[REVISION HISTORY]

Windows 11 privacy and data collection concerns

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-01 09:01 UTC → 2026-09-04 22:05 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Following allegations on social media that a Windows 11 background component known as ‘whesvc’ was spying on users by transmitting CPU, temperature, and battery data every 15 minutes, Microsoft issued a denial. The company clarified that the ‘Windows Health and Optimized Experiences’ service was introduced in 2025 to capture performance diagnostics during system slowdowns. Microsoft stated that data is stored locally and is only transmitted if a user voluntarily submits a report via the Feedback Hub. Microsoft vice-president Scott Hanselman emphasized that the component does not record screens or transmit information without consent, serving instead as a diagnostic tool for stability. In response to privacy ~~concerns surrounding Windows 11 data collection, a new~~ concerns, the software utility ~~called~~ ‘DoNotSpy11’ has ~~emerged. This tool aims~~ emerged to ~~centralize~~ provide users with centralized control over scattered privacy ~~settings, allowing~~ settings. The tool allows users to limit telemetry, disable tracking, and deactivate ~~specific~~ features that transmit information to Microsoft, such as data entered in the Edge browser. Recommended configurations within the utility include resetting the Advertising ID, blocking camera and microphone access, and disabling the activity feed to prevent the storage of local history. To maintain system stability during these configuration changes, the software includes a feature to create a system restore point.

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