This free portable Windows tool stopped all the hidden tracking on my PC

Using random Windows optimization tools to debloat your PC is risky, as they automate deep system changes you may not fully understand. Doing everything manually is safer, but disabling Microsoft’s telemetry that way is a headache. The settings are scattered across menus, services, registry entries, and Group Policy, and it’s hard to know if you’ve caught everything.

And that’s precisely what O&O ShutUp10++ fixes. It’s a free, portable tool that brings all Windows telemetry and privacy controls into one simple interface. You still toggle each option manually, which keeps you in control, but you don’t have to look for anything yourself. In my case, it made disabling the hidden tracking on my PC fast, clear, and, more importantly, transparent.

As with any tool that can modify your system settings or registry entries, it’s important to create a system restore point before applying any changes. O&O ShutUp10++ prompts you to create one before making a change, and I highly recommend using that option. This way, you can undo everything if something goes wrong.

Installing O&O ShutUp10++

A portable app that can disable tracking and telemetry options

O&O ShutUp10++ is a free privacy tool that works with both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Interestingly, it’s not a one-click optimization app, and it doesn’t automatically make changes to your system, hence it’s much safer to experiment with. Instead, it presents you with a list of privacy-related settings and lets you decide what to turn off.

It comes in a portable format, so you don’t need to install anything. All you have to do is download the executable file from the O&O Software website and run it. There’s no setup wizard, no installation process, and nothing gets added to your system. So, it’s perfect for carrying on a USB drive or testing on multiple PCs without leaving any traces behind.

Even if you’re not looking to turn off every telemetry option, the app is useful for turning off a few everyday annoyances. You can disable Windows setup notifications, lock screen suggestions, app access to your microphone and camera, and location tracking for specific apps. These are things you could do manually through Settings, but O&O ShutUp10++ puts them all in one place.

When you launch the app, it shows two tabs at the top: Current User for your personal account settings and Local Machine for system-wide changes. Settings appear as a vertical list of toggles, grouped into categories like Privacy, Activity History, and App Privacy.

Each setting has a switch, a description, and a safety indicator like a traffic light system. Green means the change is safe, amber warns of potential usability issues, and red signals that enabling it could break something. To see what disabling an option does, click any setting’s name to expand a description explaining precisely what it does.

Using O&O ShutUp10++

Create restore points before making any changes

All the settings have a toggle to turn services on or off. When you flip a switch, it prompts you to create a system restore point. I strongly recommend creating one, especially if turning off the service requires a registry modification.

Before toggling anything, take the time to click each option and read its description. Understanding what a service does and how disabling it affects your PC is important. If it’s something you rely on every day, leave it alone. I recommend starting with only the green Recommended options, as these are settings most people want to disable without much risk.

While there’s an option in the Actions menu to bulk-apply all recommended settings at once, I’d advise against using it. Go through each setting individually, read the description, and make changes one at a time. Repeat this for every category you want to adjust. Some changes may require a reboot to take effect, and the app will tell you when that’s necessary.

What to consider

Windows updates can restore things to default

When you’re done applying changes, O&O ShutUp10++ warns you that Windows updates may revert some settings to their defaults. This means you’ll likely need to rerun the tool after major updates to reapply your preferences.

It’s annoying, but it shouldn’t take much time since you’re only changing a few things. In my experience, changes made through the Settings app usually stick, but Microsoft tends to revert registry-based modifications. The good news is that O&O ShutUp10++ tracks what’s changed since its last run, so you can easily see what needs to be redone.

I updated my PC once after making changes, and most of my settings were retained. But your experience may vary depending on what you disabled. Keep in mind that some registry changes the app makes can trigger your antivirus to flag them as potentially unwanted modifications. This doesn’t mean the changes are dangerous—it’s just your security software being cautious. Pay attention to what you’re modifying so you don’t panic when your antivirus flags them.

O&O ShutUp10++ can help you block all trackers

O&O ShutUp10++ is one of those rare tools that does exactly what it promises without overcomplicating things. It won’t magically speed up your PC or free gigabytes of storage, but it will give you control over what data Windows collects and sends to Microsoft.

If you want to make Windows 11 respect your privacy without spending hours navigating through Settings and the Registry Editor, this app makes the process much simpler. Just remember to take it slow, read the descriptions, and always create a restore point before making changes.