Turn off Windows Media Player usage tracking
Setting the `UsageTracking` DWORD value to `0` opts the current user out of the Customer Experience Improvement Program in the legacy Windows Media Player.
since 0.9.8.11
Purpose
Show registry keys (1)
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\UsageTracking
Setting the UsageTracking DWORD value to 0 opts the current user out of the Customer Experience Improvement Program in the legacy Windows Media Player. The Player consequently stops sending Microsoft the voluntary usage data associated with that program.
The program collects information such as hardware configuration, feature usage, errors, and software performance. Microsoft uses this information to identify usage patterns and improve product quality, reliability, and performance.
Notes
Security
This setting reduces the diagnostic and usage information transmitted by the legacy Windows Media Player. It does not prevent all Player network communication. In particular, it does not control media-information or codec retrieval, communication with streaming servers, transmission of a Player ID, or general Windows diagnostic data.
The value also does not erase locally stored playback history, media information, or library data.
Notes
This is a per-user application preference under HKCU, not a Windows Group Policy setting. It is distinct from the device-wide Turn off Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program policy, which uses the separate Software\Policies\Microsoft\SQMClient\Windows\CEIPEnable policy value.
UsageTracking applies to the classic Windows Media Player, now referred to in current Microsoft documentation as Windows Media Player Legacy. Microsoft’s current policy reference no longer documents this specific registry value separately; its function corresponds to the former Player privacy option for sending usage data.
Microsoft documentation
Microsoft Learn: Policy CSP – ADMX_ICM – Turn off Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program
Microsoft Privacy Statement: Windows Media Player Legacy