App access to contacts

Settings›Privacy›App permissions›App access to contacts

Recommendation

Disable if not needed

On a purely gaming PC the permission can be closed: the visible BoosterX description states this directly — “Gamers don’t use contacts in Windows.”

Restore access if you use Store Mail or the People app.

Main effect

Blocking access to contacts

FPS and memory

See the research

What changes

The toggle closes access to the Windows address book for all supported Store/UWP apps at once — this is the same global level as the toggle on the “Settings” → “Privacy” → “Contacts” page (in Windows 11 the section is called “Privacy & security”). For example, Mail and Calendar searches the recipient’s contacts and offers address autocomplete, while People displays the address book itself. An app sees contact names, email addresses and phone numbers; after the block it no longer receives them. The contacts themselves are not deleted from the account.

Exceptions and differences

Browser services and classic Win32 programs are not covered by the block: this permission is granted to packaged apps through the system interface. Windows also allows closing access for individual apps on the same “Settings” page, if granular control is more convenient than global. The set of “Settings” pages differs between Windows 10 and Windows 11 — check whether the section exists on your system.

How to verify the result

Open the Store mail app and start typing the recipient’s name: autocomplete no longer suggests contacts from the Windows address book — the block is in effect.

How to change and revert

Open “Optimization” → “Privacy” → “App permissions” → “App access to contacts”, move the toggle to “On”: BoosterX will apply the block on access to contacts. Click “Apply”. If “Instant apply” is enabled, a separate button is not required. Restart the open mail app so that the block definitely takes effect. To revert, move the toggle to “Off” and apply the change again: BoosterX will return Windows to its default state with access to contacts allowed.

Confirmation

• Research on privacy policies and background apps.
• Related permissions: access to calendar, access to email.
• Microsoft: Manage connections from Windows 10 and Windows 11 operating system components to Microsoft services, checked 2026-09-19.

Last check: 2026-09-20.