Disable automatic cloud configuration downloads
- Windows onlyThis script improves your privacy on Windows
- Single actionThis page belongs to a script, containing basic changes to achieve a task.
- Impact: Medium
System Functionality / Data Loss Risk: Moderate
This action improves privacy with minimal impact when you run the recommended script.
This action improves privacy with some impact when you run the recommended script. - Batch (batchfile)These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.
- Administrator rights requiredThis script requires privilege access to do the system changes
- Fully reversible
You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using this website.
The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.
Overview
This script turns off the OneSettings service, a feature from Microsoft that downloads configuration settings 1. This action can enhance the privacy and security of your Windows desktop environment by managing a feature called the Services Configuration 1.
Services Configuration is a mechanism that various Windows components and apps use to update their settings dynamically 2 3. By default, Windows periodically tries to connect with the OneSettings service to download configuration settings 1. This script turns off that function, reducing the chance of data being shared with third-party vendors 1.
This script is recommended by CIS Microsoft Windows Desktop Benchmarks 1. Please be aware that turning off this service might affect how certain apps that rely on this service work 3.
The script changes a registry setting to disable OneSettings downloads 3 1. It also provides a revert code to undo this change, if needed, which returns the system to its previous state.
If you want to limit how much data is sent to Microsoft, turning off the OneSettings service can help enhance your privacy 1. For more information about the impact of OneSettings on privacy, visit learn.microsoft.com.
This script lets you manage your privacy by restricting the automatic configuration updates of Windows components and apps, including telemetry services, from the cloud 3 1.
By using this script, Windows will not connect to OneSettings to fetch any configuration settings 1. This reduces the amount of data sent to third-party vendors, which can help alleviate potential security concerns 1.
However, please be aware that while this setting can enhance privacy, turning off this service could lead to some applications not working properly. These applications may depend on dynamic configuration updates that will be stopped when the service is disabled 3 1.
This script is only recommended if you understand its implications.
Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this script.
This script can be fully reversed to restore changes if something goes wrong.
Sources
- learn.microsoft.com. (2023).
Original: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/basic-level-windows-diagnostic-events-and-fields-1809
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20230803025857/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/basic-level-windows-diagnostic-events-and-fields-1809 - 18.9.17.3 Ensure 'Disable OneSettings Downloads' is set to 'En.... Tenable. (2023).
Original: https://www.tenable.com/audits/items/CIS_MS_Windows_10_Enterprise_Level_1_Bitlocker_v1.12.0.audit:b3aec171f406cbe87f37e57bc9dd1411
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20230803030428/https://www.tenable.com/audits/items/CIS_MS_Windows_10_Enterprise_Level_1_Bitlocker_v1.12.0.audit:b3aec171f406cbe87f37e57bc9dd1411 - Service Configuration - Win32 apps. Microsoft Learn. (2023).
Original: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/services/service-configuration
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20230803024926/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/services/service-configuration - Manage connections from Windows 10 and Windows 11 Server/Enterprise editions operating system components to Microsoft services - Windows Privacy. Microsoft Learn. (2023).
Original: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/manage-connections-from-windows-operating-system-components-to-microsoft-services
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20230911110911/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/manage-connections-from-windows-operating-system-components-to-microsoft-services#31-services-configuration
Apply Now
Choose one of three ways to apply:
Download script
Download and run the script directly- No app needed
- Offline usage
- Easy-to-apply
- Free
- Open-source
Help
How to apply or restore "Disable automatic cloud configuration downloads" using script
- ≈ 2 min to complete
- Tools: Web Browser
- Difficulty: Simple
- ≈ 5 instructions
- 1
Download
Download the script file by clicking on thebutton above.
Use button above to restore changes. - 2
Keep the file
If warned by your browser, keep the file. - 3
Open
Open the downloaded file. - 4
Exit
Once it's done, press any key to exit the window. - 5
Restart
Restart your computer for all changes to take effect.
Apply with privacy.sexy
Guided, automated application with safety checks- Recommended for most users
- Includes safety checks
- Free
- Open-source
- Popular
- Offline/Online usage
Help
How to apply or restore "Disable automatic cloud configuration downloads" using privacy.sexy
- ≈ 3 min to complete
- Tools: privacy.sexy
- Difficulty: Simple
- ≈ 4 instructions
- 2
Choose script
- Search for the script name: Disable automatic cloud configuration downloads
- Check the script by clicking on the checkbox.
- 3
Run
Click on ▶️ Run button at the bottom of the page.This button only appears on desktop version (recommended). On browser, use 💾 Save button.
- Apply
- Revert
:: Set the registry value: "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection!DisableOneSettingsDownloads"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$registryPath = 'HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection'; $data = '1'; reg add 'HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection' /v 'DisableOneSettingsDownloads' /t 'REG_DWORD' /d "^""$data"^"" /f"
Ijo6IERlbGV0ZSB0aGUgcmVnaXN0cnkgdmFsdWUgXCJIS0xNXFxTb2Z0d2FyZVxcUG9saWNpZXNcXE1pY3Jvc29mdFxcV2luZG93c1xcRGF0YUNvbGxlY3Rpb24hRGlzYWJsZU9uZVNldHRpbmdzRG93bmxvYWRzXCJcblBvd2VyU2hlbGwgLUV4ZWN1dGlvblBvbGljeSBVbnJlc3RyaWN0ZWQgLUNvbW1hbmQgXCJyZWcgZGVsZXRlICdIS0xNXFxTb2Z0d2FyZVxcUG9saWNpZXNcXE1pY3Jvc29mdFxcV2luZG93c1xcRGF0YUNvbGxlY3Rpb24nIC92ICdEaXNhYmxlT25lU2V0dGluZ3NEb3dubG9hZHMnIC9mIDI+JG51bGxcIiI=
Help
How to apply or restore "Disable automatic cloud configuration downloads" using commands
- ≈ 2 min to complete
- Tools: Command Prompt
- Difficulty: Medium
- ≈ 3 instructions
- 1
Open Command Prompt
Open Command Prompt as Administrator. - 2
Copy code
Copy the code: - 3
Paste & run
Paste the commands into Command Prompt and press Enter to run.Some changes require a system restart to take effect
Similar Guides
Wider Goal
Guides below includes this guide to achieve a wider goal.See other more general settings that includes this one as one of its actions.
These plans combine multiple privacy settings, including this one, for stronger protection.
- Disable Windows telemetry and data collection
- Disable OS data collection
Windows online privacy maintenance tip: disable Windows telemetry and data collection to enhance secure data privacy maintenance — this feature helps you analyze h...
Disable OS data collection — to reduce data exposure leveraging important data privacy safeguard on Windows. What follows is, this guidance provides instructions t...
Same Goal
Other guides in Disable Windows telemetry and data collectionSee settings that are in the same category as this guide.
Using other actions in the same category may help you achieve your goal better.
About the Creators
These people have authored this documentation and written its scripts:
Reviewed By
This guide has undergone comprehensive auditing and peer review:Expert review by undergroundwires
- Verified technical accuracy and editorial standards
- Assessed system impact and user privacy risks
Public review by large community
- Privacy enthusiasts and professionals peer-reviewed
- Millions of end-users tested across different environments
History
We continually monitor our guides, their impact and all other privacy options. We update our guides when new information becomes available. On every update, we publicly store who made the change, what has been changed, why the change was made and when the change was made.