Bad Windows default settings you should change today

Whether it’s a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop, your devices come loaded with settings, apps and bloatware. They exist for many reasons: To give you a free tease of a paid program, to collect data or simply part of a deal with other companies.

Your iPhone is a wonderful piece of tech right out of the box, but you can take steps to make it even better. Tap or click here for 10 default iPhone settings you can change right now.

Windows also comes with many preloaded settings that you don’t need. Many involve programs or features you’ll never use and can slow down your system. Let’s review the default settings you can change on your Windows PC.

1. Disable keylogger

With the Windows 10 keylogger, Microsoft observes what you’re typing and saying and uses it to improve its service (Windows 11 doesn’t have this built-in feature). Do you need this Big Tech company recording everything you do on your PC? No! Here’s how to put a stop to it:

  • Go to the Start menu and open Settings.
  • Select Privacy, then Diagnostics & feedback from the left pane.
  • Turn off Improve inking and typing and Tailored experiences.
  • Now tap Delete under Delete diagnostic data.

2. Distance yourself from Cortana

Windows 10 lets its productivity assistant Cortana get to know you through your voice and writing so you can get better suggestions. If this makes you uncomfortable, you can turn off the feature. Here’s how:

  • Go to the Start menu and open Settings.
  • Click Privacy, then choose Inking & typing personalization from the left pane.
  • Click the slider to Off under Getting to know you.

RELATED: How to see everything Microsoft knows about you and shut down the tracking

3. When was the last time you printed something from your PC?

Windows runs a print spooler service to keep your printing jobs running smoothly. It’s running in the background even when you’re not using it.

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If your browser isn’t regularly updated to the latest version, it won’t protect against new threats. For example, a new update to Mozilla’s Firefox patches two vulnerabilities hackers can exploit to steal your details.

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Best internet browsers: Comparing Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge | Digital Life Hack from Kim Komando

Which internet browser should you use? Kim compares well-known and top-used browsers based on safety, privacy, ease of use and personalization. Find out why you may or may not want to use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, Tor and even Internet Explorer.

Nearly half of our readers polled at Komando.com use Google Chrome. What’s your favorite browser? Which will you never use?

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