Allow Desktop Analytics Processing
This former device policy was designed to enroll a device in Desktop Analytics and place its Windows diagnostic data under Microsoft's processor commitments.
since 0.9.8.11
Purpose
Show registry keys (1)
HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection\AllowDesktopAnalyticsProcessing
This former device policy was designed to enroll a device in Desktop Analytics and place its Windows diagnostic data under Microsoft's processor commitments. A value of 2 allows this processing, while 0 disables it.
The registry value did not produce that outcome by itself. The device had to be properly enrolled in Desktop Analytics and joined to Microsoft Entra. The policies governing the required diagnostic data level and the Commercial ID also had to be set appropriately. Only when these conditions were satisfied were the Windows diagnostic data collected from the device subject to Microsoft's processor commitments.
This value does not independently determine which diagnostic data Windows collects. The diagnostic data or telemetry policy controls the collection level.
Notes
Additional effects
According to Microsoft, a device does not appear in Desktop Analytics when this setting is disabled. An allowed value alone does not enroll the device or make it available in the service if the other requirements are not met.
Security
The setting primarily affected the data-protection role under which Windows diagnostic data was processed. It did not grant users or applications additional local privileges and did not provide general access to files or other device data.
The processor terms applied only to properly enrolled devices and to Windows diagnostic data covered by the configuration. Other submissions, such as feedback sent through separate channels, are not automatically covered by the same processing terms.
Notes
This policy is deprecated. Microsoft's current reference explicitly states that it works only on Windows 10, version 1809, and has no effect on other supported Windows versions. Starting with the January 2023 preview cumulative update, the policy is also no longer supported for configuring the processor option. Newer Windows releases use the current Windows diagnostic data processor configuration, whose behavior depends in part on the Microsoft Entra tenant and its billing address.
Microsoft documentation
Microsoft Learn: System Policy CSP – AllowDesktopAnalyticsProcessing
Microsoft Learn: Configure Windows diagnostic data in your organization