Microsoft reveals what data Windows 10 is collecting

Microsoft always look at ways of improving their services and tailoring products to users and keep Windows “up-to-date, secure and operating properly”, to enable them to do this they have been collecting data from user devices, and they are now opening up about what data they are collecting.

Microsoft divulged this information in some documents supporting its Creators Update, this is due to be rolled out very soon to Windows 10 users.

This has got to be the most detailed information Microsoft has ever released, they carefully explain the common data, device, connectivity and configuration data, product and service usage data, performance data, software setup and inventory data, content consumption data, browsing, search and query data, inking, typing, and speech utterance data and licensing and purchase data it collects across devices.

The information is actually very clever in that it details what each of those terms mean and how they have collected the information and how they are going to use this to continue to improve their services.

As an example, in the product and service usage data, Microsoft has broken down how it monitors app usage, the app or product state and login properties (such as if login was successful or not), with each section detailing exactly what Microsoft takes note of – from which features are in use, to how users navigate around the app and even whether they left feedback.

This new documentation will go quite a way to alleviate fears of customers who are somewhat worried about they are using their data. As they are listing everything it reads, this is can help to assure them nothing is being recorded without their permission.

Microsoft said it won’t be generating much the same documentation for older versions of Windows 10, Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 though.