Windows does not have one universal “tracking off” switch. To reduce personalized advertising, disable the Advertising ID and Windows personalized-offers setting. If you also want to limit account-based or browser-based personalization, change Microsoft privacy-dashboard and Edge settings separately. The controls differ between current Windows 11 builds, older Windows 11 builds, and Windows 10.
Which Windows settings should you change?
Use the control that matches the data source you want to limit. Changing one setting does not automatically change the others. Windows personalization can involve an app-facing identifier, Windows activity and diagnostics, information associated with your Microsoft account, or browsing activity saved by Edge.
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| Control | What it uses | Where to find it | What changes | What remains |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising ID | A per-user identifier on the device, used by apps that opt in | Windows 11: Settings > Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers; some older builds use General. Windows 10: Settings > Privacy > General | Apps cannot use that Windows identifier for personalized advertising | Ads can still appear, and other advertising or tracking methods are unaffected |
| Personalized offers | Windows diagnostic data, Windows activity, account information and information from other Microsoft products and services | Windows 11: Settings > Privacy & security > Personalized offers | Turns off personalized tips, ads and recommendations based on Windows activity | Required diagnostic data and non-personalized offers remain |
| Tailored experiences | The older Windows label for personalized recommendations | Windows 11 older builds and Windows 10: Settings > Privacy & security/Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback | Stops the older tailored-recommendations feature | It does not stop all diagnostic collection |
| Microsoft account ad personalization | Information associated with your Microsoft account | Microsoft privacy dashboard, Ad settings | Stops account-level personalized ads across Microsoft experiences and devices | Windows and Edge have separate controls |
| Edge browsing-activity personalization | Browsing history, usage, favorites, web content and other browsing data saved by Edge | Edge > Settings and more > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Privacy | Prevents that activity from being saved for personalization of Edge and Microsoft services | Other account, app and web tracking settings are unchanged |
For most Windows 11 users, start with Advertising ID and Personalized offers. Add the account and Edge changes if your objective includes Microsoft ads or browsing-based recommendations. These switches have different scopes: an app can ignore Advertising ID and use its own identifier, while an account setting can affect Microsoft services on several devices.
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The Advertising ID is a unique identifier Windows creates for each user on a device. Apps and advertising networks that support it can associate information with that identifier and use it to tailor ads. Disabling it limits this particular app-level identifier; it is not a system-wide ad blocker.
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Current Windows 11 path
- Open Start, then select Settings.
- Open Privacy & security.
- Select Recommendations & offers.
- Turn off Let apps show my personalized ads by using my advertising ID.
If you cannot find Recommendations & offers
Windows 11 labels and groups these options differently across builds. Check Settings > Privacy & security > General for the Advertising ID switch. Search Settings for advertising ID if the category is not visible. A work or school administrator can also hide or lock privacy choices. On some builds, a Settings update or Windows feature update changes the heading without changing the underlying permission.
What the switch does
With the switch off, apps that rely on the Windows Advertising ID should no longer use that identifier to personalize ads. Microsoft states that turning it off does not reduce the number of ads you see; ads may simply be less relevant. Turning the switch on again resets the Advertising ID, so applications receive a new identifier rather than the old value. Resetting or disabling this identifier does not erase data an app or advertising network already collected under its own policy.
The control applies to apps that choose to use the Windows identifier. It does not govern browser cookies, website trackers, an app’s own account ID, or advertising systems that do not depend on Windows Advertising ID. That is why an app can continue showing ads after the switch is off.
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Personalized offers is the newer Windows 11 control for tips, ads and recommendations based on Windows activity. Microsoft says it can combine Windows diagnostic data with account information and information from other Microsoft products and services. Information stored locally on the device can also contribute. This setting is broader than Advertising ID because it concerns Windows-generated suggestions, not only ads delivered inside participating apps.
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Privacy & security.
- Open Personalized offers.
- Turn off Get personalized tips, ads, and recommendations based on my Windows activity.
The wording can vary slightly by update. If you see a control named Tailored experiences instead, use the older path described below. The change affects Windows-generated recommendations; it does not remove every advertisement shown by an application, website or Microsoft service.
Personalized offers can use information from more than the current Windows session. Microsoft describes account information and data from other Microsoft products and services as possible inputs, so turning off this Windows switch should not be treated as changing every account-level preference. It also does not mean that required diagnostic data stops being sent.
Find the older “Tailored experiences” setting
Microsoft is replacing the Tailored experiences label with Personalized offers on newer Windows 11 installations. Older Windows 11 builds still place it in Diagnostics & feedback, and Windows 10 continues to use that label.
- Open Start > Settings.
- In Windows 11, select Privacy & security; in Windows 10, select Privacy.
- Open Diagnostics & feedback.
- Turn off Tailored experiences.
If the setting is unavailable, the device may be managed by an organization, or the build may have moved the option to Personalized offers. This control concerns personalization, not the complete flow of diagnostic information. If both names appear, use the current Personalized offers control and confirm that the older Tailored experiences option is not still enabled elsewhere.
Turn off personalized advertising in Windows 10
Windows 10 uses different navigation and wording. Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. After that date, Microsoft no longer provides free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance or security fixes for the supported editions covered by its notice. These privacy changes do not extend support or replace an upgrade or an organization’s paid support arrangement.
Disable Advertising ID
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Privacy.
- Choose General.
- Turn off Let apps use advertising ID to make ads more interesting to you based on your app activity.
Disable Tailored experiences
- Remain in Settings > Privacy.
- Select Diagnostics & feedback.
- Turn off Tailored experiences.
If an older Windows 10 build uses slightly different text, look for the words advertising ID and Tailored experiences in the Privacy pages. The same limitations apply: advertisements can remain, and required diagnostic data is separate. Disabling these settings is a privacy preference, not a security update and not a way to restore Microsoft support.
Stop Microsoft account ad personalization
Windows’ Advertising ID is device- and user-specific. Microsoft account ad personalization is a separate, account-level setting that can apply across devices and Microsoft experiences. If you sign into more than one Microsoft account, review the account that is actually connected to Windows, Edge or the Microsoft services where ads appear.
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- Open the Microsoft privacy dashboard and sign in to the Microsoft account you use on the device.
- Open Ad settings.
- Switch off the option that allows Microsoft to personalize ads for that account.
The privacy dashboard also lets you review and clear some data associated with the account. Clearing data there is not the same as turning off future collection: deleting diagnostic data from a device does not necessarily delete account-associated data or prevent later diagnostic transmission. Account controls therefore complement, rather than replace, the Windows switches.
If an advertisement is personalized through a Microsoft account, turning off the local Advertising ID may have no visible effect. Conversely, disabling account ad personalization does not automatically disable an app’s use of the local identifier. Apply both controls when you want to cover both paths.
Stop Edge from using browsing activity for personalization
Turning off account-level personalized ads does not, by itself, stop Edge browsing activity from being used to personalize search results, news feeds or other Microsoft web experiences. Change the Edge setting separately if that activity is part of your concern.
- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Select Settings and more (the three-dot menu), then Settings.
- Open Privacy, search, and services.
- In the Privacy section, turn off 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.
This prevents the specified browsing activity from being saved for the listed personalization purposes. It does not change every cookie, website tracker, extension permission or account setting in Edge. It also does not erase browsing information that another service, profile or device has already stored.
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Reduce optional diagnostic data without confusing it with ad controls
Advertising settings and diagnostic settings solve different problems. Diagnostic data helps Microsoft maintain Windows, investigate faults and improve products. Microsoft distinguishes between required diagnostic data and optional diagnostic data.
What remains required
Required diagnostic data remains enabled. Microsoft says it is used for keeping Windows updated and secure, troubleshooting and product improvement. Its documentation also states: “Required diagnostic data will always be included when you choose to send Optional diagnostic data.” Turning off Personalized offers or Tailored experiences does not stop this required flow.
Choose the available diagnostic level
- Open Settings.
- Go to Privacy & security > Diagnostics & feedback in Windows 11, or Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback in Windows 10.
- Under the diagnostic-data choice, select the available Required option instead of Optional, if your edition and device allow the choice.
- Review the separate controls for feedback frequency, diagnostic-data viewer access and tailored or personalized experiences.
Some options are unavailable on workplace-managed devices. Organization policies can enforce a diagnostic level or hide controls, so the absence of a switch does not necessarily indicate a fault. Reducing optional diagnostics also does not turn off advertising by itself; it addresses the category of diagnostic information Windows can send.
Match the settings to your goal
If your main concern is ads inside Windows apps, disable Advertising ID first. If Windows itself is showing suggestions, tips or recommendations based on activity, disable Personalized offers or Tailored experiences as well. If ads follow you between Microsoft devices, review the privacy dashboard. If search, shopping or news suggestions reflect sites you visited in Edge, turn off Edge’s browsing-activity personalization. To reduce optional Windows telemetry, choose Required in Diagnostics & feedback where available.
These goals can overlap, but none is a complete substitute for another. A single app may use its own sign-in, cookies or advertising technology even after all of the Windows controls are off. Likewise, a Microsoft service can use account or browser information independently of the local Advertising ID.
What turning off these settings does not do
- It does not remove all ads. Microsoft explicitly says disabling Advertising ID does not reduce the number of advertisements. Ads can still be supplied by Windows components, applications, websites or third-party advertising systems.
- It does not erase every identifier. The Advertising ID is one app-facing identifier. Services may use account identifiers, cookies, device information, IP addresses or their own identifiers under their separate policies.
- It does not stop required diagnostics. Required diagnostic data remains even when optional diagnostic data is not selected.
- It does not change Edge automatically. Edge browsing-activity personalization has its own switch.
- It does not change Microsoft account settings automatically. Account-level ad personalization must be changed in the privacy dashboard.
- It does not provide anonymity. These settings reduce selected personalization uses; they are not a substitute for privacy protections on websites, in apps or on a network.
A practical order for changing the settings
Use this sequence when you want the broadest reduction supported by Windows’ built-in controls:
- Disable the Windows Advertising ID.
- Disable Personalized offers on current Windows 11, or Tailored experiences on older Windows 11 and Windows 10.
- Set Diagnostics & feedback to Required where the control is available and appropriate for your device.
- Turn off ad personalization in the Microsoft privacy dashboard for each account you use.
- Turn off Edge’s permission to save browsing activity for personalization if you use Edge and want browsing activity excluded.
- Close and reopen affected apps or sign out and back in when an app continues to display an old preference. Apps can cache recommendations and may not refresh immediately.
Afterward, revisit each page to confirm the switches remain off. If a switch turns itself back on, a Windows update, account synchronization or organization policy may have reapplied a setting. On a managed computer, ask the administrator which choices are permitted rather than repeatedly changing a locked control.
Troubleshooting missing or ineffective controls
The menu name does not match
Look for both generations of labels. On Windows 11, Personalized offers is the newer location; Tailored experiences under Diagnostics & feedback is the older one. Advertising ID may appear under Recommendations & offers or under General depending on the build.
The switch is greyed out
Check whether the computer is connected to a work or school account or managed by an organization. Administrators can restrict diagnostic and personalization choices. A personal device that was previously enrolled may retain management policies until the account or management enrollment is removed according to the organization’s instructions.
Ads still appear
That result is expected when only Advertising ID is disabled. The setting changes ad relevance for participating apps, not ad volume. Check the Personalized offers, Microsoft account and Edge settings as well if the unwanted personalization comes from Windows recommendations, Microsoft services or browser activity.
Recommendations did not change immediately
Existing recommendations may be cached. Restart the affected app, sign out and back in, or restart Windows, then allow time for new recommendations to be generated. A cache refresh does not mean the privacy switch failed.
You cannot select Required diagnostics
Some editions and managed devices do not expose the same diagnostic choices. If Optional is enforced or the selector is absent, Windows may be following an organization policy. You can still review Personalized offers or Tailored experiences separately, but those settings do not override the enforced diagnostic level.
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The most important distinction is between personalization and collection. Advertising ID and Personalized offers primarily determine how available information is used to tailor ads, tips and recommendations. Diagnostics & feedback determines which diagnostic category Windows can send, but required data remains. Microsoft account and Edge controls govern separate data paths. Treat each as an individual permission rather than assuming one toggle covers the entire operating system.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off personalized ads in Windows 11?
Open Settings > Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers and turn off Let apps show my personalized ads by using my advertising ID. Then open Privacy & security > Personalized offers and turn off Get personalized tips, ads, and recommendations based on my Windows activity. Older builds may place these controls under General and Diagnostics & feedback.
Does turning off Advertising ID stop ads?
No. Microsoft says disabling Advertising ID does not reduce the number of ads. It limits one identifier that participating apps can use for personalization, so ads may be less relevant while still appearing. Other app, website, account and third-party advertising systems are unaffected.
Where is Advertising ID in Windows 10?
Go to Settings > Privacy > General and turn off Let apps use advertising ID to make ads more interesting to you based on your app activity. Windows 10 also has a separate Tailored experiences switch under Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback.
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Windows always includes required diagnostic data. Where your edition and device allow it, open Settings > Privacy & security > Diagnostics & feedback (or Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback in Windows 10) and choose Required instead of Optional. Turning off Personalized offers or Tailored experiences does not stop required diagnostics.
Why do I still see personalized recommendations after turning off the Windows switches?
Recommendations may come from a Microsoft account, Edge browsing activity, an app’s own identifier or cached data. Turn off ad personalization in the Microsoft privacy dashboard and Edge’s browsing-activity personalization separately, then restart or sign back in to affected apps.
Is Tailored experiences the same as Personalized offers?
They address the same general Windows personalization feature under different labels. Newer Windows 11 builds use Personalized offers; older Windows 11 builds and Windows 10 may show Tailored experiences under Diagnostics & feedback.
Can a work or school administrator prevent these settings from changing?
Yes. Managed devices can hide, disable or enforce privacy and diagnostic choices. A greyed-out switch or missing diagnostic selector may reflect organization policy rather than a Windows error.
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Does deleting data in the privacy dashboard turn off future collection?
No. The dashboard can let you review or clear some account-associated data, but deleting diagnostic data from a device does not necessarily remove account-associated data or prevent future diagnostic transmission. Disable the relevant account, Windows and Edge controls separately.
Does turning off account ad personalization also stop Edge personalization?
Not necessarily. Microsoft documents a separate Edge permission for saving browsing history, usage, favorites, web content and other browsing data to personalize Edge and Microsoft services. Turn that control off in Edge if you want browsing activity excluded.
Does Windows 10 privacy configuration restore support after October 14, 2025?
No. Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. Privacy switches do not provide free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance or security fixes after the end date.
The Bottom Line
For Windows 11, turn off Advertising ID under Privacy & security > Recommendations & offers and Personalized offers under Privacy & security. On older builds, look for General and Tailored experiences. Windows 10 uses Privacy > General and Privacy > Diagnostics & feedback. For broader coverage, also disable Microsoft account ad personalization and Edge browsing-activity personalization, and choose Required diagnostics where available. These settings reduce selected personalization; they do not remove all ads, identifiers or required diagnostic data.
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