Master List of Windows 10 "phone home" connections
Microsoft released the first version of Windows 10 three years ago and privacy has been a hot topic ever since.
We published Windows 10 and Privacy back in 2015 to highlight privacy issues such as the inability to turn off Telemetry collection and transfers in the user interface.
Microsoft was criticized by government agencies in various countries such as France or the Netherlands for privacy issues, and a rising arsenal of privacy tools for Windows 10 promised users protection against the data hunger of Microsoft.
One option that Windows users and administrators have is to block endpoints so that connections can't be established. The method requires extensive testing as critical functionality may become unavailable when connections are blocked.
If you block Windows Update endpoints, you should not be surprised that you cannot use the automatic updating system anymore to keep the operating system up to date.
Default Windows 10 systems, those installed using default settings and left untouched, make a large number of connections automatically for a variety of purposes. Windows 10 checks for updates regularly, checks new files against Windows Defender databases, or submits telemetry data to Microsoft.
While some connections are required for the operating system to work properly, others may be disabled without noticeable impact in functionality; the latter is true especially if features are not used on the system.
Microsoft released a master list of Windows Endpoints for non-Enterprise and for Enterprise editions of Windows recently. The non-Enterprise listing is available for Windows 10 version 1709 and 1803, the Enterprise-specific listing for Windows 10 version 1709.
Tip: Check out my side-project Privacy Amp for detailed lists and other privacy related topics.
Without further ado, here are the connection endpoints of Windows 10 version 1803 (non-Enterprise).
Windows 10 Family
| Destination | Protocol | Description |
|---|---|---|
| *.e-msedge.net | HTTPS | Used by OfficeHub to get the metadata of Office apps. |
| *.g.akamaiedge.net | HTTPS | Used to check for updates to maps that have been downloaded for offline use. |
| *.s-msedge.net | HTTPS | Used by OfficeHub to get the metadata of Office apps. |
| *.tlu.dl.delivery.mp.microsoft.com/filestreamingservice/files/ | HTTP | Enables connections to Windows Update. |
| arc.msn.com.nsatc.net | HTTPS | Used to retrieve Windows Spotlight metadata. |
| arc.msn.com/v3/Delivery/Placement | HTTPS | Used to retrieve Windows Spotlight metadata. |
| client-office365-tas.msedge.net* | HTTPS | Used to connect to the Office 365 portal’s shared infrastructure, including Office Online. |
| config.edge.skype.com/config/* | HTTPS | Used to retrieve Skype configuration values. |
| ctldl.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update* | HTTP | Used to download certificates that are publicly known to be fraudulent. |
| cy2.displaycatalog.md.mp.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used to communicate with Microsoft Store. |
| cy2.licensing.md.mp.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used to communicate with Microsoft Store. |
| cy2.settings.data.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used to communicate with Microsoft Store. |
| displaycatalog.mp.microsoft.com* | HTTPS | Used to communicate with Microsoft Store. |
| dm3p.wns.notify.windows.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used for the Windows Push Notification Services (WNS). |
| fe2.update.microsoft.com* | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and the online services of Microsoft Store. |
| fe3.delivery.dsp.mp.microsoft.com.nsatc.net | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and the online services of Microsoft Store. |
| fe3.delivery.mp.microsoft.com | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and the online services of Microsoft Store. |
| g.live.com/odclientsettings/Prod | HTTPS | Used by OneDrive for Business to download and verify app updates. |
| g.msn.com.nsatc.net | HTTPS | Used to retrieve Windows Spotlight metadata. |
| geo-prod.dodsp.mp.microsoft.com.nsatc.net | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update. |
| ipv4.login.msa.akadns6.net | HTTPS | Used for Microsoft accounts to sign in. |
| licensing.mp.microsoft.com/v7.0/licenses/content | HTTPS | Used for online activation and some app licensing. |
| location-inference-westus.cloudapp.net | HTTPS | Used for location data. |
| maps.windows.com/windows-app-web-link | HTTPS | Link to Maps application. |
| modern.watson.data.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used by Windows Error Reporting. |
| ocos-office365-s2s.msedge.net* | HTTPS | Used to connect to the Office 365 portal's shared infrastructure. |
| ocsp.digicert.com* | HTTP | CRL and OCSP checks to the issuing certificate authorities. |
| oneclient.sfx.ms* | HTTPS | Used by OneDrive for Business to download and verify app updates. |
| query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com* | HTTPS | Used to retrieve Windows Spotlight metadata. |
| ris.api.iris.microsoft.com* | HTTPS | Used to retrieve Windows Spotlight metadata. |
| settings.data.microsoft.com/settings/v2.0/* | HTTPS | Used for Windows apps to dynamically update their configuration. |
| settings-win.data.microsoft.com/settings/* | HTTPS | Used as a way for apps to dynamically update their configuration. |
| sls.update.microsoft.com* | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update. |
| storecatalogrevocation.storequality.microsoft.com* | HTTPS | Used to revoke licenses for malicious apps on the Microsoft Store. |
| storeedgefd.dsx.mp.microsoft.com* | HTTPS | Used to communicate with Microsoft Store. |
| tile-service.weather.microsoft.com* | HTTP | Used to download updates to the Weather app Live Tile. |
| tsfe.trafficshaping.dsp.mp.microsoft.com | HTTPS | Used for content regulation. |
| ip5.afdorigin-prod-am02.afdogw.com | HTTPS | Used to serve office 365 experimentation traffic. |
| watson.telemetry.microsoft.com/Telemetry.Request | HTTPS | Used by Windows Error Reporting. |
Windows 10 Pro
| Destination | Protocol | Description |
|---|---|---|
| *.e-msedge.net | HTTPS | Used by OfficeHub to get the metadata of Office apps. |
| *.g.akamaiedge.net | HTTPS | Used to check for updates to maps that have been downloaded for offline use. |
| *.s-msedge.net | HTTPS | Used by OfficeHub to get the metadata of Office apps. |
| .tlu.dl.delivery.mp.microsoft.com/ | HTTP | Enables connections to Windows Update. |
| *geo-prod.dodsp.mp.microsoft.com.nsatc.net | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update. |
| arc.msn.com.nsatc.net | HTTPS | Used to retrieve Windows Spotlight metadata. |
| au.download.windowsupdate.com/* | HTTP | Enables connections to Windows Update. |
| ctldl.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/* | HTTP | Used to download certificates that are publicly known to be fraudulent. |
| cy2.licensing.md.mp.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used to communicate with Microsoft Store. |
| cy2.settings.data.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used to communicate with Microsoft Store. |
| dm3p.wns.notify.windows.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used for the Windows Push Notification Services (WNS) |
| fe3.delivery.dsp.mp.microsoft.com.nsatc.net | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and the online services of Microsoft Store. |
| g.msn.com.nsatc.net | HTTPS | Used to retrieve Windows Spotlight metadata. |
| ipv4.login.msa.akadns6.net | HTTPS | Used for Microsoft accounts to sign in. |
| location-inference-westus.cloudapp.net | HTTPS | Used for location data. |
| modern.watson.data.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used by Windows Error Reporting. |
| ocsp.digicert.com* | HTTP | CRL and OCSP checks to the issuing certificate authorities. |
| ris.api.iris.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used to retrieve Windows Spotlight metadata. |
| tile-service.weather.microsoft.com/* | HTTP | Used to download updates to the Weather app Live Tile. |
| tsfe.trafficshaping.dsp.mp.microsoft.com | HTTPS | Used for content regulation. |
| vip5.afdorigin-prod-am02.afdogw.com | HTTPS | Used to serve office 365 experimentation traffic |
Windows 10 Education
| Destination | Protocol | Description |
|---|---|---|
| *.b.akamaiedge.net | HTTPS | Used to check for updates to maps that have been downloaded for offline use. |
| *.e-msedge.net | HTTPS | Used by OfficeHub to get the metadata of Office apps. |
| *.g.akamaiedge.net | HTTPS | Used to check for updates to maps that have been downloaded for offline use. |
| *.s-msedge.net | HTTPS | Used by OfficeHub to get the metadata of Office apps. |
| *.telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used by Windows Error Reporting. |
| .tlu.dl.delivery.mp.microsoft.com | HTTP | Enables connections to Windows Update. |
| .windowsupdate.com | HTTP | Enables connections to Windows Update. |
| *geo-prod.do.dsp.mp.microsoft.com | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update. |
| au.download.windowsupdate.com* | HTTP | Enables connections to Windows Update. |
| cdn.onenote.net/livetile/* | HTTPS | Used for OneNote Live Tile. |
| client-office365-tas.msedge.net/* | HTTPS | Used to connect to the Office 365 portal’s shared infrastructure, including Office Online. |
| config.edge.skype.com/* | HTTPS | Used to retrieve Skype configuration values. |
| ctldl.windowsupdate.com/* | HTTP | Used to download certificates that are publicly known to be fraudulent. |
| cy2.displaycatalog.md.mp.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used to communicate with Microsoft Store. |
| cy2.licensing.md.mp.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used to communicate with Microsoft Store. |
| cy2.settings.data.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used to communicate with Microsoft Store. |
| displaycatalog.mp.microsoft.com/* | HTTPS | Used to communicate with Microsoft Store. |
| download.windowsupdate.com/* | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update. |
| emdl.ws.microsoft.com/* | HTTP | Used to download apps from the Microsoft Store. |
| fe2.update.microsoft.com/* | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and the online services of Microsoft Store. |
| fe3.delivery.dsp.mp.microsoft.com.nsatc.net | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and the online services of Microsoft Store. |
| fe3.delivery.mp.microsoft.com/* | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and the online services of Microsoft Store. |
| g.live.com/odclientsettings/* | HTTPS | Used by OneDrive for Business to download and verify app updates. |
| g.msn.com.nsatc.net | HTTPS | Used to retrieve Windows Spotlight metadata. |
| ipv4.login.msa.akadns6.net | HTTPS | Used for Microsoft accounts to sign in. |
| licensing.mp.microsoft.com/* | HTTPS | Used for online activation and some app licensing. |
| maps.windows.com/windows-app-web-link | HTTPS | Link to Maps application |
| modern.watson.data.microsoft.com.akadns.net | HTTPS | Used by Windows Error Reporting. |
| ocos-office365-s2s.msedge.net/* | HTTPS | Used to connect to the Office 365 portal's shared infrastructure. |
| ocsp.digicert.com* | HTTP | CRL and OCSP checks to the issuing certificate authorities. |
| oneclient.sfx.ms/* | HTTPS | Used by OneDrive for Business to download and verify app updates. |
| settings-win.data.microsoft.com/settings/* | HTTPS | Used as a way for apps to dynamically update their configuration. |
| sls.update.microsoft.com/* | HTTPS | Enables connections to Windows Update. |
| storecatalogrevocation.storequality.microsoft.com/* | HTTPS | Used to revoke licenses for malicious apps on the Microsoft Store. |
| tile-service.weather.microsoft.com/* | HTTP | Used to download updates to the Weather app Live Tile. |
| tsfe.trafficshaping.dsp.mp.microsoft.com | HTTPS | Used for content regulation. |
| vip5.afdorigin-prod-ch02.afdogw.com | HTTPS | Used to serve office 365 experimentation traffic. |
| watson.telemetry.microsoft.com/Telemetry.Request | HTTPS | Used by Windows Error Reporting. |
| bing.com/* | HTTPS | Used for updates for Cortana, apps, and Live Tiles. |
Summary
Article Name
Master List of Windows 10 "phone home" connections
Description
Microsoft published master lists of endpoint connections that recent versions of the company's Windows 10 operating system make recently.
Author
Martin Brinkmann
Publisher
Ghacks Technology News
Logo
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277