The Advertising Profile
Windows 11 is constantly gathering “Diagnostic Data”—telemetry regarding which applications crash, how much RAM you use, and what websites you visit. While Microsoft claims this is used to fix bugs, they also use this exact data pipeline to fuel a feature called “Tailored Experiences.” If left enabled, Microsoft feeds your crash reports and app usage history into a marketing algorithm to generate highly targeted advertisements, tips, and recommendations directly onto your desktop and lock screen. If you refuse to let your operating system use your own computer’s diagnostic data to market third-party software to you, you must sever this connection.
How to Turn Off Tailored Experiences
You can permanently block the marketing algorithm from accessing your telemetry via the Privacy settings.
- Click the Start Menu and type Settings, or press the Windows Key + I.
- In the left-hand sidebar, click on Privacy & security.
- In the main window, under the “Windows permissions” section, click on Diagnostics & feedback.
- Scroll down and locate the section labeled Tailored experiences. Click anywhere on that row to expand its menu.
- Locate the toggle switch labeled “Let Microsoft use your diagnostic data, excluding info about websites you browse, to offer you tailored experiences.”
- Toggle this switch to the Off position.
A Sterile Data Stream
The change is instantaneous. Windows 11 will completely terminate the background connection between your local diagnostic logs and Microsoft’s marketing servers. If your PC experiences an error, it will still send a sterile, anonymous crash report to fix the bug, but Microsoft is now legally and technically barred from using that data to build an advertising profile on you. Your desktop environment will remain clean, functional, and completely free of telemetry-driven marketing.