Why does Windows 10 create creepy screenshots of my computer by itself and put them in "\Pictures\Feedback"?

Today, I nearly got a heart attack.

Looking in my "Pictures" dir, I spot this new subdir (among the many ones that Windows keeps recreating no matter how many times I delete them) called "Feedback".

Inside, it had a bunch of subdirs with "GUIDs".

Inside of those subdirs were screenshots of my desktop, while randomly working. I never took any such screenshots and never created any "Feedback" dir.

What are these? Why were they created without my knowledge or consent? Why is it called "Feedback"? Have these stealth screenshots been sent to Microsoft?!

I found a massive, old thread about this which I read through but which provided zero useful information: https://www.tenforums.com/general-support/18344-microsoft-taking-stealth-screenshots-feedback-purposes-5.html

I don't have a Microsoft account, I've never been logged into one, I have disabled every GUI-accessible privacy-invasive setting in Windows 10, and I run Spybot Anti-Beacon. I'm extremely sure that I have not consented in any way to having those screenshots taken or sent anywhere.

Solution 1:

Win + F is the shortcut to take a screenshot and open the Feedback Hub app. The screenshot is temporarily saved to the Feedback folder before you fill in the form to send it to Microsoft. To my knowledge nothing is sent unless you submit it in this app.

I would suggest this key combination has been pressed accidentally, as I frequently do this when trying to hit CTRL + F.