Back in the days of Windows XP, a third-party utility called xp-AntiSpy allowed users to disable certain features in the operating system. Neowin used to cover the software in its software stories section. If you’re wondering, the app allowed customization with privacy settings like telemetry, services, boot programs, and more and served as a sort of anti-spyware.
The last version of the software was released in December 2015 as a beta version when it was added Support for Windows 10.
A new utility based on xp-AntiSpy is now available, called xd-Antispy, and it was developed by GitHub user Belim, who is also behind another popular third-party Windows app called Winpilot. The dev says the “xp” in the utility’s name has been replaced with “xd”, which is meant to stand for “eXtreme Defense”.
Similar to the original app, xd-AntiSpy also allows users to disable spyware and bloatware such as ads, certain Microsoft Edge features, telemetry, and more. You can find the release notes for both the latest beta and stable versions below:
xd-Antispy 4.0-3-prev
The last stable version of XP-Antispy was 3.98-2. I’m currently going with version 4.0 (although this is the first public release of the app)
In this release, I enabled additional functions for importing and exporting profiles, and extended the plugin functionality to interpret PowerShell code alongside batch.
The Admin edition includes improved import/export capabilities, plugin support without creating an AI plugin, etc.
xd-AntiSpy 4.0-4b latest stable
The last stable version of XP-Antispy was 3.98-2. I’m currently going with version 4.0 (although this is the first public release of the app)
The small tool is now entering its stable phase. I rewrote all the features from my old C++ version to C#. If you are missing something from the classic XP-AntiSpy, feel free to submit a feature request. Just a note: I covered the localization and will release translations in the upcoming versions. XD-AntiSpy’s nostalgic look – don’t let it fool you, it’s on purpose – is combined with smart features. And don’t worry, Clippy from Winpilot won’t bother you here anymore.
You can download the tool from the official GitHub repo Here, Although, as always, keep in mind that this is an unofficial third-party app.