Privacy Settings
The latest Privacy Settings coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Why Your Windows 11 Microphone Goes Silent — and the Smart Fix Order That Actually Works
Your microphone chosen the worst possible moment to go mute. A meeting started, a call came in, and suddenly you're talking to a void. The mic is plugged in, the computer's on, but Windows isn't...
Microsoft's Windows Search Makeover Gives You a 'No Web' Toggle—Here's What It Changes
After years of complaints about web results cluttering Windows Search, Microsoft has finally begun testing a simple fix: a toggle that turns them off. The new Search experience, now rolling out to...
Microsoft Splits Edge Telemetry from Windows 11 in Europe: What You Need to Know
Microsoft has quietly changed how diagnostic data flows from its Edge browser on Windows 11 systems in the European Economic Area, a move that gives users independent control over a major source of...
Windows 11 Is Showing More Ads: Here’s Exactly How to Turn Them Off
Your Windows 11 PC, your Samsung refrigerator, and even your car can now push ads and recommendations at you—even though you already paid for them. A July 15 report from Fox News’ CyberGuy column...
Windows 11 Insiders Get a Kill Switch for Web Results in Search — Here’s How It Works
Microsoft has given Windows Insiders a rare and long-awaited gift: the ability to completely strip web and Microsoft Store suggestions from the operating system’s search experience. Starting July...
Microsoft’s Copilot Now Offers a Windows 11 System Health Report, But It Still Can’t Diagnose Problems
Microsoft is giving Windows 11 users a new way to check on their PC’s basic health without digging through menus. A feature called PC Insights has started rolling out to U.S. users, delivering a...
Stop Windows 11 Search From Showing Bing Results: A Simple Policy Tweak You Can Apply Today
Windows 11's search box, whether on the taskbar or in the Start menu, doubles as a portal to the web. By default, typing anything triggers an internet search via Bing, displaying suggestions and web...
How Microsoft's Photos App Became Your AI-Powered Image Command Center
Microsoft has transformed the humble Photos app in Windows 11 into a three-in-one powerhouse: a viewer, editor, and cloud-connected library manager, now supercharged with AI tools that were once...
Windows 11 Now Has Kill Switches for Copilot, Recall, and Click to Do—Here’s How to Use Them
Microsoft has finally handed users the controls to surgically remove the most intrusive AI features from Windows 11. A new set of toggles, group policies, and registry tweaks lets you disable...
Windows 11’s 2026 Update to Restore Movable Taskbar, Start Menu Resizing, and More Privacy
Microsoft is planning a significant reversal of its controversial Windows 11 design decisions, with 2026 updates expected to restore long-requested taskbar and Start menu customization options,...
Microsoft’s Windows 11 Setup Sneaks in These 7 Defaults – Change Them Now
When you first boot a brand-new Windows 11 machine or perform a clean install, the out-of-box experience rushes you through a series of setup screens. Microsoft’s configuration wizard makes it...
Windows 11 26H2 Finally Lets You Kill Web Results in Search — Here’s How the Local-First Toggle Works
Microsoft has officially acknowledged one of the longest-standing annoyances in Windows 11: web search suggestions polluting local file results. With the confirmation of Windows 11 version 26H2 on...