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Disable Defender data collection

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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: 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.
  • 12 scripts
  • 1 categories
  • 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 category features scripts designed to reduce or eliminate data collection by Defender.

Disabling these features enhances privacy by limiting the information shared with Microsoft.

Although Microsoft Defender offers security benefits, it also collects data for analysis, service improvement, and threat detection. However, this data collection may raise privacy concerns for users. The scripts in this category allow you to:

  1. Minimize the data sent to Microsoft about your system and Defender usage.
  2. Reduce potential exposure of your files and system information.
  3. Limit Microsoft's ability to track your security-related activities.

Potential impacts of disabling data collection:

  1. Reduce Microsoft's ability to detect new threats quickly
  2. Limit the effectiveness of cloud-based protection features
  3. Potentially impact Microsoft's ability to improve Defender based on real-world data
Caution

This change enhances privacy but may reduce overall system security.

  1. Security Trade-off

    This action prioritizes privacy over certain security features. It's not recommended and should only be used by advanced users after understanding its implications.

    Increased Privacy

    Enhanced privacy through reduced data collection and tracking

    Decreased Security

    Some security features will be disabled or limited

    This script can be reversed, this action allows you to can restore the system security.

  2. Use with Caution

    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.

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

High — Advanced Privacy​

  • For advanced privacy-conscious users
  • May affect some features

Read more about High and other protection levels

Help

How to apply or restore "Disable Defender data collection" using script​

  • ≈ 2 min to complete
  • Tools: Web Browser
  • Difficulty: Simple
  • ≈ 5 instructions
  1. 1

    Download

    Download the script file by clicking on the   Apply protection  button above.
    Use   Undo protection button above to restore changes.
  2. 2

    Keep the file

    If warned by your browser, keep the file.
  3. 3

    Open

    Open the downloaded file.
  4. 4

    Exit

    Once it's done, press any key to exit the window.
  5. 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
  • Shows the code
  • Free
  • Open-source
  • Popular
  • Offline/Online usage
Open privacy.sexy
Help

How to apply or restore "Disable Defender data collection" 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 Defender data collection
    2. Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.
  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​

  • 12 Privacy settings
  • 1 Main categories
    • These settings are organized into 1 main categories for easy navigation.
    • Each main category contains subcategories, helping you find specific settings you might want to adjust.
  • 1 Total categories

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.

Disable Defender Antivirus cloud protection

This category contains scripts that disable or limit Microsoft Defender's cloud-based protection features. Microsoft Defender's cloud protection is also known as Microsoft MAPS (Microsoft Active Protection Service) or Microsoft SpyNet. It is an online community that helps detect and prevent the spread of malware. These features automatically collect data and send it to Microsoft. They leverage user data to identify potentially malicious programs, sharing details such as file information, IP addr...

Disable "Malicious Software Reporting Tool" diagnostic data

This script prevents Microsoft's Malicious Software Reporting Tool (MSRT) from transmitting diagnostic data. Malicious Software Reporting Tool is a component of the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT). The MSRT is designed to detect and remove specific, prevalent malware from Windows computers. The tool is integrated into Defender Antivirus. It's also downloaded and run automatically by Windows Update in the background. This tool raises significant privacy concerns: to track citiz...

Disable Defender Antivirus Watson event reporting

This script prevents Defender from sending Watson events to Microsoft. Watson events are automatically sent reports to Microsoft when a program or service crashes or fails. By default, these reports are sent automatically. This script specifically targets reporting behavior of Defender Antivirus without affecting other applications or services that may use Watson events. Disabling Watson events enhances privacy by preventing the automatic submission of potentially sensitive information about...

Disable Defender Antivirus telemetry

This script disables telemetry collection by Defender, enhancing user privacy. By default, Microsoft collects telemetry data from Microsoft Defender Antivirus and other Defender software. This data collection is referred to as 1DS telemetry. Microsoft's One Data Strategy (1DS) centralizes and collects telemetry from various Microsoft services and tools. The strategy collects data from various Microsoft services and tools. The Microsoft Defender Core Service collects telemetry for Microsoft Defen...

Disable Defender Antivirus remote experimentation and configurations

This script disables the remote configurations and experimentation features of the Microsoft Defender Core service. It enhances privacy by limiting the data Microsoft collects about your system and usage habits. It may improve system performance by reducing background processes related to these features. Disabling this feature may affect Microsoft's ability to improve the Defender product. This script specifically targets the Microsoft Defender Core Service. This service is a part of Defender ...

Disable Defender Antivirus Azure data collection

This script disables the Azure data collection library by removing "MpAzSubmit.dll" Microsoft refers to this library as the MpAzSubmit Module and Microsoft Malware Protection. This file is responsible for: Sending data to Azure storage • HTTP communications and REST APIs • It logs events and errors This script enhances privacy by preventing Defender Antivirus from sending potentially sensitive data to Microsoft's cloud services. It may also slightly improve boot performance by reduci...

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.

This category offers scripts to disable Windows security components related to Defender. Defender is also referred to as Microsoft Defender or Windows Defender. Al...
Visit category page

Same Goal​

Other guides in Disable Defender 

See settings that are in the same category as this guide.

Using other actions in the same category may help you achieve your goal better.

See all 8 guides

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