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First steps

This guide walks you through the initial setup process after installing O&O ShutUp10. Follow these steps to get started with either the Free Edition or the Premium Edition.

Free Edition​

The Free Edition requires no installation. Follow these steps to begin managing your Windows privacy settings:

1. Download and launch​

  1. Download the O&O ShutUp10 executable from the O&O Software website.
  2. Run the executable directly — no installation is needed.
  3. Start as a standard user to review and change current-user settings. To change machine-wide settings, use Restart as Admin on the Local Machine tab and accept the User Account Control (UAC) prompt.
info

Only machine-wide settings and operations such as creating a system restore point require elevation. The Local Machine tab explains when access is missing and provides the restart action directly.

2. Review the privacy settings​

After launching, O&O ShutUp10 scans your current Windows privacy and telemetry settings. The main window displays a categorized list of all available settings, each with:

  • A toggle switch showing the current state (enabled or disabled).
  • A recommendation level — Recommended, Limited, or Not Recommended.

Take a moment to review the settings and their recommendation levels before making changes.

3. Create a system restore point​

Before making any changes, create a system restore point from the Actions menu:

Free Edition Actions menu — options including Apply Only Recommended Settings, the Undo submenu, and Create a System Restoration Point

  1. Open Actions → Create a system restoration point.
  2. Confirm the creation when prompted.

With a restore point you can revert all changes if something does not work as expected.

For a quick start, apply all recommended settings at once:

  1. Open Actions → Apply only recommended settings.
  2. Confirm the action when prompted.

This enables all settings marked as Recommended — safe for most users with minimal impact on Windows functionality.

5. Fine-tune individual settings​

After applying recommended settings, review the remaining settings and adjust them based on your preferences:

  • Limited recommended settings are generally safe but may affect certain features.
  • Not recommended settings may impact important Windows functionality — apply only if you understand the consequences.

6. Close the application​

Once you are satisfied with your settings, close the application. Your changes are saved in the Windows registry and persist until changed by you, a Windows update, or another system modification.

tip

Run O&O ShutUp10 again after each major Windows update to verify that your privacy settings have not been reset.

Premium Edition​

Install the Premium Edition with its installer, which installs the client and background service. Installation may require administrator rights. Once the service is running, the client can use it to change machine-wide settings without elevating the client.

Setup​

On first use, the Setup tab offers two choices:

  • Apply recommended settings applies the recommended configuration and requests automatic protection if the service is available. Check the resulting protection status on the Overview tab.
  • Skip recommended settings opens the overview so you can review and adjust settings yourself. Skipping does not apply a profile or enable protection.

Setup with recommended and manual choices

Setup completion is saved. If all recommended settings are already applied, the application can skip this screen automatically. Service installation is handled by the installer; this screen is not a service-installation or profile-selection wizard.

Overview​

After setup, the Overview tab summarizes the current privacy configuration, the active profile, automatic protection, and AI component status.

Overview with settings needing attention

The active profile identifies your chosen configuration. Its coverage indicates how closely the system matches that profile; it is distinct from whether automatic protection is enabled. Review deviations and any locked or Windows-protected settings before assuming every setting can be re-applied.

Use Profiles editor to choose or change a profile and Automatic protection to understand background enforcement. Notifications, Hybrid Mode, and autostart are configured under Tools → Settings…; see Settings dialog.

If the service is unavailable​

Automatic protection requires the background service. Check its status in Windows Services (services.msc) or contact your administrator. Completing setup does not prove the service is running, and a lost connection does not mean that the initial setup wizard must be repeated.