Anti-tracking utility DoNotSpy11 has received a new update that lets you disable various features found in Microsoft's more recent Windows 11 and Edge browser updates — including Copilot. In addition, Windows 11 version 23H2 is also fully supported with the new update.
The changelog for version 1.2.0.0 is quite extensive, but the most noteworthy changes include the ability to disable Microsoft's new AI-assistant, Copilot, as well as search suggestions and Windows Indexer's access to local browsing data.
Here's a quick rundown of the updates:
- Edge: Disable Compose for Writing on the Web
- Edge: Disable Discover Access to Page Contents
- Edge: Disable Related Matches in Find on Page
- Edge: Disable Text Prediction
- Edge: Disable Thumbnail Images for Browsing History
- Privacy: Disable Autocorrection of Misspelled Words
- Privacy: Disable Highlighting of Misspelled Words
- Privacy: Disable Taskbar Copilot Button
- Start: Do Not Show Account-Related Notifications
- Start: Do Not Show Recently Added Apps
- Edge: Disable Search Suggestions (now set as mandatory policy instead of recommended policy)
- Edge: Disable Shopping (now set as mandatory policy instead of recommended policy)
- Edge: Disable Suggestion of Similar Pages (now set as mandatory policy instead of recommended policy)
- Edge: Disable Synchronization of Data (now set as mandatory policy instead of recommended policy)
- Privacy: Disable Facts, Tips, Ticks and More on your Lock Screen
- Privacy: Disable SmartScreen-Filter for URLs
DoNotSpy11 is a third-party anti-tracking utility aimed at protecting users' privacy in Windows 10 and Windows 11. The utility can disable most of Microsoft's telemetry trackers built inside of Windows 10/11, and can also disable trackers in various Microsoft applications (such as Edge and Office). It also allows users to control what functions apps have access to inside of Windows — similar to the app permissions settings found in smartphones.
Windows privacy has been a controversial topic for years, due to the amount of telemetry tracking Microsoft does in its modern Windows operating systems. The height of Microsoft's tracking has only become greater with the addition of AI-assistants such as Cortana (now discontinued) and Copilot, and personalized advertisements found in Windows 10 and 11.
Technically, Microsoft lets you disable most of its data tracking capabilities in the OS — but this doesn't guarantee it's not tracking you. With DoNotSpy11, users can get a much more detailed look at what specific background applications are tracking their data. Its impossible to know if DoNotSpy11 can disable every single tracking program that exists inside of Windows, but, at the very least, it can disable a lot more than what Microsoft allows natively.
The tool, which has almost 2 million downloads, is ideal for users who are concerned about privacy, and would rather not have Microsoft record telemetry data on their system.
