windows-itpro-docs/education/windows/configure-windows-for-education.md

---
title: Windows 10 configuration recommendations for education customers
description: Provides guidance on ways to configure the OS diagnostic data, consumer experiences, Cortana, search, as well as some of the preinstalled apps, so that Windows is ready for your school.
keywords: Windows 10 deployment, recommendations, privacy settings, school, education, configurations, accessibility, assistive technology
ms.mktglfcycl: plan
ms.sitesec: library
ms.prod: w10
ms.pagetype: edu
ms.localizationpriority: medium
author: dansimp
ms.author: dansimp
ms.date: 
ms.reviewer: 
manager: dansimp
---

# Windows 10 configuration recommendations for education customers
**Applies to:**

-   Windows 10


Privacy is important to us, we want to provide you with ways to customize the OS diagnostic data, consumer experiences, Cortana, search, as well as some of the preinstalled apps, for usage with [education editions of Windows 10](windows-editions-for-education-customers.md) in education environments. These features work on all Windows 10 editions, but education editions of Windows 10 have the settings preconfigured. We recommend that all Windows 10 devices in an education setting be configured with **[SetEduPolicies](#setedupolicies)** enabled. See the following table for more information. To learn more about Microsoft's commitment to privacy, see [Windows 10 and privacy](https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=809305).

We want all students to have the chance to use the apps they need for success in the classroom and all school personnel to have apps they need for their job. Students and school personnel who use assistive technology apps not available in the Microsoft Store for Education, and use devices running Windows 10 S, will be able to configure the device at no additional charge to Windows 10 Pro Education. To learn more about the steps to configure this, see [Switch to Windows 10 Pro Education from Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 S](change-to-pro-education.md).

In Windows 10, version 1703 (Creators Update), it is straightforward to configure Windows to be education ready.

| Area | How to configure | What this does | Windows 10 Education | Windows 10 Pro Education | Windows 10 S | 
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Diagnostic Data** | **AllowTelemetry** | Sets Diagnostic Data to [Basic](/windows/configuration/configure-windows-telemetry-in-your-organization) | This is already set | This is already set | The policy must be set |
| **Microsoft consumer experiences** | **SetEduPolicies** | Disables suggested content from Windows such as app recommendations | This is already set | This is already set | The policy must be set |
| **Cortana** | **AllowCortana** | Disables Cortana </br></br> * Cortana is enabled by default on all editions in Windows 10, version 1703 | If using Windows 10 Education, upgrading from Windows 10, version 1607 to Windows 10, version 1703 will enable Cortana. </br></br> See the [Recommended configuration](#recommended-configuration) section below for recommended Cortana settings. | If using Windows 10 Pro Education, upgrading from Windows 10, version 1607 to Windows 10, version 1703 will enable Cortana. </br></br> See the [Recommended configuration](#recommended-configuration) section below for recommended Cortana settings. | See the [Recommended configuration](#recommended-configuration) section below for recommended Cortana settings. |
| **Safe search** | **SetEduPolicies** | Locks Bing safe search to Strict in Microsoft Edge | This is already set | This is already set | The policy must be set |
| **Bing search advertising** | Ad free search with Bing | Disables ads when searching the internet with Bing in Microsoft Edge. See [Ad-free search with Bing](#ad-free-search-with-bing | View configuration instructions as detailed in [Ad-free search with Bing](#ad-free-search-with-bing) | View configuration instructions as detailed in [Ad-free search with Bing](#ad-free-search-with-bing) | View configuration instructions as detailed in [Ad-free search with Bing](#ad-free-search-with-bing) |
| **Apps** | **SetEduPolicies** | Preinstalled apps like Microsoft Edge, Movies & TV, Groove, and Skype become education ready </br></br> * Any app can detect Windows is running in an education ready configuration through [IsEducationEnvironment](/uwp/api/windows.system.profile.educationsettings) | This is already set | This is already set | The policy must be set |


## Recommended configuration
It is easy to be education ready when using Microsoft products. We recommend the following configuration:

1. Use an Office 365 Education tenant. 

    With Office 365, you also have Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). To learn more about Office 365 Education features and pricing, see [Office 365 Education plans and pricing](https://products.office.com/en-us/academic/compare-office-365-education-plans).

2. Activate Intune for Education in your tenant.

    You can [sign up to learn more about Intune for Education](https://info.microsoft.com/US-WNDWS-CNTNT-FY17-01Jan-17-IntuneforEducationlandingpageandnurture292531_01Registration-ForminBody.html).

3. On PCs running Windows 10, version 1703:
   1. Provision the PC using one of these methods:
      * [Provision PCs with the Set up School PCs app](use-set-up-school-pcs-app.md) - This will automatically set both **SetEduPolicies** to True and **AllowCortana** to False.
      * [Provision PCs with a custom package created with Windows Configuration Designer](/windows/configuration/provisioning-packages/provisioning-create-package) - Make sure to set both **SetEduPolicies** to True and **AllowCortana** to False.
   2. Join the PC to Azure Active Directory.
      * Use Set up School PCs or Windows Configuration Designer to bulk enroll to Azure AD.
      * Manually Azure AD join the PC during the Windows device setup experience.
   3. Enroll the PCs in MDM.
      * If you have activated Intune for Education in your Azure AD tenant, enrollment will happen automatically when the PC is joined to Azure AD. Intune for Education will automatically set **SetEduPolicies** to True and **AllowCortana** to False.
   4. Ensure that needed assistive technology apps can be used.
      * If you have students or school personnel who rely on assistive technology apps that are not available in the Microsoft Store for Education, and who are using a Windows 10 S device, configure their device to Windows 10 Pro Education to allow the download and use of non-Microsoft Store assistive technology apps. See [Switch to Windows 10 Pro Education from Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 S](change-to-pro-education.md) for more info.

4. Distribute the PCs to students.

    Students sign in with their Azure AD/Office 365 identity, which enables single sign-on to Bing in Microsoft Edge, enabling an ad-free search experience with Bing in Microsoft Edge.

5. Ongoing management through Intune for Education.

    You can set many policies through Intune for Education, including **SetEduPolicies** and **AllowCortana**, for ongoing management of the PCs.

## Configuring Windows
You can configure Windows through provisioning or management tools including industry standard MDM.
- Provisioning - A one-time setup process.
- Management - A one-time and/or ongoing management of a PC by setting policies.

You can set all the education compliance areas through both provisioning and management tools. Additionally, these Microsoft education tools will ensure PCs that you set up are education ready:
- [Set up School PCs](use-set-up-school-pcs-app.md)
- [Intune for Education](/intune-education/available-settings)

## AllowCortana
**AllowCortana** is a policy that enables or disables Cortana. It is a policy node in the Policy configuration service provider, [AllowCortana](/windows/client-management/mdm/policy-configuration-service-provider#experience-allowcortana). 

> [!NOTE]
> See the [Recommended configuration](#recommended-configuration) section for recommended Cortana settings.

Use one of these methods to set this policy.

### MDM
- Intune for Education automatically sets this policy in the **All devices** group policy configuration.
- If you're using an MDM provider other than Intune for Education, check your MDM provider documentation on how to set this policy.
  - If your MDM provider doesn't explicitly support this policy, you can manually set this policy if your MDM provider allows specific OMA-URIs to be manually set.

      For example, in Intune, create a new configuration policy and add an OMA-URI. 
    - OMA-URI:  ./Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Experience/AllowCortana
    - Data type:  Integer
    - Value:  0

      ![Create an OMA URI for AllowCortana.](images/allowcortana_omauri.png)

### Group Policy
Set **Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search > AllowCortana** to **Disabled**.

![Set AllowCortana to disabled through Group Policy.](images/allowcortana_gp.png)

### Provisioning tools
- [Set up School PCs](use-set-up-school-pcs-app.md) always sets this policy in provisioning packages it creates.
- [Windows Configuration Designer](/windows/configuration/provisioning-packages/provisioning-create-package) 
    - Under **Runtime settings**, click the **Policies** settings group, set **Experience > Cortana** to **No**.

        ![Set AllowCortana to No in Windows Configuration Designer.](images/allowcortana_wcd.png)

## SetEduPolicies
**SetEduPolicies** is a policy that applies a set of configuration behaviors to Windows. It is a policy node in the [SharedPC configuration service provider](/windows/client-management/mdm/sharedpc-csp).

Use one of these methods to set this policy. 

### MDM
- Intune for Education automatically sets this policy in the **All devices** group policy configuration.
- If you're using an MDM provider other than Intune for Education, check your MDM provider documentation on how to set this policy.
  - If your MDM provider doesn't explicitly support this policy, you can manually set this policy if your MDM provider allows specific OMA-URIs to be manually set.

      For example, in Intune, create a new configuration policy and add an OMA-URI.
    - OMA-URI:  ./Vendor/MSFT/SharedPC/SetEduPolicies
    - Data type:  Boolean
    - Value:  true

      ![Create an OMA URI for SetEduPolices.](images/setedupolicies_omauri.png)

### Group Policy
**SetEduPolicies** is not natively supported in Group Policy. Instead, use the [MDM Bridge WMI Provider](/windows/win32/dmwmibridgeprov/mdm-bridge-wmi-provider-portal) to set the policy in [MDM SharedPC](/windows/win32/dmwmibridgeprov/mdm-sharedpc). 

For example:

- Open PowerShell as an administrator and enter the following:

    ```
    $sharedPC = Get-CimInstance -Namespace "root\cimv2\mdm\dmmap" -ClassName "MDM_SharedPC"

    $sharedPC.SetEduPolicies = $True

    Set-CimInstance -CimInstance $sharedPC

    Get-CimInstance -Namespace $namespaceName -ClassName $MDM_SharedPCClass
    ```

### Provisioning tools
- [Set up School PCs](use-set-up-school-pcs-app.md) always sets this policy in provisioning packages it creates.
- [Windows Configuration Designer](/windows/configuration/provisioning-packages/provisioning-create-package) 
    - Under **Runtime settings**, click the **SharedPC** settings group, set **PolicyCustomization > SetEduPolicies** to **True**.

        ![Set SetEduPolicies to True in Windows Configuration Designer.](images/setedupolicies_wcd.png)

## Ad-free search with Bing
Provide an ad-free experience that is a safer, more private search option for K–12 education institutions in the United States. 

### Configurations

#### Azure AD and Office 365 Education tenant
To suppress ads when searching with Bing on Microsoft Edge on any network, follow these steps:

1. Ensure your Office 365 tenant is registered as an education tenant. For more information, see [Verify your Office 365 domain to prove education status](https://support.office.com/article/Verify-your-Office-365-domain-to-prove-ownership-nonprofit-or-education-status-or-to-activate-Yammer-87d1844e-aa47-4dc0-a61b-1b773fd4e590).
2. Domain join the Windows 10 PCs to your Azure AD tenant (this is the same as your Office 365 tenant).
3. Configure **SetEduPolicies** according to one of the methods described in the previous sections in this topic.
4. Have students sign in with their Azure AD identity, which is the same as your Office 365 identity, to use the PC.
> [!NOTE]
> If you are verifying your Office 365 domain to prove education status (step 1 above), you may need to wait up to 7 days for the ad-free experience to take effect. Microsoft recommends not to roll out the browser to your students until that time.

#### Office 365 sign-in to Bing
To suppress ads only when the student signs into Bing with their Office 365 account in Microsoft Edge, follow these steps:

1. Configure **SetEduPolicies** according to one of the methods described in the previous sections in this topic.
2. Have students sign into Bing with their Office 365 account.


## Related topics
[Deployment recommendations for school IT administrators](edu-deployment-recommendations.md)