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How to manage analytics and diagnostic sharing settings on macOS

By Freedom251 Team · · 12 min read

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To stop your Mac from automatically sending analytics to Apple, open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll to Analytics & Improvements, and turn off Share Mac Analytics. To stop analytics being shared with software developers, turn off Share with app developers separately. These are independent controls; changing one does not automatically change iCloud analytics, Siri and Dictation improvement data, or assistive-voice feature sharing.

Apple puts these choices in the same area, but they have different recipients and may involve different kinds of information. The sections below explain what each switch does, how to review Siri and Dictation audio choices, and how to inspect reports already stored on your Mac.

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Open the analytics controls

  1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
  2. Select Privacy & Security in the sidebar.
  3. Scroll down to Analytics & Improvements. It may be below the initially visible privacy categories.
  4. Turn off the specific sharing option you do not want to use.

Apple’s current Mac guide documents this location in Share analytics information from your Mac with Apple. Use System Settings, not the older “System Preferences” name used by earlier macOS releases. If you do not immediately see Analytics & Improvements, remain in Privacy & Security and scroll; it is not necessarily near the top of the sidebar.

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Before changing anything, decide what you are trying to stop. “Analytics” can mean reports sent to Apple, onward sharing with app developers, iCloud-related analytics, or information used to improve Siri, Dictation, and assistive voice features. macOS presents these as separate decisions rather than one universal permission.

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What each switch controls

Analytics & Improvements is not a single master switch. Review the controls individually because they differ in purpose, recipient, and data type.

Control Primary recipient or purpose Information Apple describes What turning it off changes
Share Mac Analytics Apple Diagnostic, event, usage, hardware, software, connected-device, and operating-system information Stops automatic sharing of Mac analytics with Apple
Share with app developers Developers of relevant Apple and third-party apps Relevant analytics about app, hardware, and service use Stops Apple sharing the applicable analytics with developers; it is separate from Apple’s own analytics setting
Share iCloud Analytics Analytics associated with iCloud services iCloud-related usage and diagnostic information Changes iCloud analytics sharing, not necessarily Mac analytics or developer sharing
Improve Siri & Dictation Improvement of Siri and Dictation Request, usage, transcript, and potentially audio-related data described by Apple for these features Stops participation in Siri and Dictation improvement sharing
Improve Assistive Voice Features Improvement of assistive voice features Data associated with those accessibility voice features Stops that separate improvement contribution

The exact list can vary with the macOS release and features enabled on the Mac. Apple’s overview of Privacy & Security settings lists these choices separately; consult Change Privacy & Security settings on Mac if you need the description for a particular release. A missing option does not necessarily indicate a malfunction: the feature may not be available on that Mac or in that release.

Turn off Mac analytics sent to Apple

Use the main Mac Analytics switch

In System Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements, switch Share Mac Analytics off. This is the setting to change when your goal is to stop automatic Mac diagnostic and usage reports being sent to Apple.

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Apple says analytics sharing is opt-in and can be changed at any time. If the Mac is offline, information that would otherwise be sent is saved locally and sent when the Mac reconnects. Turning the switch off prevents future automatic sharing; it does not mean that every diagnostic record immediately disappears from the computer. Existing local records can remain available for troubleshooting until macOS removes them.

Do not confuse analytics with crash reporting for a single event

The Mac may still create local diagnostic records for troubleshooting even when automatic sending is disabled. Apple’s Console app can display analytics information regardless of whether you selected automatic report sending. That local record creation and the decision to transmit reports are separate parts of the process.

This distinction matters when testing the setting. Finding a crash or freeze report on the Mac does not prove that Apple received it. Conversely, if the Mac was offline while sharing was enabled, data could be retained locally and transmitted after reconnection. A setting change controls participation going forward; it is not a forensic eraser for every file already generated.

Stop sharing analytics with app developers

To prevent Apple from sharing applicable analytics with developers, turn off Share with app developers in the same Analytics & Improvements pane. This switch is independent of Share Mac Analytics:

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  • Turning off Share Mac Analytics addresses automatic Mac analytics sent to Apple.
  • Turning off Share with app developers addresses the separate onward sharing of relevant analytics with developers.
  • Turning off only one does not reliably disable the other.

If you want neither type of contribution, check that both switches are off rather than assuming the first change controls all recipients. The developer option concerns applicable analytics associated with Apple and third-party software, hardware, and services; it is not a switch for uninstalling apps, blocking their normal operation, or disabling every diagnostic mechanism built into an app.

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Review iCloud, Siri, Dictation, and assistive-voice choices

Share iCloud Analytics

If Share iCloud Analytics appears, treat it as its own decision. Disabling Mac analytics does not automatically establish that iCloud analytics is disabled. Read the description beside the switch and set it according to whether you want to contribute iCloud-related usage and diagnostic information.

Improve Siri & Dictation

Apple documents an Improve Siri & Dictation control in Analytics & Improvements. Turn it off if you do not want to contribute data for improving those services. Apple’s dedicated instructions are in Turn Improve Siri & Dictation on or off, dated June 2, 2026.

This setting is distinct from ordinary use of Siri or Dictation. Disabling improvement sharing is a choice about contributing data to improvement work; it is not a general instruction to uninstall or disable the features themselves. You can therefore continue to use the feature while declining the improvement contribution, subject to the behavior and wording shown by your macOS release.

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Dictation’s audio-sharing prompt

When Dictation is set up, macOS may ask whether you want to share audio recordings. Apple’s Dictation guide says you can choose to share them or select Not Now. Choose Not Now when you do not want to share recordings at that point. If you previously made a choice and later want to review the broader improvement setting, return to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements.

The setup prompt and the Analytics & Improvements control address related but separately presented choices. Do not assume that turning off Mac analytics answers an audio question that appeared while enabling Dictation. See Apple’s Dictate messages and documents on Mac instructions for the setup wording.

Improve Assistive Voice Features

Some Macs show Improve Assistive Voice Features. This is not a synonym for Mac analytics or Siri and Dictation. Review and change it separately if you use assistive voice features and do not want to contribute associated improvement data. Because the list depends on enabled features and the macOS release, compare the labels actually shown on your Mac rather than looking for a switch that may not apply to your configuration.

What Mac analytics can contain

Apple says Mac analytics may include information about:

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  • Crashes, freezes, and kernel panics.
  • Events such as whether waking the Mac succeeded.
  • Use of Apple and third-party software, hardware, and services.
  • The Mac’s hardware and software specifications.
  • Connected devices.
  • Operating-system and app versions.

That list combines failure information with event and usage information. It is broader than a single crash dump: the reports can describe whether an operation succeeded, which software or services were involved, and the configuration in which an event occurred. The controls therefore concern ongoing telemetry and diagnostics, not only spectacular system failures.

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Apple describes privacy protections for generated reports: personal data is either not logged, handled with techniques such as differential privacy, or removed before reports are sent. That is Apple’s description of its handling, not a reason to put sensitive information into a report comment. If you add a description of what happened, Apple advises leaving out personal information. Avoid pasting names, email addresses, document contents, customer details, passwords, or other identifying text into an optional explanation.

How iCloud account settings affect analytics

Apple says that when analytics sharing is enabled on multiple devices signed in to the same iCloud account, some usage data about Apple apps may be correlated across those devices through end-to-end encrypted syncing. Apple says this process does not identify the user to Apple. This qualification applies to the data and account combination Apple describes; it does not turn the separate switches in Analytics & Improvements into one setting.

For a privacy review, check every device signed in to the account and inspect its own Analytics & Improvements controls. Changing the setting on one Mac does not by itself document what is enabled on another device. A household or work account can include several Macs, iPhones, or other devices with different choices, so record the setting on each device you manage instead of treating an iCloud sign-in as a single global toggle.

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Inspect reports in Console

Open Mac Analytics Data

  1. Open the built-in Console app. You can find it in Applications > Utilities or by using Spotlight.
  2. In the Console sidebar, select Mac Analytics Data.
  3. Browse the available reports and entries. Console can display analytics information even if automatic report sending was not selected.

The list is useful when you are diagnosing a recurring crash, checking whether wake failures are being recorded, or learning what kinds of local records exist. It is not proof that every displayed item was transmitted to Apple. Treat report contents as technical and potentially sensitive; copy only what you need, and follow your organization’s handling rules before sending a file to a support technician.

Identify a transmission event

Look for a log message whose Process column contains SubmitDiagInfo. Apple identifies that process entry as an indication that analytics information was sent. If you only need to know whether a send occurred, searching or scanning for that process name is more useful than reading every report body. The presence of a report without a SubmitDiagInfo entry answers a different question: it shows local generation or retention, not necessarily transmission.

Understand account permissions

An administrator can view all reports in Console. A non-administrator can view User Reports only. If a report appears to be missing, confirm which macOS account you are using and whether it has administrator privileges before assuming that the report was never generated. Two people using the same Mac can therefore see different report lists without either view being incorrect.

How long reports remain on the Mac

Apple states: “Your Mac keeps analytics information for one month after it is generated, then deletes the information.” This one-month period is Apple’s stated local retention period. It is not a promise that every related server-side record has the same lifetime, nor does it mean a report is transmitted during that month.

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Because reports are deleted after that period, investigate a problem in Console while the relevant entries are still available. If you need to preserve a record for your own troubleshooting, follow your organization’s privacy rules before copying or sharing it; reports can contain detailed device and software information. Do not infer from a missing older report that no event occurred: it may simply have passed the one-month local retention period.

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Decide which settings fit your goal

Your goal Controls to review Why
Stop automatic Mac diagnostics going to Apple Turn off Share Mac Analytics This is the direct control for Mac analytics transmission to Apple
Stop analytics being provided to software developers Turn off Share with app developers Developer sharing is separate from Apple’s own analytics collection
Stop iCloud-related analytics Turn off Share iCloud Analytics, if shown The iCloud choice is independently listed
Stop contribution to Siri and Dictation improvement Turn off Improve Siri & Dictation; choose Not Now when Dictation asks about audio sharing The improvement setting and the Dictation setup prompt cover this data-sharing decision
Stop contribution from accessibility voice features Turn off Improve Assistive Voice Features, if shown Assistive voice improvement is a distinct category
Investigate what has been recorded locally Open Console > Mac Analytics Data Console exposes local analytics records independently of automatic sending

These goals can overlap. For example, someone may want Apple to receive no Mac analytics, allow ordinary Dictation use, decline audio sharing, and separately disable developer sharing. Make each choice based on the recipient and data type shown beside the control, rather than applying one blanket rule to every feature.

Troubleshooting the settings

Analytics & Improvements is not visible

Stay in Privacy & Security and scroll; the category may not be visible in the first portion of the sidebar. macOS can also show different controls depending on the release and enabled features, so an option documented by Apple may not appear on every Mac.

You turned off one switch but still see another sharing option

That is expected. Apple presents Mac analytics, developer sharing, iCloud analytics, Siri and Dictation improvement, and assistive voice improvement as separate controls. Reopen the pane and review each option that matches your privacy goal.

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You still see reports in Console

Console can show Mac Analytics Data even when automatic report sending is disabled. Seeing a local report is therefore not, by itself, evidence that the report was sent. Check for SubmitDiagInfo in the Process column when you need to identify a transmission event.

You cannot see every report

Check your account type. Administrators can view all reports; non-administrators can view User Reports only. This permission difference can make two users see different lists on the same Mac.

You want to change the Siri or Dictation choice later

Return to Analytics & Improvements and review Improve Siri & Dictation. For Dictation setup, Apple presents the audio-recording choice as Share or Not Now; choose the latter when you do not want to share recordings at that point.

The Mac was offline when you changed the setting

Apple says analytics that would otherwise be sent while offline are saved and sent when the Mac reconnects. After changing a sharing preference, reconnect normally and review the current switch state. If you are checking an earlier event, use Console and look for SubmitDiagInfo; a locally retained report and a later send are separate observations.

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You are reviewing a managed or shared Mac

First identify the macOS account and its administrator status. Report visibility differs between administrators and non-administrators, and a shared iCloud account can have other devices with different analytics choices. The settings on the Mac you are holding do not establish the settings on every other signed-in device.

A practical privacy check after changing settings

  1. Confirm Share Mac Analytics is off if Apple should not receive automatic Mac analytics.
  2. Confirm Share with app developers is off if developers should not receive applicable analytics.
  3. Review Share iCloud Analytics independently.
  4. Review Improve Siri & Dictation and any assistive voice improvement switch.
  5. If Dictation asks about audio recordings, choose Not Now when that is your preference.
  6. Check other devices using the same iCloud account instead of assuming one Mac’s choice applies everywhere.
  7. Open Console only if you need to inspect existing records; use Mac Analytics Data and check SubmitDiagInfo entries for sending events.
  8. Remember that Apple says locally retained analytics are deleted after one month.

This approach avoids treating “analytics” as one all-purpose permission. You can decline Mac diagnostics while making a separate decision about developer sharing, iCloud, Siri and Dictation, or accessibility voice features.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I turn off Mac analytics?

Open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll to Analytics & Improvements, and turn off Share Mac Analytics. This controls automatic Mac analytics sent to Apple.

Does turning off Share Mac Analytics stop app-developer sharing?

No. Share with app developers is a separate switch in the same pane. Turn off both controls if you do not want either form of sharing.

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Will turning off analytics disable Siri or Dictation?

No. Improve Siri & Dictation is a separate improvement setting. You can review it independently, and choose Not Now if Dictation asks whether to share audio recordings.

Why can I still see analytics reports after turning sharing off?

Console can display locally generated Mac Analytics Data even when automatic sending is disabled. Look for SubmitDiagInfo in the Process column when you need to identify an indication that information was sent.

How long does macOS keep analytics reports?

Apple states that your Mac keeps analytics information for one month after it is generated, then deletes it.

Can another user see reports that I cannot?

Yes. An administrator can view all reports in Console, while a non-administrator can view User Reports only.

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The Bottom Line

Use System Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements and review every switch separately. Turn off Share Mac Analytics for Apple, Share with app developers for developer sharing, and the independent iCloud, Siri and Dictation, or assistive-voice options that do not fit your preferences. Console can still show local records; Apple says those records are deleted after one month.

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