71 percent of Windows 10 Creators Update users share 'full' diagnostics, Microsoft says

By Al Sacco
published

Windows 10 gives users many different settings that help manage and control potentially sensitive information and maximize privacy. However, the majority of users still choose to share "full" diagnostic and usage data with Microsoft, according to the company.

What does full diagnostic data include? "Browser, app and feature usage, and inking and typing data." That's a broad description and it could entail lots of different kinds of data. But a full 71 percent of all Windows 10 users still choose to share full data, instead of the "basic" data that's "necessary to keep Windows up to date and secure," according to Microsoft.

Microsoft says there are 500 million devices that run Windows 10 today. In late June, Windows ad network AdDuplex reported that more than 35 percent of PCs on its network run the Creators Update. That number has almost certainly increased during the past month, so 125 million or more PC users running the Creators Update choose to share full usage diagnostics, based on those numbers.

Do you share full or basic usage data? Do you even know off-hand? If not, here's how to find out and modify that setting:

  1. Hit your Windows Start button.
  2. Open Settings.
  3. Click the Privacy icon. (It looks like a lock.)
  4. On the left side, scroll down to Feedback & diagnostics.
  5. Choose Basic or Full to designate the amount of data you wish to share.
Al Sacco
Al Sacco

Al Sacco is content director of Future PLC's Mobile Technology Vertical, which includes AndroidCentral.com, iMore.com and WindowsCentral.com. He is a veteran reporter, writer, reviewer and editor who has professionally covered and evaluated IT and mobile technology, and countless associated gadgets and accessories, for more than a decade. You can keep up with Al on Twitter and Instagram.

54 Comments
  • Tinfoil hats! Get yer tinfoil hats!
  • I agree.  I'm part of the 71%.  On all three of my machines.  I'm all in if it means a better OS later on.  There's nothing personal being collected, so why not.  It only helps build a better future.
  • As far ad I'm concerned it doesn't matter at all if Microsoft knows that I mostly use my PC to do shopping and write angry letters to the editor using other peoples names.
  • I'm not but I'm not afraid of anonymous telemetry either.  They use that info to find issues and make windows better. You can also block it via it's IP address if you want.  Win update and everything else still works fine.
  • The numbers are skewed a bit because the Windows Insider program locks you fo full diagnostics.
  • Yeah, and you agree to that as part of the insider program, so not really skewed. You can always opt out of the program if you don't want to share.
  • I'm basing what I said on the assumption that MS is counting all Windows 10 users regardless of insider program status.
  • Ok, so how does that skew the number then? If you knowingly agree to it as part of insiders, you choose to share full data.
  • Knowingly agreeing to sending full diagnostics when you join the insider program is irrelevant when talking about the cold hard stat that the article mentions. If the 71% mentioned is also counting insiders, the numbers are skewed due to insiders only being allowed to choose full diagnostics. If MS isn't counting insiders in that 71%, my comment is invalidated as the numbers aren't skewed.
  • You're not providing any counter to my argument. Why is it irrelevant if they choose to be an insider and therefore choose to share data? Regardless, there are 10M insiders as of March. So that's a 2% difference which is within a standard margin of error.
  • Let me break it down for you.
    1. MS is touting that 71% of Windows 10 users are sending full diagnostics.
    2. Insiders can only select full diagnostics.
    3. If insiders are counted in that 71%, that number is skewed due to point 2.
    4. If insiders aren't being counted in that 71%, my comment is null and void. I'm only focusing on that 71% figure. Nothing else.
  • Let me break it down for you.
    1.you can choose to be an insider
    2.if you don't want to share your data you can back out of insider
    3.if you're an insider you choose to share data.
  • They don't count insider builds.  
  • How many Insider again? 200M?
  • 10 million as of march
  • My computer gets a blank screen when trying to get Creators Update. I have to hard reset and it reverts to last install. My laptop gets fast track at least.
  • They don't "choose" to do it, its on by default, and the majority of people never change default settings even when prompted to review them. The number would be lot lower if by default it was set on basic. But Microsoft is now in the Data Mining bussiness so why bother with that, right? And if they are not in the Data Mining bussiness as I am sure MS apologists will try to claim here, why not have an option beyond "share basic data" and allow users to set it to share NO Data.  
  • If you are really concerned about your data, then you better never use internet!!!
  • What is "the Data Mining bussiness"?
  • Data Mining business == A conspiracy theory that John has invented as a way of spamming this site and generating FUD to scare us back to the dark ages where we used Windows 3.1.
  • 😂
  • Windows 3.1 was fun! shame on you!
  • the data collected is not PII data. it is machine data to help troubleshoot bugs. nobody is looking at your browser history.
  • The people who keep the default settings obviously don't care. People who do care can easily change them. I fail to see the problem.
  • @Tarkus13. It's not that people don't care. Most people don't even know what it says, they just see a lot of text on a computer screen, which they immediately assume is very complicated and the only solution they've learned through the years is to "just click next".
    Now I don't necessarily mind MS mining this data (I assume it actually helps them improve the OS), but if people had to opt in, instead of opting out. I'm pretty sure less than 5% would actually share all the data MS is asking for.
  • The text for the privacy options are not bad at all. People who truly care about it will either take a couple minutes to read, or just disable without reading, based on the title of each section. There's no way you can convince me that people who truly care about this stuff just blindly accept the defaults.
  • I somewhat agree with your argument that changing something is harder than leaving it and clicking next. However, I think you get stuck on that detail as if it's THE deciding factor, when it's probably multiple significant factors. I don't have scientific proof (maybe I can try to look up studies if they exist for this kind of thing), but I think the key is that you are presented with the opportunity to change the setting and those that care enough will do so and those that don't will leave it as is. The argument could be made that the same people who don't change it, even if they were given the choice and had to pick one to move on, may in fact just select to send full diagnostic data. I think it's an assumption on your end that most people wouldn't. Either way we don't know what people would ultimately choose if they had to choose in order to proceed to the next step. Generally I agree that there are factors that can influence people to more likely pick one over the other.
  • Yep, you hit the nail on the head, a lot of people will just go with the default, certainly, the ones who not into this sort of thing. I just sorted out my brother's tablet for the third time and I made sure the telemetry is on basic. Most of the other stuff i have to leave on sadly due to the way he is using it. I just want an off switch for telemetry, it is a simple thing to ask for, if as the MS fans say that there are only a few of us that want this off option then it is not going to make any difference to MS so called data collection. MS is scared to put an off function because they know there will be loads of us that would use it.    
  • If people really cared they'd simply use a firewall to block it. There are enough guides online explaining what to do.
  • It's about 3 lines of text, and there have been thousands if web sites and Youtube videos telling us all about this since before Windows 10 was made available to the general public. If people don't know by now what the score us then they must be living on another planet.
  • If you're one of the users complaining about Microsoft while you're connected to the internet all day (ISP tracks everything), walk around with a phone with gps, a camera & mic everyday (Carrier, app developers, google & apple track everything), log into a popular social network everyday (twitter & facebook track everything) & run Chrome all day (lol you know how Google rolls), you have given up all rights to complain about your digital privacy because you didn't have any left for MS to violate in the first place.  
  • Correct me if i am wrong but doesn't Windows ask what data you would like to share upon either buying a new computer or OS install/upgrade? its up to the end user to ensure their own data is secure and what is shared with MS and other content creators. I share full diagnostic information as i trust Microsoft not to use my data in a negative manner and to improve apps and features.
  • MS doesn't really ask what data you wish to share. It's on be default, and so called "recommended". Which means that 90% of all windows users don't know what it means, or how to do something about it. So most people don't "choose" to share their data, they are just incapable of not sharing it. Saying that 71% of all fall creator users "choose" to share full data, is just plain wrong.
  • It's on by default but it won't allow you to actually use your machine until you have confirmed the settings.
  • There have been enough articles on the internet (most of them blown out of proportion) to scare people about their data being shared. There is also plenty of articles on how to change the settings, so I'm not sure where your logic is coming from that default is the only reason why. 
  • Yes people do sometimes read scary articles about windows, but usually only from non-tech sites. Or they hear scary stories so-called experts among their friends and decide to avoid any new windows version for as long as possible. But they generally avoid tech sites as much as possible. The average windows user does not read articles on how to change settings, for them it's too boring or they believe they'll break stuff. They just want as little hassle as possible when starting up a new PC or completing an update, so they just click "next".  
  • So you recognize that people read the articles about their information shared but they don't care enough to do anything about it. That's no different than choosing to share your data.
  • It's been on Fox news, so at least half of the US population knows about it.
  • Don't make assumptions.  I've built many pc's for people and let them do windows install.  I've seen all of these non savy people read the simple options screen during setup and turn things off if they don't want them. Microsoft made it really simple in win10... really simple.
  • +1
    Manual upvote, as it's not available on this WC android app. :-)
  • It highlighted pretty heavily during the set up screen. I think that people who don't Chang it because they don't think that its important enough to change. Like they change to Chrome or Firefox.
  • They are given the options during setup.  Plus it's anonymous data used to help fix issues. You can also block it all via IP address if you want so it's really a non issue.  Win update and everything else still work fine if you block the IPs for telemetry
  • I still feel the tin foil hat brigade are in full swing
  • Being in the insider programme I can't change this setting anyway
  • I use Full because I trust Microsoft
  • You poor deluded person,   
  • With basic location data you can determine where you live and work.  If you're driving or not.  What the traffic is like.   What type food you like.  What type of music/sports events you like.   Who some of your friends are.   You could also guess if you're you are cheating on your wife or not. Aggregate search history, Facebook and  e-mail then you probably no longer need search warrants. My point is 'Full' diagnostics is a silly thing to worry about when most people don't check or care if an app uses location data.
  • People give that stuff away for free on Facebook. Now, if Microsoft were scanning you handgun permit details, or gad the blueprints to you safe ...
  • And my laptop still can't get the CU. 🙄
  • Unless it's a Clover Trail Atom laptop, you shouldn't be having problems getting the Creators Update. Have you tried the media creation tool?
  • As Thurrot said, it's more like 71% of the users skipped everything ahead because they wanted to get f*cking going with using the PC and not lose even more time with the set up process.
  • And the large majority likely have read articles about their data being shared and have access to many search engines to tell them how to turn it off. If anyone cares enough the can get it turned to basic.
  • Can you provide a link to where he said "they wanted to get f*cking going" ?
  • 71 users total, not 71%.