Telemetry & Location Tracking: What Windows Collects & How to Stop It

Quick Answers

Common questions answered at a glance

What is telemetry?

Telemetry is data that Windows gathers about your computer and transmits to Microsoft. This includes what applications you are using, how often you are using them, crash reports, and typing habits. It runs through 3-5 background services, which utilize 50-200MB of RAM and send data to Microsoft each day.

What is location tracking?

What data does Windows gather?

Will disabling telemetry enhance my gaming performance?

Should I disable telemetry and location tracking?

Windows is tracking far more than you may think. At the moment, your computer is logging all of the applications you use, how long you used them, your typing habits, and even where you are physically. All of that information is then transmitted to Microsoft in the background.This guide will explain what telemetry and location tracking really mean, which information Windows gathers, why Windows does it, and how to stop it. Additionally, you'll learn about what you're giving up when you turn off these two options — since those tradeoffs do matter.

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What is telemetry?

Think of a store that keeps track of everything you touch, how long you examine it, and what aisle you walk down. This is basically what Windows telemetry does — only instead of items you touch, it logs all of your activity on your computer.Each time you start an application, Windows logs that you opened it. Each time an application crashes, Windows logs what happened. Each time you type, Windows logs your typing pattern. All of this information is compiled into a bundle and transmitted to Microsoft's servers in the background.Microsoft calls this “diagnostic data.” The formal reason for this is so they can continue to create and improve Windows. While this is true, it also means that your PC is running background processes continuously collecting, packaging, and transmitting diagnostic data — and this consumes system resources you would rather use for something else.Performance impact. There are three to five Windows services that operate continuously in the background to collect telemetry. Collectively, they consume approximately 50-200MB of RAM and transmit 10-50MB of data to Microsoft each day. To collect and compile this data, they use Processor cycles, consume network bandwidth, and compete with your games and applications for system resources. On a high-end computer with 32GB of RAM, 100MB is relatively inconsequential. For a mid-range computer with 8-16GB of RAM, every single background service adds up.

What is location tracking?

Location tracking is Windows monitoring your physical location. It uses three different methods to determine your location: GPS (if your device has one), nearby WiFi networks (your PC looks at the nearby WiFi networks and tries to determine your exact location using triangulation), and your IP address (which gives an approximate location).Your location is logged as a history and synced to all of your Microsoft devices. Windows uses this data to give you weather updates, automatically adjust your time zone based on your location, Find My Device, and personalized search results.How location tracking works. Although your device does not have a GPS chip, Windows can estimate your location to within hundreds of feet using WiFi triangulation. Windows scans nearby WiFi networks, compares them to Microsoft's database of known WiFi network locations, and determines where you are. Your IP address gives an estimated location at the city level as a backup. All of this data is stored both on your local device and in your Microsoft account.Privacy implications. Your location history shows patterns: where you work, where you live, and where you go on the weekends. This data is saved in your Microsoft account, and can be shared with third-party applications.

Who should disable telemetry and location tracking?

Who will benefit most. Disabling telemetry and location tracking makes sense for privacy-minded users who want to control what data is leaving their computer, gamers who want to reduce all background processes for improved performance, users who are on metered connections who don't want background uploads eating their data, and anyone who wants to be transparent about what data is being gathered.What do you give up. Disabling these features means no longer receiving automated weather based on your location (you will have to manually enter the city — it will take about 10 seconds), you will no longer have automatic time zone detection (you will have to manually change it if you travel), Find My Device will no longer locate your lost device (the largest trade-off for laptop owners), you will receive less personalized search results, and Microsoft will receive less data to improve Windows.

How to disable telemetry and location tracking

Disable telemetry

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.2. Click Privacy & Security (Windows 11) or Privacy (Windows 10).3. Click Diagnostics & Feedback.4. Under “Diagnostic data,” select “Required diagnostic data” (this is the minimum — Windows will not allow you to disable it altogether without registry changes or group policy edits).5. Uncheck “Improve inking and typing.”6. Uncheck “Tailored experiences.”7. Under “Delete diagnostic data,” click Delete to remove any previously collected data.Note: Windows does not permit you to completely disable telemetry using Settings. The “Required” option still transmits minimal hardware data and error data. As NinjaOne's Andrew Gono explains, you cannot fully disable Windows telemetry on Windows 11 Home workstations — essential diagnostic data will still be sent to maintain system stability. You can only completely disable telemetry by editing the registry or through group policy edits on Pro and Enterprise editions — which is where most users become stuck.

Disable location tracking

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.2. Click Privacy & Security (Windows 11) or Privacy (Windows 10).3. Click Location.4. Toggle Location Services to Off.5. Under “Location history,” click Clear to delete all previously recorded location data.6. Look at the individual application permissions and uncheck location access for applications that do not require it.Unlike telemetry, completely turning off location tracking in Settings disables it completely.We founded IQON because we recognized that the individuals who required the most assistance were provided with the worst guidance. If you search “disable telemetry,” you will likely come across several websites that provide frightening descriptions of Microsoft spying on you — or dismissive websites that say “don't worry about it.” Neither is helpful.Every article describes the “why” before explaining the “how” and begins at a point of zero knowledge. All knowledge should be available and accessible to all — regardless of whether you use our app or not.

Telemetry & Location Tracking: What Windows Collects & How to Stop It

Quick Answers

What is telemetry?

What is location tracking?

Who should disable telemetry and location tracking?

How to disable telemetry and location tracking

Disable telemetry

Disable location tracking

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