Disable app access to personal information
Overview
This category contains privacy scripts for Windows.
These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.
This category enhances your privacy by restricting app access to sensitive personal data. These scripts enable you to enforce the principle of least privilege ensuring that apps only have access to the information absolutely necessary for their legitimate function, thereby minimizing potential data misuse.
It specifically targets UWP (Universal Windows Platform) apps. These apps can be both native system apps 1 and third-party apps 2. They are typically available through the Microsoft Store 1 2. These scripts only affect UWP apps, not desktop applications outside the UWP ecosystem.
By disabling default app access to personal information and requiring explicit user permission, these scripts protect your security and privacy.
Disabling app access may affect the functionality of certain Microsoft Store, third-party, and system applications.
Be careful running these scripts. This category includes scripts with high impact:
- 🔴 Some not recommended scripts. They should only be used by advanced users. They may break important functionality.
- 🟡 Some recommended scripts only if you understand its implications. Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this this category.
- 🟢 Some safely recommended scripts. Safe-to use for any user.
Implementation Details
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Language: batch
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Scripts Count: 32 scripts
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Subcategories: 4
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Required Privileges: Administrator rights
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Compatibility: Windows only
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Reversibility: All changes can be reverted
Apply now
These scripts are written using Batch (batchfile) scripting language.
Choose one of two ways to apply:
- Automatically via privacy.sexy: The easiest and safest option.
- Manually by downloading: Requires downloading a file.
Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy
privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily.
It allows selectively choose parts of this action to conduct. You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using the application. Additionally, you can apply only the recommended scripts, instead of applying all of the scripts.
privacy.sexy instructions
- Open or download the desktop application
- Search for the category name:
Disable app access to personal information. - Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.
- Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.
Alternative 2. Download
You can choose to apply only scripts with less impact or also those with higher impact:
Strict
Recommended if you understand its implications. It may cause some non-critical features to no longer function correctly.
All
Not recommended for daily use as it breaks important functionality. It provides military-grade privacy, for special use-cases. Do not run it without having backups and system snapshots.
Consider restarting your computer for all changes to take affect.
This action is completely reversible, you can restore your changes to the initial/default state. The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.
If something goes wrong, use the Revert script provided above.
Standard
This script includes only Standard recommendation level.
Standard scripts in this category is recommended for all users. They help to improve privacy without affecting stability.
Download only standard scripts by clicking on the button:
Restore these changes if you decide to revert them by downloading the restore script:
Strict
This script includes Standard and Strict recommendation levels.
This script is only recommended if you understand their implications of every single change. Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this script.
Download Strict scripts:
Restore these changes if you decide to revert them by downloading the restore script:
All
This script includes Standard, Strict recommendation levels along with unrecommended scripts.
This script should only be used by advanced users. Some of these changes are NOT recommended for daily use as it breaks important functionality. Do not run it without having backups and system snapshots.
Download all scripts:
Restore these changes if you decide to revert them by downloading the restore script:
Explore further
This category includes total of 32 scripts and 4 subcategories.
Explore its 20 subscripts and 4 subcategories:
Disable app access to your files
This category limits the access of Windows apps to various user-specific folders and other file systems. It enhances privacy by restricting apps from accessing and manipulating files without explicit user permission.
Disable app access to phone
This category contains scripts that restrict app access to phone-related functionalities. They protect your privacy and security by ensuring communication details remain private and are accessible only when necessary.
Disable app access to Bluetooth devices
This category enhances user privacy by blocking unauthorized access to Bluetooth devices through Windows apps. It restricts Bluetooth connections, preventing apps from initiating unwanted communication or data exchange.
Disable app voice activation
This category safeguards against unauthorized app activation via voice commands. It includes measures to disable voice activation for apps, ensuring that apps cannot be triggered by voice and start listening without explicit user permission. This protects your security against potential eavesdropping or accidental triggering of applications.
Disable app access to location
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing your location. It restricts access to location-specific network information and sensors, enhancing your privacy and security. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessLocation") • Privacy settings user interface ("BFA794E4-F964-4FDB-90F6-51056BFE4B44", "location") • Location Services ("E6AD100E-5F4E-44CD-BE0F-2265D88D14F5", "lfsvc")
Disable app access to account information, name, and picture
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing account information. This includes your name and picture. By limiting this access, the script enhances your privacy by protecting against potential misuse of personal details by apps. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessAccountInfo") • Privacy settings user interface ("C1D23ACC-752B-43E5-8448-8D0E519CD6D6", "userAccountInformation")
Disable app access to motion activity
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing motion data. By running this script, you improve your privacy by preventing apps from automatically tracking physical movements without permission. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessMotion"). • Privacy settings user interface ("activity").
Disable app access to trusted devices
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing trusted devices. It restricts apps from automatically connecting to or controlling trusted devices without your permission, enhancing privacy protection. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessTrustedDevices")
Disable app access to unpaired wireless devices
This script prevents Windows apps from communicating with unpaired wireless devices. It prevents automatic sharing and synchronization of information with devices that aren't paired. For example, these devices can be gaming consoles (e.g., Xbox One), phones, TVs, tablets. By preventing apps from sending or receiving data from such devices, this script protects your security and privacy. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsSyncWithDevices") • Privacy settings user interface (`LooselyC...
Disable app access to camera
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing the camera. By disabling access, it ensures that no app can use the camera to capture photos or videos without explicit user permission, thereby protecting privacy. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessCamera") • Privacy settings user interface ("E5323777-F976-4f5b-9B55-B94699C46E44", "webcam")
Disable app access to microphone (breaks Sound Recorder)
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing the microphone. It enhances privacy by preventing apps from recording audio, which may include sensitive conversations. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessMicrophone") • Privacy settings user interface ("2EEF81BE-33FA-4800-9670-1CD474972C3F", "microphone")
Disable app access to information about other apps
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing diagnostic information about other apps. This includes details like user names, package information, memory usage, and account names for any running UWP apps. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsGetDiagnosticInfo") • Privacy settings user interface ("2297E4E2-5DBE-466D-A12B-0F8286F0D9CA", "appDiagnostics")
Disable app access to your contacts
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing your contact list. Your contact list may include sensitive details synced from various networks. This script improves privacy by safeguarding personal and sensitive details in your contact list by restrictings applications from automatically accessing it. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessContacts") • Privacy settings user interface ("7D7E8402-7C54-4821-A34E-AEEFD62DED93", "contacts")
Disable app access to notifications
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing notifications. It enhances privacy by ensuring that apps cannot access or manage notifications without explicit user permission. Notifications can contain personal or sensitive information. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessNotifications") • Privacy settings user interface ("52079E78-A92B-413F-B213-E8FE35712E72", "userNotificationListener")
Disable app access to calendar
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing the calendar data. This includes information about appointments from your synced network accounts. It protects personal schedule by preventing apps from automatically creating, reading or writing to calendars without explicit user permission. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessCalendar") • Privacy settings user interface ("D89823BA-7180-4B81-B50C-7E471E6121A3", "appointments")
Disable app access to email
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing email. It protects your privacy by blocking apps from automatically reading, sending, organizing emails without your permission. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessEmail") • Privacy settings user interface ("9231CB4C-BF57-4AF3-8C55-FDA7BFCC04C5", "email")
Disable app access to tasks
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing task data. These task items may be stored by Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) connections and other provider apps. This script protects your privacy by preventing unauthorized access without your permission to your task information. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessTasks") • Privacy settings user interface ("E390DF20-07DF-446D-B962-F5C953062741", "userDataTasks")
Disable app access to radios
This script prevents Windows apps from controlling radios, improving privacy by preventing unauthorized use or toggling of these components. This script ensures that apps cannot toggle device radios such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth without your explicit consent. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessRadios") • Privacy settings user interface ("A8804298-2D5F-42E3-9531-9C8C39EB29CE", "radios")
Disable app access to physical movement
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing spatial perception data. This includes movement of the user's head, hands, motion controllers, and other tracked objects, as well as nearby surfaces. This data may be accessed while the apps are running in the background. This script enhances privacy by preventing apps from accessing body-related data automatically , without explicit user permission. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessBackgroundSpatialPerception") • Privacy sett...
Disable app access to eye tracking
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing the eye tracker. This script improves privacy by blocking apps from tracking users' eye automatically without explicit user instruction. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessGazeInput") • Privacy settings user interface ("gazeInput")
Disable app access to human presence
This script prevents Windows apps from accessing presence sensing. Presence data includes information on user presence and engagement. This data could potentially be used to infer user behavior or activities. This script improves privacy by blocking apps from Presence Sensors on the device without explicit user instruction. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessHumanPresence") • Privacy settings user interface ("humanPresence")
Disable app access to screen capture
This script restricts Windows apps from taking screenshots of the user's screen. This script improves privacy by blocking apps from taking screenshots programmatically, and without showing a screenshot border, without explicit user instruction. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsAccessGraphicsCaptureProgrammatic", "LetAppsAccessGraphicsCaptureWithoutBorder") • Privacy settings user interface ("graphicsCaptureProgrammatic", "graphicsCaptureWithoutBorder")
Disable app access to background activity (breaks Cortana, Search, live tiles, notifications)
This script prevents Windows apps from running in the background. This script may improve system performance by reducing resource usage. This script configures: Windows policy ("LetAppsRunInBackground") • Privacy settings user interface ("BackgroundAccessApplications!GlobalUserDisabled")
Disable app access to input devices
This script prevents apps from accessing Human Interface Device (HID) capabilities. HIDs include a wide range of devices such as keyboards, mice, and other input devices that can communicate directly with the system. By restricting access, the script ensures that applications cannot intercept or record input data from these devices, thereby safeguarding user interactions. This script configures: Privacy settings user interface ("humanInterfaceDevice")
Explore Categories
This action belongs to Disable OS data collection category. This category configures Windows using 153 scripts. These scripts are organized in 33 categories. The category includes 14 subscripts and 13 subcategories that include more scripts and categories. Read more on category page ▶
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