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title, description, ms.prod, ms.localizationpriority, author, ms.author, manager, ms.collection, ms.topic, ms.date, ms.technology
| title | description | ms.prod | ms.localizationpriority | author | ms.author | manager | ms.collection | ms.topic | ms.date | ms.technology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Changes to Windows diagnostic data collection | This article provides information on changes to Windows diagnostic data collection Windows 10 and Windows 11. | m365-security | high | DHB-MSFT | danbrown | dougeby | M365-security-compliance | article | 11/29/2021 | privacy |
Changes to Windows diagnostic data collection
Applies to
- Windows 11
- Windows 10, version 1903 and later
- Windows Server 2022
Microsoft is committed to providing you with effective controls over your data and ongoing transparency into our data handling practices. As part of this effort, we have moved our major products and services to a model where data sent back to Microsoft from customer devices will be classified as either Required or Optional. We believe this will provide our customers with a simpler experience – information should be easier to find, easier to understand, and easier to act upon through the tools we provide.
This article is meant for IT administrators and explains the changes Windows is making to align to the new data collection taxonomy. These changes are focused in two areas:
Summary of changes
In Windows 10, version 1903 and later, you will see taxonomy updates in both the Out-of-box-experience (OOBE) and the Diagnostics & feedback privacy settings page. These changes are explained in the section named Taxonomy changes.
Additionally, starting in Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022, we’re simplifying your diagnostic data controls by moving from four diagnostic data controls to three: Diagnostic data off, Required, and Optional. We’re also clarifying the Security diagnostic data level to reflect its behavior more accurately by changing it to Diagnostic data off. All these changes are explained in the section named Behavioral changes.
Taxonomy changes
Starting in Windows 10, version 1903 and later, both the Out-of-Box-Experience (OOBE) and the Diagnostics & feedback privacy setting pages will reflect the following changes:
- The Basic diagnostic data level is being labeled as Required.
- The Full diagnostic data level is being labeled as Optional.
Important
No action is required for the taxonomy changes, and your existing settings will be maintained as part of this update.
Behavioral changes
Starting in Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022, we’re simplifying the Windows diagnostic data controls by moving from four diagnostic data settings to three: Diagnostic data off, Required, and Optional. If your devices are set to Enhanced when they are upgraded to a supported version of the operating system, the device settings will be evaluated to be at the more privacy-preserving setting of Required diagnostic data, which means that analytic services that leverage enhanced data collection may not work properly. For a list of services, see Services that rely on Enhanced diagnostic data. Administrators should read through the details and determine whether to apply these new policies to restore the same collection settings as they had before this change.
Additionally, you will see the following policy changes in Windows Server 2022, Windows 11, and Windows Holographic, version 21H1 (HoloLens 2):
| Policy type | Current policy | Renamed policy |
|---|---|---|
| Group Policy | Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds > Allow Telemetry
|
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds > Allow Diagnostic Data
|
| Group Policy | Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds > Configure telemetry opt-in settings user interface | Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds > Configure diagnostic data opt-in settings user interface |
| Group Policy | Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds > Configure telemetry opt-in change notifications | Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds > Configure diagnostic data opt-in change notifications |
A final set of changes includes two new policies that can help you fine-tune diagnostic data collection within your organization. These policies let you limit the amount of optional diagnostic data that’s sent back to Microsoft.
- The Limit dump collection policy is a new policy that can be used to limit the types of crash dumps that can be sent back to Microsoft. If this policy is enabled, Windows Error Reporting will send only kernel mini dumps and user mode triage dumps.
- Group Policy: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds > Limit Dump Collection
- MDM policy: System/LimitDumpCollection
- The Limit diagnostic log collection policy is another new policy that limits the number of diagnostic logs that are sent back to Microsoft. If this policy is enabled, diagnostic logs aren't sent back to Microsoft.
- Group Policy: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds > Limit Diagnostic Log Collection
- MDM policy: System/LimitDiagnosticLogCollection
For more info, see Configure Windows diagnostic data in your organization.
Services that rely on Enhanced diagnostic data
Customers who use services that depend on Windows diagnostic data, such as Microsoft Managed Desktop or Desktop Analytics, may be impacted by the behavioral changes when they are released. These services will be updated to address these changes and guidance will be published on how to configure them properly.
The following provides information on the current configurations:
New Windows diagnostic data processor configuration
Important
There are some significant changes planned for the Windows diagnostic data processor configuration. To learn more, review this information.
Enterprise customers have an option for controlling their Windows diagnostic data for their Azure Active Directory-joined devices. This configuration option is supported on the following versions of Windows:
- Windows 11 Enterprise, Professional, and Education
- Windows 10, Enterprise, Professional, and Education, version 1809 with at least the July 2021 update.
Previously, enterprise customers had two options in managing their Windows diagnostic data: 1) allow Microsoft to be the controller of that data and responsible for determining the purposes and means of the processing of Windows diagnostic data in order to improve the Windows operating system and deliver analytical services, or 2) turn off diagnostic data flows altogether.
Now, customers will have a third option that allows them to be the controller for their Windows diagnostic data, while still benefiting from the purposes that this data serves, such as quality of updates and device drivers. Under this approach, Microsoft will act as a data processor, processing Windows diagnostic data on behalf of the controller.
This new option will enable customers to use familiar tools to manage, export, or delete data to help them meet their compliance obligations. For example, using the Microsoft Azure portal, customers will have the means to respond to their own users’ requests, such as delete and export diagnostic data. Admins can easily enable the Windows diagnostic data processor configuration for Windows devices using group policy or mobile device management (MDM). For more information, see Enable Windows diagnostic data processor configuration in Configure Windows diagnostic data in your organization