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Disable customer experience data consolidation

Overview​

About this script

This script improves your privacy on Windows.

These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.

This script disables the "Consolidator" scheduled task.

The "Consolidator" task is a part of the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) 1 2 3 4. When enabled, this task collects and sends usage data to Microsoft 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9. Introduced in Windows Vista 1, this task is present in later Windows versions 5.

Disabling this task offers several benefits:

  • Enhances privacy. Microsoft states that disabling this task stops Windows data collection 5 6. The governments of Poland 10 and Argentina 11 recommend disabling it for privacy
  • Improves system performance. Microsoft acknowledges that the task can degrade performance and impact other users and services 2 5 6. Microsoft also recommends disabling the task to optimize system performance 2 5 6.
  • Increases your security. In the past, malicious software has exploited this task 12. Disabling it reduces the attack surface by eliminating a potential exploitation vector.

It is safe to disable this task according to Microsoft:

  • This task is not essential for core operating system functions 2 5 6.
  • It is not needed in all environments 2.
  • It should be disabled when deemed unnecessary 2 3 5 6.

Technical Details​

The task uses a program named wsqmcons.exe 1. The name wsqmcons stands for "Windows SQM Consolidator" 13 or "Windows Software Quality Management Consolidator" 14. This program runs daily if the user is part of CEIP 1. When it runs, it collects and transmits usage data to Microsoft 1 9. The process resides in the %SYSTEMROOT%\System32 folder 1.

CEIP data collection includes two tasks 7 8:

  1. Consolidator: Gathers and compresses CEIP data 7 8.
  2. Uploader: Sends the data to Microsoft 7 8.

Overview of default task statuses​

\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\Consolidator:

OS VersionDefault status
Windows 10 22H2🟢 Ready
Windows 11 22H2🟢 Ready
Windows 11 23H2🟢 Ready

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 background customer experience data collection category. This category includes scripts that disable scheduled tasks from the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP). The CEIP, designed by Microsoft, collects background data on user interactions with its products. This data collection is executed through multiple background tasks that... 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 customer experience data consolidation.
  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
:: Disable scheduled task(s): `\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\Consolidator`
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$taskPathPattern='\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\'; $taskNamePattern='Consolidator'; Write-Output "^""Disabling tasks matching pattern `"^""$taskNamePattern`"^""."^""; $tasks = @(Get-ScheduledTask -TaskPath $taskPathPattern -TaskName $taskNamePattern -ErrorAction Ignore); if (-Not $tasks) { Write-Output "^""Skipping, no tasks matching pattern `"^""$taskNamePattern`"^"" found, no action needed."^""; exit 0; }; $operationFailed = $false; foreach ($task in $tasks) { $taskName = $task.TaskName; if ($task.State -eq [Microsoft.PowerShell.Cmdletization.GeneratedTypes.ScheduledTask.StateEnum]::Disabled) { Write-Output "^""Skipping, task `"^""$taskName`"^"" is already disabled, no action needed."^""; continue; }; try { $task | Disable-ScheduledTask -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; Write-Output "^""Successfully disabled task `"^""$taskName`"^""."^""; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to disable task `"^""$taskName`"^"": $($_.Exception.Message)"^""; $operationFailed = $true; }; }; if ($operationFailed) { Write-Output 'Failed to disable some tasks. Check error messages above.'; exit 1; }"
  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
:: Restore scheduled task(s) to default state: `\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\Consolidator`
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$taskPathPattern='\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\'; $taskNamePattern='Consolidator'; $shouldDisable =  $false; Write-Output "^""Enabling tasks matching pattern `"^""$taskNamePattern`"^""."^""; $tasks = @(Get-ScheduledTask -TaskPath $taskPathPattern -TaskName $taskNamePattern -ErrorAction Ignore); if (-Not $tasks) { Write-Warning ( "^""Missing task: Cannot enable, no tasks matching pattern `"^""$taskNamePattern`"^"" found."^"" + "^"" This task appears to be not included in this version of Windows."^"" ); exit 0; }; $operationFailed = $false; foreach ($task in $tasks) { $taskName = $task.TaskName; if ($shouldDisable) { if ($task.State -eq [Microsoft.PowerShell.Cmdletization.GeneratedTypes.ScheduledTask.StateEnum]::Disabled) { Write-Output "^""Skipping, task `"^""$taskName`"^"" is already disabled, no action needed."^""; continue; }; } else { if (($task.State -ne [Microsoft.PowerShell.Cmdletization.GeneratedTypes.ScheduledTask.StateEnum]::Disabled) -and ($task.State -ne [Microsoft.PowerShell.Cmdletization.GeneratedTypes.ScheduledTask.StateEnum]::Unknown)) { Write-Output "^""Skipping, task `"^""$taskName`"^"" is already enabled, no action needed."^""; continue; }; }; try { if ($shouldDisable) { $task | Disable-ScheduledTask -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; Write-Output "^""Successfully disabled task `"^""$taskName`"^""."^""; } else { $task | Enable-ScheduledTask -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; Write-Output "^""Successfully enabled task `"^""$taskName`"^""."^""; }; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to restore task `"^""$taskName`"^"": $($_.Exception.Message)"^""; $operationFailed = $true; }; }; if ($operationFailed) { Write-Output 'Failed to restore some tasks. Check error messages above.'; exit 1; }"

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