Windows 11 gets new privacy settings.
Modern computers consist of more than CPU and monitor. Some of them even check whether you are currently still in front of the PC. If you do not want this, you can simply switch off the function in the future.
Microsoft has equipped a pre-release version of Windows 11 with the appropriate settings. In a blog post the company goes into more detail about how the settings work.
Of course, sensors that measure the presence of the end user also have advantages. Microsoft itself uses them, for example, to Windows Hello
enable login without a password.
However, not everyone feels comfortable when the computer registers their own presence and absence. To address these concerns, Microsoft has added two new options to Windows 11’s settings.
The new settings in the pre-release. (Image source: Microsoft)
The setting options are available from the preliminary version KB5025299 and follow the designation Presence sensing access
and Let apps access presence sensing
. So far, only Windows Insiders can access the new feature.
With the first setting you can set whether presence detection should take place at all. With the second option, you can then restrict which installed apps are allowed to access it.
Both options can be found in the Windows settings in the submenu Privacy and Security
. There is also a history of which apps used the detection and when in the past.
Do you want even more Windows? Then take a look at Nils’ article: Everyone should change this annoying default setting of Windows 11
.
Now it’s your turn! What do you think of the integration of environmental sensors into modern computers? Convenient feature or absolute data protection leak? Do you use functions like Windows Hello
self? And will you change the default settings around presence detection as soon as possible as soon as available?
