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How to Disable Shared Experiences on Windows 10 PCs

If you worry about privacy, you should keep this feature disabled

4 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Key notes

Windows10 Shared Experiences is a way of keeping yourPCsor laptops synced. It’s a pretty useful feature if you need to move from one machine to another while working on a task.

However, if you don’t need to move between machines, or if you are a network administrator and don’t want nearby machines to have this sharing capability, then you’ll probably want to turn offWindows10 Shared Experiences.

Methods to turn off Shared Experiences in Windows 10

Methods to turn off Shared Experiences in Windows 10

1. Use the Settings app

Disabling Windows 10 Shared Experiences via Settings is the easiest and safest way to do it. You don’t need to make any Registry Changes or tweak Group Policy Settings, you simply use the built-in Settings on your device.

  1. Click on theStartbutton on your taskbar or press theWindows keyon your keyboard.

  2. ChooseSettingsfrom the list of options that opened.

  3. Navigate to theSystemsection.

  4. From there, go toShared experiences.

  5. In this tab, you can see theNearby sharingoption. It allows you to send and receive content with other people using the same Bluetooth or Wi-fi device.

  6. Toggle the setting off to disable this feature.

This is by far the easiest one to do and is probably the one that 99% of users will find the most suitable. Let’s now look at the other two more complicated methods.

2. Change Group Policy settings

First of all, if you are not sure what Group Policy is, then you probably should be using the option above. If you want to know what it is, this is what Microsoft says:

Group Policy enables policy-based administration using Microsoft Active Directory directory services. Group Policy uses directory services and security group membership to provide flexibility and support extensive configuration information. Policy settings are specified by an administrator. This is in contrast to profile settings, that are specified by a user. Policy settings are created using the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in for Group Policy.

If you would like a more detailed explanation of what Group Policy is, you can find it inMicrosoft Support.

To disableWindows10 Shared Experiences using this method, follow these steps:

— READ ALSO:Fix: ‘Your folder can’t be shared’ error in Windows 10

3. Use the Registry Editor

Before we continue, it goes without saying that you should use caution when changing the Registry Editor. Personally, I have never had a problem, but you never know your bad luck.

Unless you are sure that the first option above is not for you, I would avoid playing with the registry. If you are going to use this method, back up your entirePC.

First of all, press theWindowskey + r, type in regedit, and click OK. You now need to follow the path below. By the way, you can just copy the path below, paste it into the address bar, and then pressenter. That’ll save you a bit of time.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\MicrosoftWindows.

We need to work in a folder calledSystem. You may already have a system folder, in which case, just right-click, selectnew, and then DWORD (32-bit) value. Check out the image below for more help.

Name the new fileEnableCdp. Now right-click again and clickModify. Give the file a value of one, clickokand you are done.

If you do not have a folder calledSystem, you can create one by selectingWindows, and then right-clicking and selectingNew Folder. Call itSystem, and then follow the method already described above.

And there you have it. Three easy ways to turn offWindows10 Shared Experiences. Remember that using the Settings app is by the easiest and safest way to disable Shared Experiences. If you feel a rising panic every time you want to pressWindowskey + r, you probably should just use the app.

What do you think aboutWindows10 Shared Experiences? Do you like it? More importantly, do you actually use it? Let us know by sharing your thoughts in the comments below.

More about the topics:windows 10

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time).

For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web.

Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they’re looking for.

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