Windows 10 collects and saves your activity history both on your computer and to the cloud, from browsing history to location data. Luckily, Microsoft makes it easy to see all the data they store and allows you to delete it.

Allow's explore the different means Microsoft stores data on yous, and how to view your Windows x activity history.

What Data Does Windows ten Track?

The data that Windows collects includes:

  • Edge browsing history
  • Bing search history
  • Location data (if it's enabled)
  • Cortana vocalism commands
  • Windows x usage for the Timeline characteristic

If you use Microsoft'due south HealthVault or the Microsoft Ring device, whatsoever action collected through that service is also stored. Microsoft says information technology collects this data to provide you with more than relevant results and content that is useful for you.

How to Delete Your Windows 10 Activity History

You can hands meet what information Microsoft stores and how to delete information technology. There are two ways you can clear your recent activity on Windows ten:

  • From your computer's settings.
  • From your Microsoft cloud account.

To do information technology on your computer, click on the Settings button on the Starting time carte du jour.

Windows 10 Settings

So, clickPrivacy.

Windows 10 Privacy

On the left bar, selectActivity History.

Windows 10 Activity Sidebar

Nether Clear Activeness History, click theArticulatebutton.

Windows 10 clear activity history

This will clear the activity history for the account you're currently using.

How to Disable Activity Tracking in Windows 10 Timeline

Back in 2018, Microsoft added a new Timeline feature that tracks all your contempo activities on Windows ten. You can view it by pressing the ALT + Windows keys. You lot'll see all the windows you currently accept open up, besides as all the files you've opened in the past.

This activeness syncs between all your devices, so if you'd rather Windows didn't store your activity, you should plough this feature off.

To do this, access theActivity Historypage as you did above. From hither, uncheckShop my activity history on this device. This stops Windows from remembering what y'all did on your timeline.

Then, untick Send my action history to Microsoft to stop your data from being sent to Microsoft's servers. Now that both boxes are unticked, you should notice a lack of activity tracking in the future.

Checking the options in Windows 10's activity history

How to View All Windows 10 Activity History

If you want to view all activity history on Windows 10, yous can do and then on the Microsoft account privacy website. When you access the website and log in, y'all'll see a range of categories. Each 1 will have yous to a page that shows all the data Microsoft has stored about you, relating to that category.

There's a lot to take in on this page, then hither's a brief rundown of each category and which you should check.

The Windows 10 Activity History Categories

The categories on the activity history website

Browsing history handles the data y'all've stored via browsing Microsoft's browser, Edge. Every bit such, if you but use Edge to download Firefox or Chrome, you probably won't observe a lot of data here. If Edge is your primary browser, take a look to see what browsing habits are stored here.

Search History is only useful if you utilize Bing. When you use a search engine like Google, they tend to "remember" what you searched for to ameliorate your experience. Microsoft uses your search information to better tailor search results, Cortana answers, and future search suggestions.

Location Activeness includes the times where you let a Windows device become access to your location. Information technology's good to double-check this part to run into if Windows is storing your location.

Speech Activityshould be the height priority if you lot've ever used Cortana before. Hither, you lot'll detect saved clips of you giving commands to Cortana, used by Microsoft for amend speech recognition.

Media Activityis where Microsoft keeps tabs on what you enjoy watching to further your recommendations. If you lot're getting weird suggestions because of something someone else watched, information technology's worth checking out.

App and service cover how you apply Microsoft products. This category splits into 2 sections; activeness for actions y'all've performed andperformance for system logs.

You can too click on the Activity History tab to will view a total listing of all data types: voice, search, browsing history, and location information. Microsoft too makes it like shooting fish in a barrel to filter down to each category by clicking on it

How to Use Windows 10 and Maintain Your Privacy

Microsoft is eager to get everyone using Windows 10 as quickly every bit possible, resorting to offering free upgrades to encourage migration. Notwithstanding, users have never considered Windows x as a breastwork of privacy. Ever since its release, users have discovered means that the operating organization tracks what you lot do.

As such, a privacy-minded person may experience uneasy that their new PC has Windows 10 on information technology. If yous'd rather not scrub the drive clean to install a different operating system, at that place are steps you tin can have to reduce what data Microsoft gathers about y'all.

Unfortunately, in that location is no silvery bullet for Windows ten privacy. Recommended steps range from setting options during the initial OS setup to installing third-political party tools to keep tabs on everything.

The topic of maintaining your privacy while using Windows 10 is so big it deserves its ain guide. Be sure to check out our consummate guide to Windows x privacy settings for the full run-down.

Keeping Your Data Safe in Windows 10

Windows 10 is not the privacy abet's top option for operating systems, but you can monitor your data and tweak the privacy settings to conform your needs. Now you know how to view the data Microsoft has on you, and how to erase them.

Now that your data in Windows 10 is secure, it's time to brand sure that all the programs and settings on your PC are every bit ironclad. There are enough of things you tin can do it enhance your calculator's security, such as uninstalling Flash and making restore points.