To disable the Advertising ID on Windows 10 and 11, open Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdvertisingInfo, and set the Enabled DWORD value to 0 (create it if it doesn’t exist). Restart your PC and Windows will stop using your unique ID to personalise ads across apps.
Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 25, 2026
Key Takeaways
- The Advertising ID is a per-user identifier Windows assigns to your account and shares with apps for ad personalisation — disabling it stops the cross-app tracking
- One DWORD does the work: create or set
Enabled = 0underHKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdvertisingInfo - Two ways to apply it: a couple of clicks in Registry Editor, or a single
reg addone-liner from Command Prompt or PowerShell - Apps keep working normally — only personalised ad targeting based on your Windows activity stops; you may still see generic ads
- Works on every edition of Windows 10 and 11, including Home — the change lives under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER, so it applies to the current user account
Quick Steps
- Press Windows + R, type
regedit, and press Enter - Navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdvertisingInfo - If the
AdvertisingInfokey is missing, right-clickCurrentVersion, choose New > Key, and name itAdvertisingInfo - Right-click the empty space, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it
Enabled - Double-click
Enabled, set the Value Data to0, and click OK - Close Registry Editor and restart your PC
What Is the Windows Advertising ID and Why Disable It?
The Advertising ID is a unique identifier Windows assigns to your user account and exposes to installed apps. Apps read this ID to track your activity across the system and serve personalised ads based on what you do. Think of it as a tracking cookie, except it lives inside Windows itself and travels with your account.
From my years working in computer repair, most people had no idea this feature even existed. They’d set up a new PC, click through the OOBE prompts, and Windows would quietly start profiling their app usage for ad targeting in the background. It’s not malicious — it’s documented in Microsoft’s privacy statement — but most users never explicitly chose it.
Disabling the Advertising ID has no impact on app functionality. Every app you use will keep working the same way; the only difference is that Windows stops sharing your unique ID with them for ad personalisation. You may still see ads inside apps, but they won’t be tailored to your Windows activity.
How to Disable the Advertising ID With Registry Editor
Step 1: Open Registry Editor
Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog. Type regedit and press Enter. Click Yes on the UAC prompt to grant Registry Editor administrator access.
Step 2: Navigate to the AdvertisingInfo Key
Paste the following path into the Registry Editor address bar at the top of the window and press Enter:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdvertisingInfoIf the AdvertisingInfo key doesn’t exist in your registry, you’ll need to create it. Right-click the CurrentVersion folder in the left panel, choose New > Key, name it AdvertisingInfo exactly as shown, and press Enter.
Step 3: Create the Enabled DWORD
With the AdvertisingInfo key selected, right-click anywhere in the empty white space on the right side. Choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, name it Enabled (capital E), and press Enter.
Step 4: Set the Value to 0 and Restart
Double-click the new Enabled entry to open the edit dialog. Change the Value Data from 1 to 0 and click OK. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC. After the reboot, Windows will stop using the Advertising ID to personalise ads across apps.
Disable the Advertising ID With a Single reg add Command
If you’d rather skip Registry Editor entirely, one command applies the same change. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell (no admin needed since this is under HKEY_CURRENT_USER) and run:
reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdvertisingInfo" /v Enabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /fThe /f flag overwrites the value silently if it exists and creates the key path if it doesn’t. Restart your PC for the change to take effect. This is the same syntax I use when scripting privacy tweaks for a fresh install or building an UnattendedWinstall config.
Can You Disable the Advertising ID Through Windows Settings Instead?
Yes. If you’d rather use the Settings app, go to Settings > Privacy & security > General on Windows 11, or Settings > Privacy > General on Windows 10. Look for the toggle labelled “Let apps show me personalized ads by using my advertising ID” and turn it off.
Both methods write to the same registry value, so the result is identical. The registry method is the better option when you want to automate the change across multiple PCs or include it in a setup script — which is exactly the kind of thing I used to do when setting up machines for clients in the repair shop.
A Faster Way: Use Winhance Instead
If you’d rather not edit the registry or dig through Settings every time you set up a PC, I built a free tool called Winhance that handles the Advertising ID alongside dozens of other privacy and performance tweaks. It applies the same registry value this guide covers — you just toggle the setting on or off and Winhance writes the key. It also tells you which tweaks are already applied to your system, which is useful when auditing a PC you didn’t set up yourself.
Other Privacy Settings Worth Disabling
The Advertising ID is one of several data-collection features built into Windows. If you’re already in the registry, it’s worth handling a few more in the same session. Windows ships with diagnostic telemetry enabled by default, plus automatic feedback sampling that sends usage data to Microsoft on a schedule. Both follow the same pattern as this guide — a DWORD value at a specific path — and take a couple of minutes each.
Windows also tracks your location in the background by default and records an activity history of the apps and files you open. If you don’t need either of those, disabling them via the registry shaves another two small data streams off a default install.
Common Issues & Solutions
Problem: The AdvertisingInfo key doesn’t exist in my registry.
Solution: This is normal on some Windows installs. Create it manually under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion by right-clicking and choosing New > Key. Name it AdvertisingInfo and add the Enabled DWORD inside it. The reg add command above handles this automatically.
Problem: The setting reverts after a Windows update.
Solution: Major feature updates (like 24H2) can occasionally reset privacy settings. If you notice personalised ads returning after an update, re-check the registry value or just run the reg add command again. Applying the change via Group Policy on Pro/Enterprise is more persistent if you have access to it.
Problem: I’m not sure if the change worked.
Solution: After restarting, open Settings > Privacy & security > General (Windows 11) or Settings > Privacy > General (Windows 10). The advertising ID toggle should be off. If it isn’t, the registry edit didn’t apply — confirm you set the value under HKEY_CURRENT_USER (not HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) for the user account you’re logged into.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does disabling the Advertising ID stop all ads in Windows?
No, it doesn’t block ads entirely. It only stops Windows from using your unique ID to personalise ads based on your app activity. You may still see generic, non-personalised ads in some apps and across the web — those are served by the apps and websites themselves, not by Windows.
Is it safe to edit the Windows registry?
Yes, as long as you follow the exact steps and only change the values specified. The registry controls how Windows behaves, so making incorrect changes elsewhere can cause real issues. Stick to the path and value in this guide and you’ll be fine. If you’re nervous, export the key first (File > Export) so you have a backup.
Does this work on Windows 10 and Windows 11?
Yes. The registry path and DWORD value are identical on Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2). The setting behaves the same way on every edition, including Home, Pro, and Enterprise.
Will this affect app functionality?
No. Apps continue to work normally. The Advertising ID is purely an advertising feature — no app actually depends on it to function. Disabling it just stops Windows from sharing your activity data with apps for ad targeting.
How do I re-enable the Advertising ID if I change my mind?
Open Registry Editor, go to the same path (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdvertisingInfo), double-click the Enabled DWORD, and change the value back to 1. Restart your PC. You can also toggle it back on in Settings > Privacy & security > General, or run the reg add command above with /d 1 instead of /d 0.
That’s everything you need to disable the Advertising ID on Windows 10 and 11. The natural follow-up tweaks are disabling Windows telemetry and turning off automatic feedback sampling — both follow the same registry pattern. And if you’d rather handle privacy, debloat, and performance tweaks together in one place, Winhance is the free tool I built for exactly that.
