Microsoft announced today that the Windows 10 Creators Update will bring with it changes to privacy settings on the platform. More specifically, the spring feature update will make controlling privacy settings easier. Microsoft also revealed a new privacy dashboard for the web, which the company says furthers transparency.
As well as revealing the upcoming change, Microsoft also doubled down on its ongoing commitment to maintaining customer privacy in Windows 10. Terry Myerson, Executive Vice President, Windows and Devices Group, discussed all the changes in a Windows Blog post today.
The new privacy dashboard gives users more tools for managing their history and information. The web dashboard allows users to review and delete browsing history and data. Other abilities include reviewing and deleting Cortana’s Notebook. Microsoft says more categories will be added to the dashboard in the future.
Wide privacy settings will arrive with the Windows 10 Creators Update this spring. In the blog post, Myerson said that the new privacy settings come in two forms. The first is for existing Windows 10 users who are upgrading, to the Creators Update for example. A popup windows appears to deal with these upgrade scenarios.
Users upgrading from older Windows builds to Windows 10 get a full setup window with numerous settings will be introduced.
Myerson points out how this new experience will help users: “If you are moving from Windows 7 or Windows 8, or doing a fresh install of Windows 10, the new set up experience will clearly show you simple but important settings and you will need to choose your settings before you can move forward with setup. If you are already using Windows 10, we will use notifications to prompt you to choose your privacy settings.”
Committing to Privacy in Windows 10
Myerson used the post to reaffirm Microsoft’s position on maintaining data and privacy on Windows 10. The company says customer privacy is hugely important and the announcements today show Redmond’s commitment. Microsoft says the new changes give users more choice and control over their privacy settings.
“When it comes to your privacy, we strive to make choices easy to understand while also providing clear visibility and control over your data,” Myerson adds. “We believe finding the right balance is one of our most important tasks in delivering great personalized experiences that you love and trust.”
