By default, Microsoft Edge collects a massive amount of telemetry data regarding your browsing habits. One of the most invasive data collection features involves sending the results of your web searches (even if you are using Google or DuckDuckGo instead of Bing) directly back to Microsoft servers. Microsoft uses this data to “help improve Microsoft products and services.”
While Microsoft claims this data is anonymized, sharing your complete search history with an operating system manufacturer is a significant privacy concern. Your search history can reveal your medical concerns, financial status, and personal interests, none of which need to be uploaded to a corporate telemetry server to improve a web browser.
You can strictly forbid Microsoft Edge from siphoning your search queries and browsing history by adjusting the browser’s privacy settings.
How to Turn Off Search Data Telemetry
You must dive into the Privacy and Services menu to disable this specific data collection.
- Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
- Click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
- Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
- In the left-hand navigation sidebar, click on Privacy, search, and services.
- Scroll down the page until you find the section labeled “Search and service improvement.”
- Look for the toggle switch labeled Help improve Microsoft products by sending the results from searches on the web.
- Turn this toggle to the Off position.
- (Optional) Immediately above that setting, you should also ensure that Send optional diagnostic data is turned off to maximize your privacy.
Microsoft Edge will instantly sever the telemetry connection regarding your search habits. Your queries on Google, Yahoo, or Bing will remain strictly between you and the search engine, keeping your personal data safely out of Microsoft’s telemetry databases.