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Disable Desktop Analytics telemetry

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Works with Windows 10 and 11Works with Windows Vista, XP, 7, 8, 10, 11, and Windows Server 2008 or newer.
  • Windows onlyThis script improves your privacy on Windows
  • Multiple actionsThis page belongs to a category, containing some changes with similar goal.
  • Impact: Minimum

    System Functionality / Data Loss Risk: Low

    This action improves privacy with minimal impact when you run the recommended script.

  • Batch (batchfile)These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.
  • 5 scripts
  • No subcategories
  • 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​

Desktop Analytics is a cloud-based service that provides insights about Windows devices in an organization. The service provides insight and intelligence from user data 1.

Desktop Analytics collects diagnostic data from enrolled Windows devices and sends it to Microsoft cloud services 1. It creates an inventory of apps running in an organization. This data provides insights about application compatibility and pilot identification to help IT administrators in organizations evaluate the readiness and compatibility of devices for Windows feature updates 1.

To enable data collection, Desktop Analytics configures settings on the device registry and group policies related to commercial ID, telemetry levels, and data sharing 2.

While this data sharing raises potential privacy concerns, Microsoft states that privacy controls allow organizations to limit data collection 1.

Desktop Analytics is retired since November 30, 2022 in favor of Microsoft Intune and Configuration Manager 3.

Safe for General Use
This script has Normal protection level option. This is recommended for all users to improve without any noticeable impact on the system functionality.
Sources
PrivacyLearn.com maintains strict sourcing standards for accuracy, integrity and up-to-date content. Our content relies on authoritative sources including vendor documentation, industry standards, and verified research. Learn more about our verification process and quality standards in our editorial standards page.

Apply Now​

Choose one of two ways to apply:

Download script​

Download and run the script directly
  • No app needed
  • Offline usage
  • Easy-to-apply
  • Free
  • Open-source

Normal — Everyday Privacy (Enterprise-Grade)​

  • Recommended for all
  • Safe for daily use
  • No impact on system stability

Read more about Normal and other protection levels

Help

How to apply or restore "Disable Desktop Analytics telemetry" using script​

  • ≈ 2 min to complete
  • Tools: Web Browser
  • Difficulty: Simple
  • ≈ 6 instructions
  1. 1

    Choose protection

    Choose one of the options with different impact levels:

    • Normal

      Some safe changes minimal system impact.

    • High

      Some potentially impactful changes with moderate system impact.
  2. 2

    Download

    Download the script file by clicking on the   Apply protection  button above.
    Use   Undo protection button above to restore changes.
  3. 3

    Keep the file

    If warned by your browser, keep the file.
  4. 4

    Open

    Open the downloaded file.
  5. 5

    Exit

    Once it's done, press any key to exit the window.
  6. 6

    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
  • Shows the code
  • Free
  • Open-source
  • Popular
  • Offline/Online usage
Open privacy.sexy
Help

How to apply or restore "Disable Desktop Analytics telemetry" using privacy.sexy​

  • ≈ 3 min to complete
  • Tools: privacy.sexy
  • Difficulty: Simple
  • ≈ 4 instructions
privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily with more advanced options.
  1. 1

    Open or download

    Open or download the desktop application
  2. 2

    Choose script

    1. Search for the category name: Disable Desktop Analytics telemetry
    2. Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.

    Applying Normal to limit the impact.

  3. 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.

Explore This Guide​

  • 5 Privacy settings

Choose what to protect based on your needs:

Click any option to learn more about what it does.

Each change can be applied and reversed individually.

  • Some settings and commands may require technical knowledge to apply correctly.
  • Most users find the Normal protection above sufficient.

Disable processing of Desktop Analytics

This script ensures that Microsoft does not process Windows diagnostic data from your device. When activated, it modifies a setting known as the Group Policy object on your device. This object is a set of policies that determine how your system operates. The script disables a policy related to Microsoft's Desktop Analytics service. This service is designed to provide insights into the health and usage of your devices but may involve processing diagnostic data. By disabling this policy, the scrip...

Disable sending device name in Windows diagnostic data

This script enhances privacy by ensuring that the name of your device is anonymized in any diagnostic data collected by Microsoft Desktop Analytics. In other words, instead of your actual device name, "Unknown" will appear in the data. Since the release of Windows 10, version 1803, the device name is not included in the diagnostic data by default. This script guarantees that this privacy-enhancing measure remains in place. When implemented, it changes a specific registry setting, `AllowDeviceNam...

Disable collection of Edge browsing data for Desktop Analytics

This script configures Microsoft Edge to prevent it from sending your browsing history data to Desktop Analytics. This browsing data can include information from either your intranet or internet history, or both. When you use Microsoft Edge for browsing, it can collect and send your browsing history to Desktop Analytics, a Microsoft service that helps enterprises to analyze and improve their IT environment. If this setting is disabled, Microsoft Edge does not send any browsing history data, ther...

Disable diagnostics data processing for Business cloud

This script controls whether diagnostic data from your device is processed by Windows Update for Business cloud. If enabled, the script can enhance privacy by ensuring that diagnostic data from your device is not processed by the Windows Update for Business cloud (WufB), an update management service provided by Microsoft. This service typically helps businesses manage updates on their devices efficiently. But if privacy is a concern, you can opt to disable it. The policy is applicable to devices...

Disable Update Compliance processing of diagnostics data

Update Compliance is a service provided by Microsoft hosted in Azure, which uses Windows diagnostic data. This service doesn't meet the US Government community compliance (GCC) requirements, and is utilized by both Desktop Analytics and Azure Update Management. This script is designed to disable the Update Compliance processing of diagnostic data on your device. When this script is run, it modifies the system registry to prevent diagnostic data from your device being processed by Update Complian...

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About the Creators​

These people have authored this documentation and written its scripts:

  • Avatar of undergroundwires. The creator of PrivacyLearn and privacy.sexy. Black and white portrait showing a person wearing a polka dot tie and suit jacket, reflecting the professional expertise behind the privacy protection tools.
    • Certified security professional
    • 7+ years experience securing banks
    • Open-source developer since 2005
    • EU advisor, Public Speaker, Moderator
    • Hundreds across the globe
    • Testers, reviewers, developers
    • Companies, military agencies
    • Community since 2017
About Us

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.

Review Change History Our Change Process