This video will show you how to increase the security of Windows 10. It includes the following:

  1. Privacy Settings
  2. Unpaired Devices
  3. Location Access
  4. Ad Tracking
  5. Permissions & History
  6. Secure Windows 10

How to Make Windows 10 More Secure

 

Disable communication with unpaired devices

Windows applications can automatically send and receive information with other wireless devices that don’t explicitly pair with your device. This feature enables applications on your device, to send and share information with store-tracking beacons, which send ads to you whenever you’re nearby. Disabling this feature will make Windows 10 more secure.

To disable this Windows feature, do the following:

  1. Open Windows Settings and click on the “Privacy” icon.
  2. Click on “Other devices” on the left, then turn off Communicate with unpaired devices.

 

Turn off Windows Activity History

From Windows 10 build 17040 onwards, Microsoft has added settings that enables the user to view and manage his/her Activity history, which Cortana uses to help the user resume his activities from where last he/she left off.

To make Windows 10 more secure, it is recommended to turn off these settings:

  1. Open Windows Settings and click on the “Privacy” icon.
  2. Click on “Activity history” on the left, then uncheck the box that says, Send my activity history to Microsoft.

 

Disable location services & tracking

If you’re a person that doesn’t like the idea of Windows 10 tracking your location all the time, it can quickly be turned off. Locations services can be disabled for an individual user account, or every user account on your PC. Increase Windows 10 security by disabling this feature.

How to disable location tracking on Windows 10:

  1. Click on the start menu, and go to Windows Settings.
  2. Click on Privacy, then click on Location.
  3. Disable location tracking by changing the “Allow access to location on this device” setting.

 

Disable ad tracking & advertising ID

Windows 10 comes integrated with advertising capabilities. Whenever you receive a personalized ad, it means they are tracking your data usage. Turning off this feature will secure Windows 10 and disable it from sending out your data.

Advertising can be disabled from within Windows Settings:

  1. Open Settings and click on Privacy.
  2. Turn off and disable the required privacy options, including Let apps use advertising ID and Let websites provide locally relevant content.

 

Manage Cortana by disabling, “Hey, Cortana!”

By disabling these options, you can basically make Cortana invisible. Cortana has been a nuisance since the release of Windows 10 due to its nature of tracking your activities and monitoring your microphone. Microsoft has confirmed that they have used it for this exact purpose rather than just a voice assistant.

How to completely disable Windows Cortana

  1. Click on the start menu to search Windows, and search for Regedit and then open it up.
  2. On the left pane, locate the “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Policies > Microsoft > Windows”.
  3. Right-click on the Windows directory, and choose “New Key” – name it Windows Search, and hit enter.
  4. After creating the key, right-click on Windows Search directory, then right-click in the empty area and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Type in AllowCortana then hit enter.
  5. Double-click AllowCortana, and type in 0 under Value Data to disable Windows Cortana.