How to Enable or Disable Diagnostic Data Viewer in Windows 11

Windows 11 collects diagnostic data to help improve system performance, security, and user experience. To make this data more transparent, Microsoft provides the Diagnostic Data Viewer, a tool that lets you see exactly what data is being sent from your device. This guide walks you through how to enable or disable the Diagnostic Data Viewer in Windows 11.

Method 1: Using Windows Settings

This is the most straightforward method and works on all editions of Windows 11.

1. Open Settings by pressing Win + I or right clicking the Start button and selecting Settings.

2. Go to Privacy & security > Diagnostics & feedback.

3. Scroll down to the View diagnostic data section and find the Turn on the Diagnostic Data Viewer.

• To enable: toggle the switch On.
• To disable: toggle the switch Off.

Method 2: Using Local Group Policy Editor

The Group Policy Editor gives you more granular control and is especially useful for system administrators or users who want to enforce the setting across multiple accounts. 

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter 

2. Navigate to:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds

3. In the right pane, double click the policy named Disable diagnostic data viewer.

4. In the properties window, choose one of the following:

• To enable the viewer: select Not Configured or Disabled.
• To disable the viewer: select Enabled.

5. Click Apply and then OK.

Method 3: Using Registry Editor

Works on all editions of Windows 11, including Home. Always back up your registry before making changes.

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

2. Navigate to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection

If the DataCollection key does not exist, right‑click on Windows, choose New > Key, and name it DataCollection.

3. In the right pane, look for a value named DisableDiagnosticDataViewer.

If it does not exist, right click on an empty area, select New > DWORD (32 bit) Value, and name it DisableDiagnosticDataViewer.

4. Double click DisableDiagnosticDataViewer and set its Value data:

• To enable the viewer: set value to 0.
• To disable the viewer: set value to 1.

5. Click OK and close the Registry Editor.

Conclusion

The Diagnostic Data Viewer in Windows 11 gives you transparency and control over the data your system shares. Whether you choose to enable it for insight or disable it for simplicity, managing this feature is straightforward through Settings, Group Policy, or the Registry.