How to Enable or Disable Collect Activity History in Windows Do you know that Windows is tracking your device activity as we speak? If you care about your privacy, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to enable or disable your Activity History on Windows! Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT Video Hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this. What is Activity History in Windows Activity History in Windows is a feature that tracks apps you use, files you open, and websites you visit to offer a more personalized experience. While this can improve productivity and task resumption, it also raises valid concerns about privacy and data collection. By default, your activity is stored locally on your device. But if you're signed in with a Microsoft account and enable syncing, this data can also be sent to Microsoft servers. This allows for cross-device continuity, so you can start a task on one device and resume it on another. However, this comes with trade-offs. Privacy-conscious users disable this feature to prevent Microsoft from collecting detailed usage data. Others find it helpful and keep it on for convenience. Data retention on local devices and Microsoft servers. Potential for unintended data collection even when the feature is disabled. Cross-device tracking when linked to a Microsoft account. Creation of detailed user profiles based on collected data. How to Enable or Disable Activity History To enable or disable Activity History in Windows 10, open Settings, click on Privacy (or Privacy & Security on Windows 11), then select Activity History. You can choose to store your activity history locally or send it to Microsoft for cross-device use. Steps to Enable or Disable Activity History Open Settings. Click on “Privacy” or “Privacy & Security” Choose “Activity History” and toggle the appropriate options on or off You can also clear your activity history from the settings pages via the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard. Steps to Clear Activity History Navigate to Settings > Privacy > Activity History. Click “Clear history.” Confirm by clicking “Clear.” For more advanced control, system administrators or power users can manage this setting through the Group Policy Editor or by editing the Windows Registry. Group Policy allows you to disable the publishing of user activities entirely, and registry edits offer a more permanent solution. Be aware that starting with newer Windows 11 builds, the visibility and management of Activity History settings may change, so it's important to stay updated. For organizations, controlling Activity History is critical for compliance with regulations like GDPR. It can also aid in auditing and threat detection— but must be balanced against privacy obligations. Activity History is a useful but potentially invasive feature. Whether you enable it for convenience or disable it for privacy, understanding how it works empowers you to make informed decisions about your data. For more information, check out our official blog post on How to Enable or Disable Collect Activity History in Windows linked in the description below. Be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT Video Hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this.