How to Enable or Disable Diagnostics Access in Windows 11

What is App Diagnostics Access?

App diagnostics access in Windows 11 lets apps share information about how they work, helping developers find and fix problems to improve your apps.

Normally, apps don’t interfere with each other. But sometimes it’s helpful for an app to see info about other running apps. Think of it like diagnostic tools that check your system health.

Why turn it off? If you care about privacy or want to improve your computer’s speed, you can choose to turn off this feature. Turning it off means apps won’t share diagnostic info.

How to Turn On or Off App Diagnostics Access (Using Settings)

You can easily turn app diagnostics access on or off in Windows 11 using the Settings app by going to Privacy & security and then App diagnostics.

1. ⚙️ Open Settings: Click the ⊞ Start menu (Windows icon) at the bottom left, then ⚙️ click Settings. Or, press Windows key + I on your keyboard to open Settings directly.
2. Go to Privacy & Security: In ⚙️ the Settings window, click Privacy & security on the left side.
3. Find App Diagnostics: Scroll down on the right and click on App diagnostics.
4. Turn On or Off App Diagnostics Access: Use the toggle switch under App diagnostics access to turn it On or Off.
5. Control Access for Current User: If you want to control diagnostics only for your user account, use the toggle for Let apps access diagnostic info about your apps below it.
6. Close Settings: When done, just close ⚙️ the Settings window.

How to Turn On or Off App Diagnostics Access (Using Group Policy Editor)

For Windows 11 Pro users, you can turn app diagnostics access on or off using the Local Group Policy Editor by navigating to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > App Privacy.

1. Open Group Policy Editor: ⚠️ Admin privileges required Click the ⊞ Start menu, type Edit group policy, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to the Setting: Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > App Privacy
3. Find the Policy: Double-click Let Windows apps access diagnostic information about other apps.
4. Choose Your Option:

   • Not Configured – Use Windows default settings.
   • Enabled with Force Allow – Turns on diagnostics access for all users.
   • Enabled with Force Deny – Turns off diagnostics access for all users.
   • Disabled – Turns off the policy (similar to Not Configured).
5. Click OK to save.

How to Turn On or Off App Diagnostics Access (Using Registry Editor)

Advanced users can turn app diagnostics access on or off in Windows 11 by using the Registry Editor, but be very careful as incorrect changes can cause system issues.

1. Open Registry Editor: ⚠️ Admin privileges required Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter
2. Go to this folder: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy
3. Create or edit a DWORD: Right-click in the AppPrivacy folder > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it LetAppsGetDiagnosticInfo.
4. Set the value: Double-click the new DWORD and enter:

   • 1 to turn on App diagnostics access
   • 0 to turn it off
5. Close Registry Editor and 🔄 restart your computer to apply changes.

Summary

App diagnostics in Windows 11 helps developers improve apps by sharing how they work, and you can control this feature using Settings, Group Policy, or the Registry Editor for more privacy.

What happens when you turn it off? Your apps won’t share diagnostic information, giving you more privacy and control over your computer data.

How to control it: You can turn this feature on or off in Windows 11 using Settings, the Local Group Policy Editor, or the Registry Editor.

Important reminder: Always back up your data or create a restore point before making system changes.

By following these steps, you can decide how much information your apps share on your Windows 11 PC.

Reference: Microsoft Support – Windows App Diagnostics and Privacy