address used during the data transfer 1.

By default, when running Microsoft Office for the first time, users are given the choice to join the CEIP 1. If they accept, their Office applications will periodically send usage statistics to Microsoft 1.

Implementing this script ensures:

  • Users will not have the choice to participate in the CEIP 1.
  • Office applications won't send any CEIP usage data to Microsoft 1.

Prioritizing privacy, the US Department of Defense (DoD) suggests this configuration to enhance the security and privacy of the operating system 2.

Technical Details​

This modifies the HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\<Version>\Common!QMEnable policy setting 1 2 3. If this policy is not configured, it acts as if the policy is set to Enabled 1. This means that users are offered the choice to join the CEIP during their initial use of Office 1 2. This script sets this value to 0, which disables the Customer Experience Improvement Program 1 2 3.

This script affects Office versions from 2013 to 2021 4:

Version NumberProduct Name
15.0Office 2013
16.0Office 2016
16.0Office 2019
16.0Office 2021

Tests on Office versions 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021 confirm that these registry values are not present in a default installation.

This script uses Batch (batchfile) scripting language.

Safe for General Use

This script is recommended for all users. It helps to improve privacy without affecting stability.

Implementation Details

  • Language: batch

  • Required Privileges: Administrator rights

  • Compatibility: Windows only

  • Reversibility: Can be undone using provided revert script

Explore Categories​

This action belongs to Disable Microsoft Office telemetry category. This category includes scripts that disable various telemetry and data collection features in Microsoft Office applications. Microsoft Office collects telemetry data to improve user experience and product functionality. However, this data collection raises privacy concerns. The scripts in this... Read more on category page ▶

Apply now​

Choose one of three ways to apply:

  1. Automatically via privacy.sexy: The easiest and safest option.
  2. Manually by downloading: Requires downloading a file.
  3. Manually by copying: Advanced flexibility.

Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy​

privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily.

Open privacy.sexy

You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using the application.

privacy.sexy instructions
  1. Open or download the desktop application
  2. Search for the script name: Disable user participation in Office Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP).
  3. Check the script by clicking on the checkbox.
  4. Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.

Alternative 2. Download​

Irreversible Changes

This script is irreversible, meaning there is no straightforward method to restore changes once applied. Exercise caution before running, restoring it may not be possible.

  1. Download the script file by clicking on the button below:

    Download script

  2. Run the script file by clicking on it.

Download revert script​

This file restores your system to its original state, before this script is applied.

Download restore script

Alternative 3. Copy​

This is for advanced users. Consider automatically applying or downloading the script for simpler way.

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
HELP: Step-by-step guide

  1. Click on Start menu

  2. Type cmd

  3. Right click on Command Prompt select Run as administrator

  4. Click on Yes to run Command Prompt

Animation showing how to open terminal as administrator on Windows 11

  1. Copy the following code:
Code to apply changes
:: Set the registry value: "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common!QMEnable"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$registryPath = 'HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common'; $data = '0'; reg add 'HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common' /v 'QMEnable' /t 'REG_DWORD' /d "^""$data"^"" /f"
:: Set the registry value: "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common!QMEnable"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$registryPath = 'HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common'; $data = '0'; reg add 'HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common' /v 'QMEnable' /t 'REG_DWORD' /d "^""$data"^"" /f"
  1. Right click on command prompt to paste it.
  2. Press Enter to apply remaining code.

Copy restore code​

Copy and run the following code to restore changes:

Revert code
:: Delete the registry value "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common!QMEnable"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "reg delete 'HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common' /v 'QMEnable' /f 2>$null"
:: Delete the registry value "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common!QMEnable"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "reg delete 'HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common' /v 'QMEnable' /f 2>$null"

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