Microsoft will soon roll out, in an upcoming update, simplified categories for the telemetry settings: basically it's on or almost off, depending on your edition of Windows 10. This change is due to be pushed out to the general public in the Windows 10 Creators Update slated for the spring. For Windows 10 Home and Pro editions, gone is the "enhanced" setting level, leaving users to select from the "basic" or "full" telemetry plans. Microsoft says it will reduce the amount of data it collects under the "basic" plan, allowing peeps with Home and Pro editions to somewhat limit the transfer of information back to Redmond.

"Basic" is the lowest those two editions can go. Right now, it includes the state of your hardware and its specifications, your internet connection quality, records of crashes and hangs by software, any compatibility problems, driver usage data, which apps you've installed and how you use them, and other bits and pieces. According to Redmond, the new "basic" level of snooping will cover: