How to disable Cortana in Windows
QUICK RESPONSE
To disable Cortana when Windows starts, open Task manager and then, under the Startup tab, look for the Cortana enrollment. Right click on the Cortana enter and click Disable.
You can also disable Cortana from responding to voice commands by opening Start > Settings > Privacy. Then click on Voice activation. Disable all the options on this page.
To disable Cortana more completely, use regedit by pressing Windows+R to open the application launcher and type “regedit” in the box and then click OK. In the left sidebar, look for the following key: “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search.” If you don’t see it, you’ll need to create it by right-clicking on the “Windows” folder and selecting New > Key. Name the key “Windows Search.” Right click on the “Windows Search” folder you just created and select New > DWORD (32-bit) value. Name the new value “AllowCortana.” Double-click the “AllowCortana” value you just created and set its value to zero.
On Windows 10 or 11 Professional or Enterprise, you can use the Local Group Policy Editor. Press Windows+R and type “gedit.msc” in the box and then click OK. Open up Computer Setup > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search. Double click Allow Cortana. Choose Handicapped in the pop-up, then click OK.
JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS
How to disable Cortana in Windows 10 and 11
It’s quite difficult to disable Cortana on recent versions of Windows 10 and 11. Updates from Microsoft have made it difficult to use the normal Settings app to disable the voice assistant, so you’ll have to dig into some deeper configuration options dive. Here’s what you can do. Note that you will need to restart for all these changes to take full effect.
Disable Cortana when Windows starts
Zak Khan / Android Authority
If you don’t want Cortana to bother you every time you log in, you can prevent it from starting in the first place. Here’s how:
- Open the Task manager application by right clicking on the Start menu and select Task Manager or press Ctrl+Shift+Esc and launch Task Manager.
- Among the Startup tab, look for the Cortana enrollment.
- Right click on the Cortana enter and click Disable.
Disable Cortana in privacy settings
Zak Khan / Android Authority
Cortana is an avenue Microsoft can use to track your usage, so if you want to prevent this, do the following:
- Open up Start > Settings > Privacy
- Click on Voice activation.
- Disable all the options on this page, make sure to include them Make Cortana respond to “Cortana” keyword and Use Cortana even when my device is locked.
Disable Cortana in the Windows Registry
The above options limit Cortana, but they don’t disable it completely. To do this, you need to use the registry editor. Be careful when using this app as you will be fiddling with potentially sensitive system files. It’s a good idea to create a system restore point before trying this. Here’s what to do:
- Press Windows+R to open the application launcher and type “regedit” in the box and then click OK. You may be prompted to allow regedit to make changes to your device; click OK if that happens.
- In the left sidebar, look for the following key: “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search.”
- If you don’t see “Windows Search”, you’ll need to create it by right-clicking on the “Windows” folder and selecting New > Key. Name the key “Windows Search” (without quotes but with capital letters and a space).
- Right click on the “Windows Search” folder you just created and select New > DWORD (32-bit) value.
- Name the new value “AllowCortana” (again without quotes but in capital letters).
- Double-click the “AllowCortana” value you just created and set its value to zero.
Disable Cortana using the Local Group Policy Editor
If you have Windows 10 or 11 Professional or Enterprise, you can use the Local Group Policy Editor to disable Cortana. Just like regedit, it is a powerful tool. So it’s a good idea to create a system restore point before trying this. Here’s what to do:
- Press Windows+R and type “gedit.msc” in the box and then click OK.
- Open in the Local Group Policy Editor Computer Setup > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search.
- Search for Allow Cortana and double click on it.
- Choose Handicapped in the pop-up window that appears, then click OK.
Read more: How to turn off Google Assistant with just a few taps
Frequently Asked Questions
Since the “Anniversary Update” in 2016, Windows 10 users cannot use the Settings app to disable Cortana.
Yes, but the Cortana icon is hidden from the taskbar by default on Windows 11.
The Windows 10 Education and Windows 10 Pro Education editions do not include Cortana.
