Profile File Structure
O&O ShutUp10++ stores profiles as configuration files that contain all your saved privacy settings. This page explains how profile files are structured and what each attribute means, so you can understand, review, or manually edit your exported profiles.
File Format​
Profile files use the INI format — a simple text-based format with sections and key-value pairs. You can open and inspect them with any text editor (e.g., Notepad).
A profile file consists of two sections: [Profile] (metadata about the profile) and [Settings] (the actual privacy settings).
Example Profile File​
[Profile]
Id=a3f8b2c1-4d5e-6f7a-8b9c-0d1e2f3a4b5c
Name=My Privacy Profile
Description=Balanced privacy settings for daily use
Created=2025-03-15T10:30:00Z
Modified=2025-04-01T14:22:00Z
IsSystem=false
Icon=custom
[Settings]
DisableTelemetry=true
DisableAdvertisingId=true
DisableLocationTracking=true
DisableWebSearch=false
DisableCortana=false
Profile Attributes​
[Profile] Section​
The [Profile] section contains metadata that identifies and describes the profile.
| Attribute | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Id | A unique identifier (GUID) for the profile. Automatically generated when the profile is created. | a3f8b2c1-4d5e-6f7a-8b9c-0d1e2f3a4b5c |
| Name | The display name of the profile. Must be unique across all your profiles. | My Privacy Profile |
| Description | An optional note or description explaining the purpose of the profile. | Balanced privacy settings for daily use |
| Created | The date and time when the profile was first created (ISO 8601 format). | 2025-03-15T10:30:00Z |
| Modified | The date and time when the profile was last modified (ISO 8601 format). | 2025-04-01T14:22:00Z |
| IsSystem | Indicates whether this is a built-in system profile (true) or a user-created profile (false). | false |
| Icon | The icon associated with the profile in the application UI. | custom |
[Settings] Section​
The [Settings] section contains the actual privacy settings as key-value pairs. Each entry represents one privacy setting controlled by O&O ShutUp10++.
| Component | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Key | The internal name of the privacy setting. | DisableTelemetry |
| Value | The desired state for that setting (true = privacy protection enabled, false = Windows default). | true |
The settings correspond to the same options you see in the O&O ShutUp10++ user interface. Only settings that are explicitly configured are included in the file — settings not listed in the profile are left unchanged when the profile is applied.
Profile Types​
Built-in (System) Profiles​
These profiles are provided by O&O ShutUp10++ and are always available:
- Cannot be modified or deleted
- Updated automatically with application updates
- Always apply settings in Add-Only mode (only changes settings that are not already configured)
- Identified by
IsSystem=truein the file
User-Created (Custom) Profiles​
These are profiles you create yourself:
- Can be created, renamed, edited, deleted, exported, and imported
- Can use either Add-Only or Replace-All application mode
- Identified by
IsSystem=falsein the file - Stored alongside your user settings
Application Modes​
When applying a profile, O&O ShutUp10++ supports two modes:
| Mode | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Add-Only | Only applies settings from the profile that do not conflict with your current configuration. Existing settings are not overwritten. |
| Replace-All | Overwrites all current settings with the values defined in the profile. Settings not included in the profile are reset to Windows defaults. |
Built-in profiles always use Add-Only mode. For custom profiles, you can choose which mode to use when applying.
Exporting and Sharing Profiles​
When you export a profile, the resulting file contains the complete [Profile] and [Settings] sections as described above. You can:
- Share the file with other users or machines
- Back up profiles before a Windows update
- Manually edit the file to adjust settings before importing
After exporting a profile, open the file in a text editor to review exactly which settings are included and what values they are set to.
FAQ​
- Can I edit a profile file manually? Yes, profile files are plain text. You can open them in any text editor to review or modify settings before importing.
- What happens if I change the Id? The application uses the Id to identify profiles. Changing it will cause the file to be treated as a new profile on import.
- Do profile names have to be unique? Yes. If you import a profile with a name that already exists, you will be asked to rename it.
- What happens to settings not listed in the profile? They are left unchanged when using Add-Only mode, or reset to Windows defaults when using Replace-All mode.
- Are profiles portable between machines? Yes. You can export a profile from one machine and import it on another running O&O ShutUp10++.