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Microsoft — Recommended Actions

All 8 privacy actions we recommend, grouped by category and prioritized by risk.

Privacy Controls(8)

Recommended Actions

Personal data export

  1. 1Sign in to the Microsoft privacy dashboard at account.microsoft.com/privacy using your Microsoft account.
  2. 2Select 'Download your data'.
  3. 3Select 'Create new archive' to begin packaging your personal data.
  4. 4Wait for Microsoft to prepare the archive (this may take some time), then download the file when it is ready.
Access Settings

Xbox optional data sharing off

  1. 1On your Xbox console, go to Profile and System, then select Settings.
  2. 2Navigate to Account, then select Privacy and Online Safety.
  3. 3Select Data Collection.
  4. 4Choose Block to opt out of optional data sharing.
Access Settings

Camera microphone app permissions

  1. 1Open the Start menu and go to Settings, then navigate to Privacy and Security.
  2. 2To control camera access, select Camera. Turn off 'Camera access' to block all apps from using the camera, or turn off 'Let apps access your camera' to block Microsoft Store apps while keeping desktop app access, or toggle individual apps on or off.
  3. 3To control microphone access, go back to Privacy and Security and select Microphone. Turn off 'Microphone access' to block all apps, or turn off 'Let apps access your microphone' to block Microsoft Store apps, or toggle individual apps on or off.
Access Settings

Location tracking off

  1. 1Open the Start menu and go to Settings.
  2. 2Navigate to Privacy and Security, then select Location.
  3. 3To disable location services for the entire device, turn off the Location services toggle.
  4. 4To prevent all apps from accessing your location while keeping location services on, turn off the 'Let apps access your location' toggle.
  5. 5To control location access for individual apps, scroll down the Location settings page and toggle off specific apps you do not want to have location access.
Access Settings

Windows recall snapshots off

  1. 1Open the Start menu and go to Settings.
  2. 2Navigate to Privacy and Security, then select Recall and snapshots.
  3. 3Toggle off the 'Save snapshots' option to stop Recall from taking new screenshots of your screen.
  4. 4Optionally, to delete snapshots already stored, go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Recall and snapshots, and use the option to delete your stored snapshots.
  5. 5To filter specific apps or websites from being captured, select 'Add apps and websites to filter' within the Recall and snapshots settings page.
Access Settings

Edge browsing activity personalization off

  1. 1Open Microsoft Edge.
  2. 2Select Settings and more (the three-dot menu), then select Settings.
  3. 3Select Privacy, search, and services from the left sidebar.
  4. 4Under Privacy, turn off the setting for 'Allow Microsoft to save your browsing activity including history, usage, favorites, web content, and other browsing data to personalize Microsoft Edge and Microsoft services like ads, search, shopping and news'.
Access Settings

Account deletion

  1. 1Sign in to your Microsoft account at account.microsoft.com.
  2. 2Go to the account closure page (account.microsoft.com/account/close).
  3. 3Review the list of services and data that will be affected by closing your account.
  4. 4Check the boxes to confirm you understand the impact of closing your account.
  5. 5Select a reason for closing your account, then select 'Mark account for closure'.
Access Settings

Edge tracking prevention

  1. 1In Microsoft Edge, select Settings and more (the three-dot menu), then select Settings.
  2. 2Select Privacy, search, and services from the left sidebar.
  3. 3Under Tracking prevention, make sure the Tracking prevention toggle is turned On.
  4. 4Select the level of tracking prevention: choose Strict to block potentially harmful trackers and most trackers across sites for maximum privacy (note: some websites may not function correctly).
Access Settings

Automate your privacy

Connect your accounts to TrueTerms to automate these privacy actions and monitor policy changes.