Alaya·Techne

Some things to do immediately if you use Windows

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by

techne
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  1. Privacy
    Settings > Privacy & security > App permissions
    For every item in the list, select Off
    Windows has absolutely no business mediating what apps that you install and run on your computer can or cannot access. So for all these items:
  • Location
  • Camera
  • Microphone
  • Voice activation
  • Notifications
  • Account info
  • Contacts
  • Calendar
  • Phone calls
  • Call history
  • Email
  • Tasks
  • Messaging
  • Radios
  • Other devices
  • App diagnostics
  • Automatic file downloads
  • Documents
  • Downloads folder
  • Music library
  • Pictures
  • Videos
  • File system
  • Screenshot borders
  • Screenshots and screen recordins
  • Text and image generation
  • Passkeys

Set them all to Off. Contrary to what it might seem, turning these all off will not adversely affect the functioning of your computer nor the software you use in any way. And Fuck Microsoft for putting this shit in. They’re obviously continuing on their longstanding path of investing substantially in manipulation and control rather than delivering a solid operating system.

2. Windows Start: disable Store results in Start searches

Again, the scabs at Microsoft are investing heavily in how to impinge upon you and shove ads in your face when using the Start menu. Completely disable Store results from showing up when you search for an app in Start:

Settings > System > System components > Microsoft Store >
· Background component permissions > Let this system component run in the background: Never
· Terminate: Terminate
· Reset: Reset

2. Windows Start: disable new Start “features” from version 25H2

Install scoop or WinGetUI and use either to install vivetool. You don’t need the GUI version.
In an elevated command prompt run:
vivetool /disable /id:57048231,47205210,56328729,48433719
Here is what these are:

IDPurpose
47205210updated/new Start Menu design in Windows 11
57048231hidden experimental Windows 11 25H2 feature targeting the revamped Start menu layout engine
56328729new taskbar battery icon and percentage display
48433719hidden feature flag, often associated with prerequisites for new taskbar animations, taskbar autohide changes, or specific Start Menu changes



3. Indexing – Disable everything except Start Menu

Control Panel > Indexing options > Modify
In the lower pane, select every item except Start Menu to display the selected location in the upper pane, and deselect it. The only item that should remain is Start Menu.
I simply DO NOT TRUST Microsoft to index anything on my computer. Despite what they may claim, I do not trust them to not upload information about files on my computer to their servers. So fuck them.

4. Back up your customized Start pinned items and folders

With the latest Windows 25H2 Start “features” comes the possibility for all your custom pinned Start items and folders to be lost. This has happened to me and other users multiple times. Regularly save your Start entries:
Export-StartLayout -Path "C:\Backup\StartLayou.json"

5. Install Winaero Tweaker

Set the following items:

  • Windows 11:
    Disable Recommendations in Start
  • Behavior:
    Ads and Unwanted Apps: disable all
    Error Reporting: disable
  • Desktop and Taskbar:
    Disable Web Search
  • Microsoft Edge:
    Disable Annoyances and Bloat: disable all
    Disable Updates (let UniGetUI handle Edge updates instead)
  • Privacy:
    Disable Telemetry

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