Behind the Curtain: My Deep Dive Into Windows 11 Telemetry and User Privacy
Last year, after finding my old Wireshark logs from a random Tuesday, I started to wonder: just how much of my digital life is up for grabs when I use Windows 11? What started as a geeky experiment turned into a mission to see how deep the rabbit hole really goes. Let me take you through what I uncovered, some awkward surprises, and why I’m both more and less paranoid than before.
Surprise #1: Even With the Best Settings, Data Slips Out
When I first set out to test Windows 11’s Telemetry Controls and Privacy Settings, I was hopeful. I’d heard plenty about Microsoft Data Collection, but I wanted to see for myself: how much data actually leaves a PC, even after you’ve locked it down? So, I fired up Wireshark and started monitoring every bit of outbound traffic from a fresh Windows 11 install. The results were eye-opening—and honestly, a little unsettling.
No matter how many toggles I flipped or how many settings I tweaked, the data kept flowing. Even with O&O ShutUp10, a popular third-party privacy tool, and strict group policy edits, the stream of telemetry didn’t stop. As I watched the logs fill up, it became clear: manual privacy settings can only go so far—Windows keeps sending telemetry.
Microsoft Services: Always Online, Always Talking
The first thing I noticed was the sheer volume of connections to Microsoft domains. It didn’t matter what I was doing. If a service was made by Microsoft—like Copilot, Edge, or Recall—it was sending information out. As I watched, connections to copilot.microsoft.com, bing.com, teams.events.data.microsoft.com, and store-images.s-microsoft.com popped up repeatedly. Even after uninstalling Edge, I still saw traffic tied to Edge services.
"If it’s made by Microsoft like Copilot, it’s gonna send information out of the computer back to Microsoft servers."
What’s more, the infamous Recall feature—designed to take periodic screenshots for easier search—was a stark reminder of how far telemetry can go. Although Microsoft pulled Recall after a security backlash, other telemetry features persist. Research shows that disabling telemetry in Windows 11 requires multiple tools, and even then, no method fully halts data collection.
Third-Party Tools Help, But Don’t Plug Every Leak
I ran O&O ShutUp10, adjusted every relevant group policy, and used a local account instead of a Microsoft account. Still, data kept trickling out. Microsoft Teams, Bing, the Microsoft Store—all continued to generate outbound traffic. Studies indicate that telemetry data includes system performance, app usage, network connections, and more. Microsoft claims this data is used to improve services and personalize user experience, but the lack of transparency leaves many with ongoing data privacy concerns.
Even on Windows 10 LTSC, which is less aggressive than Windows 11, I found Edge-related traffic—even after uninstalling the browser. Some connections, like update.microsoft.com, ran in the background despite manual update settings. It’s as if certain telemetry is deeply embedded, impossible to fully silence.
What’s Really Being Sent?
It’s tough to say exactly what’s leaving your machine. Microsoft says they don’t collect personal info, but research and my own monitoring suggest otherwise. Data like your PC specs, search terms, geolocation, and app interactions are all fair game. For users who value privacy, this raises significant questions about control and consent.
Ultimately, even with the strictest Telemetry Controls and privacy tweaks, Windows 11 continues to communicate with Microsoft servers. The best you can do is reduce the volume—but stopping it completely? That’s another story.
The Great Recall Flub: When Security Experts Rebelled
If you’ve followed recent developments in Windows 11 telemetry and Microsoft data collection practices, you probably heard about the infamous Recall feature. It was supposed to be a breakthrough—a tool to help users retrace their digital steps by capturing periodic screenshots of their activity. The idea sounded helpful on paper: imagine searching your computer’s memory, not just for files, but for everything you’ve seen or done. But as I dug deeper, the reality behind Recall was far more complicated, and, frankly, alarming.
Recall was designed to take screenshots by default, quietly logging user activity in the background. The feature did have some built-in privacy “safeguards”—it wouldn’t capture content from private browsing sessions or DRM-protected media. Still, the sheer scope of what it did capture raised immediate red flags for anyone concerned about user privacy impact and data collection practices.
When Recall first rolled out, it was limited to Copilot Plus PCs, but Microsoft’s ambition was clear: a broader release was on the horizon. That’s when the backlash began. Security experts quickly dissected the feature and exposed a major flaw—these screenshots, stored locally, could be accessed by malicious actors if a device was compromised. Suddenly, what was pitched as a convenience became a glaring security risk.
As one security expert bluntly put it:
"Unfortunately, it was a major security flaw and a security risk, and Microsoft pulled it and had to adjust some of the software."
The public outcry was swift and loud. Users, already wary of Microsoft data collection and the company’s telemetry habits, were not pleased. Many felt that Recall crossed a line, collecting sensitive information without adequate transparency or control. While Microsoft emphasized that Recall could be disabled easily, the damage was done. The feature was quickly pulled from standard Windows 11 PCs, and Microsoft scrambled to patch and retool the software for Copilot Plus devices.
This episode highlighted a broader concern: the ongoing tension between convenience and privacy in modern operating systems. Research shows that Windows 11 telemetry already collects extensive data—system performance, usage patterns, crash reports, and more. While these practices are often justified as necessary for improving user experience, they also open the door to unintended risks. The Recall debacle made it painfully clear that security risks from data-logging features are non-trivial, and that public scrutiny can—and should—force tech giants to rethink their approach.
Even after Recall’s removal from most devices, the unease lingers. Users are left wondering what other “helpful” features might be quietly collecting their data, and how much control they really have. Disabling Recall was straightforward, but the broader questions about user privacy impact and data collection practices in Windows 11 remain unresolved. For many, the Recall incident served as a wake-up call—a reminder to look behind the curtain and question what’s happening with their data, even in the most familiar software environments.
Table 1: Who’s Watching? Comparing Windows 11 Telemetry Services and Domains
When I started my deep dive into Windows 11 Telemetry Services, I expected some background data collection. What I didn’t expect was the sheer number of Microsoft domains and services actively “phoning home” from a fresh Windows 11 install. Even with most apps uninstalled and privacy settings dialed up, my Wireshark logs lit up with outbound connections—many of which had nothing to do with my direct activity.
Let’s get specific. The table below summarizes the main domains and services I observed generating telemetry traffic, even on a supposedly “debloated” system. These aren’t just limited to obvious suspects like bing.com or teams.events.data.microsoft.com. I saw connections to Copilot.microsoft.com, store-images.s-microsoft.com, msn.com, and more. Strangely, Amazon Trust domains also appeared, despite no open browser tabs or Amazon apps running.
"You can see here everything from Microsoft Edge to Teams to Copilot to Recall... being sent out of your computer."
What’s more, some of these Telemetry Services persist even when you think you’ve removed them. For example, Microsoft Edge Data continues to flow—even after I uninstalled Edge entirely. The service still runs in the background, quietly collecting and transmitting data. Similarly, setting Windows Update to “manual” didn’t stop update.microsoft.com from making its presence known in my logs.
Research shows that Windows 11 Telemetry is layered and opaque. Disabling features or uninstalling apps rarely blocks all outbound traffic. Microsoft Data Collection is deeply embedded, and the operating system continues to generate telemetry regardless of explicit user activity. This aligns with broader studies indicating that Windows 11 collects extensive system performance data, usage patterns, and even personal information like location and browsing habits—all under the banner of “improving user experience.”
It’s not just Microsoft, either. I noticed outbound connections from other vendors—ESET, Brave, Opera, and more. Data collection is the norm, not the exception, in today’s operating systems. Still, the scale and persistence of Windows 11’s telemetry stand out.
The takeaway? Telemetry Services in Windows 11 are both persistent and pervasive. Even with aggressive privacy settings, Microsoft Data Collection continues in the background, often without clear user consent or visibility. For privacy-conscious users, this raises serious questions about transparency and control.
Do Alternatives Actually Help? My Time with LTSC and Linux
When it comes to Windows 11 alternatives, the conversation almost always circles back to privacy and telemetry controls. After spending significant time with both Windows 10 LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel) and various Linux distributions, I’ve learned that the reality is more nuanced than the marketing or forum chatter suggests. If you’re hoping to find an operating system that’s completely free from data collection, you might be disappointed—but there are meaningful differences in how much data gets harvested, and by whom.
Let’s start with Windows 10 LTSC. This version is often recommended for those concerned about user privacy impact and data privacy concerns. Out of the box, LTSC is noticeably less aggressive than standard Windows 11 when it comes to telemetry. Using privacy tools and a local account, I was able to reduce the amount of data sent out. But, as research shows and my own tests confirmed, you can’t bring telemetry down to zero. Even after uninstalling Microsoft Edge, I found its background services still running and sending data.
"You’re never going to be able to stop Microsoft from harvesting information from that PC, but you can tone it down a little bit."
Wireshark revealed persistent connections to domains like update.microsoft.com and others, even with updates set to manual. Sometimes, I’d spot traffic to Amazon-related domains or Bing, despite not having those services open. It’s clear that some of these processes are deeply embedded in the OS, and even with strict telemetry controls, Microsoft still collects a baseline of information. And this is with a local account—if you use a Microsoft cloud account, expect even more data to be sent.
It’s not just Microsoft, either. Third-party browsers like Brave or Opera, and antivirus solutions such as ESET, also establish connections and send data in the background. Sometimes, these apps weren’t even open, yet they were still communicating out. This isn’t unique to Windows; it’s a broader software industry trend. Even Wireshark itself, the tool I used for monitoring, likely sends some telemetry back to its developers.
So, what about Linux? Many in the privacy community tout Linux as the gold standard for data privacy. In my experience, Linux does collect far less telemetry by default. Most mainstream distributions are transparent about what they collect, often limited to hardware support or crash reports. Still, as studies indicate, no OS is perfectly private. Some telemetry is necessary for maintenance and support, even if it’s minimal compared to Windows.
But here’s a thought experiment: if Linux ever reached the scale of Windows—installed on billions of devices globally—would its privacy posture remain the same? I’m skeptical. Supporting a massive user base requires resources, and that often leads to increased data collection and monetization. As the market scale grows, so does the pressure to harvest more information, whether for technical support, feature development, or business reasons.
In the end, Linux vs Windows isn’t a simple privacy binary. Alternatives like LTSC and Linux can reduce telemetry, but they can’t eradicate it. The dynamics of data collection shift with market share and business models, making absolute privacy a moving target in today’s digital landscape.
Privacy Tools and OS Data Collection—Effectiveness at a Glance
When it comes to controlling Windows 11 telemetry, I’ve thrown nearly every privacy tool and setting at the problem. From O&O ShutUp10 and custom Group Policy tweaks to various debloating scripts, my goal was simple: see if it’s truly possible to stop the constant flow of data from my PC to Microsoft and other third parties. I monitored network activity with Wireshark before and after applying these privacy settings, hoping for a dramatic drop in outbound traffic. The reality, however, was more nuanced.
After applying layered Privacy Settings and Telemetry Controls, I did notice a reduction in the volume of data being sent out. Windows 11 telemetry traffic lessened, but it never disappeared entirely. Even with every conceivable privacy defense in place, some connections persisted—often to Microsoft domains, but also to others, like update servers and background services. This aligns with what research shows: while you can limit the scope of data collection, you can’t eradicate it. Some telemetry is deeply embedded in the operating system, making it impossible to fully disable without breaking core functionality.
What surprised me most was that the issue isn’t limited to Microsoft. For a fair comparison, I included non-Microsoft software—ESET antivirus, Brave, and Opera browsers—in my tests. Even when these apps weren’t actively in use, network logs showed them reaching out to their own servers. Sometimes it was for updates, sometimes for telemetry or usage analytics. This underscores a broader User Privacy Impact and highlights ongoing Data Privacy Concerns that extend beyond Windows 11 telemetry alone.
Even privacy tools themselves aren’t immune. For example, launching O&O ShutUp10 triggered outbound connections to its own domain. It’s a sobering reminder that, as users, we place a lot of trust in software—often without knowing exactly what information is being sent or harvested. As I noted during my tests,
"We trust a lot of software, and yet we just don't know what sort of information is being sent back or harvested."
This leads to a key realization: trust in privacy tools, just like trust in operating systems, is ultimately an article of faith. No matter how many scripts, policies, or settings you apply, there’s always some residual data collection. Even running a local account (not tied to a Microsoft account) didn’t stop all telemetry. And if you’re using a Microsoft account, it’s likely even more information is being collected for personalization and targeted advertising, as studies indicate.
In the end, the effectiveness of privacy tools comes down to mitigation, not elimination. Layered tactics—combining privacy settings, third-party tools, and vigilant monitoring—can reduce your exposure, but they can’t offer absolute privacy. This is the current reality of modern operating systems and software ecosystems. If you’re truly concerned about data privacy, alternatives like Linux or macOS may offer more control, but even those aren’t immune to some level of telemetry. The only certainty is that, in today’s connected world, total privacy is elusive. All we can do is make informed choices, stay vigilant, and accept that some data collection is simply part of the digital landscape.