How to deactivate Cortana
Cortana is software from Microsoft and the vendor’s personal productivity assistant. It’s supposed to help save time so users can focus on what’s important. However, it is not clear what Cortana records and where the recording of Cortana’s voice commands end up. These privacy issues are leading many users to want to disable Cortana.
The problem
The voice assistant Cortana in Windows 10 is criticised by some users because Cortana is suspected of transferring users‘ data to the cloud and monitoring the user. Cortana cannot simply be deleted and uninstalled, but there are a few ways to deactivate the tool in Windows 10. Especially users with Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise find it easy because they can rely on group policies. In the smaller Windows 10 versions, you have to rely on manual settings.
Disable Cortana
Cortana can be deactivated at any time – but the configuration is retained if desired. Those who still use the original version of Windows 10 can deactivate Cortana quickly and easily in the settings:
- To deactivate, click on the search field in the taskbar and then on the left-hand side on the Notebook symbol (third symbol from the top), then click on Settings
- The Slider for Cortana can offer suggestions, ideas, reminders, alerts and much more slide it to „Off. At this point, you can reactivate the assistant at any time
Deactivating Cortana in Windows 10 versions before Anniversary Update (1607)
Even from version 1607 and 1703, Cortana can neither be uninstalled nor completely removed. However, Cortana can be largely eliminated from the system so that the assistant can no longer collect data. Users with Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise have it a little easier: They can deactivate Cortana in the policy settings. To do this,open the tool „gpedit.msc“ and navigate to Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsSearch. On the right-hand side, you can prevent users from activating Cortana and searching the Internet, for example, with „Do not search the web and do not display web results in the search“ With the policy setting „Allow Cortana„, one candisableCortana on all computers using this policyby setting the option „Disable„.Users will then only be able to use normal search, but not Cortana.
Deactivating Cortana in Windows 10 Home via the Registry
In smaller Windows 10 versions, you can only disable Cortana via the registry:
- Open the registry editor by entering regedit.exe in the search field of the Start menu.
- Go to the path „HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPolicyManagercurrentdeviceExperience„navigate
- On the right-hand side, select the entry „AllowCortana“ to „0“ (zero) and restart the computer
If the entry is not available, proceed as follows:
- Right-click on the key „Experience“ and select from the context menu New DWORD value (32-bit) from the context menu. There give the value the designation „AllowCortana and set the value to „0“ (zero).
- Restart the computer. In the search field the entry „Search Windows“ instead of „Ask me something“ should appear.
Uninstall Cortana
If you are willing to experiment, you can uninstall Cortana via an unofficial script that can be found on the site „deskmodder.de“. However, you should make a full backup of Windows 10 before uninstalling, as there is no guarantee that the system will survive this unscathed. The execution of the script is only recommended for experienced users.
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