How to Disable Cortana Windows 10? [Step-by-step Guide]

With the release of the Windows 10 Operating System, there has been an introduction to many features. One of the significant features present, within Windows 10 is the Cortana. The Cortana is basically a virtual assistant that helps you to search for any files, applications with your voice.

Although using the voice to search anything might seem good but, this functionality will listen to anything that you say and record it. If you do want the virtual assistant to record anything, then steps here on how to disable Cortana.

Solutions to disable Cortana windows 10

Here, there will various types of methods that will help you with the process of how to turn off Cortana simply.

Temporarily Deactivate the Cortana

You will get steps here to temporarily deactivate the Cortana voice assistant.

First, press the combination of ‘Windows + S’ keys together. This will open the default search field of the Windows 10 OS.
Inside that field, type in the text “Cortana” and then from the search output page locate and choose the “Cortana & Search Settings” option.
As soon as you click on that option, then a new window will appear with the title “Settings”. Inside that window, you will get a page having a heading “Talk to Cortana”.
Now, within that page toggle off the following options “Hey Cortana” and “Keyboard shortcut” respectively.

Disable Cortana using the Group Policy Editor

Here, there will be steps on ‘how to disable Cortana Windows 10’ permanently, using the Group Policy Editor.

First, hit both the keys ‘Windows + R’ together, to launch a new dialog box with the title ‘Run’.
Inside that dialog box, beside the ‘Open:’ label type “gpedit.msc” on the blank area and then click on the ‘OK’ button. If you get a User Account Control window, then click on the ‘Yes’ button.
As soon as you click on that, button, then a new window with the name ‘Local Group Policy Editor’ will come up.
Within that window, go to the left pane then follow the path to open the ‘Search’ folder contains – “Computer Configuration -> ‘Administrative Templates’ -> ‘Windows Components’ -> ‘Search’.
Once the contents within the Search folder shows up on the right pane of the window, next, locate the “Allow Cortana” policy and double-click on it.
At this time, a new window will come up that has the heading “Allow Cortana”. In this window, choose the ‘Disabled’ radio button and click on the ‘Apply’ and ‘OK’ buttons respectively.
Lastly, quit the ‘Local Group Policy Editor’ window and then reboot the computer.

Turn off Cortana from the Registry

Get steps here on how to turn Cortana off permanently using the Registry Editor.

First, press the ‘Windows + X’ keys simultaneously. This action will open the ‘Options menu’
Next, from that menu locate and choose the ‘Search’ option. As soon as you click on that option, then a default search section will come up.
Inside that section, type the text “regedit.msc” and then from the output page choose the ‘Registry Editor’ option. If you see the ‘User Account Control’ window, then click on the ‘Yes’ button. At this moment, a new window with the name ‘Registry Editor’ will come up.
Inside that window, go to the left pane and double-click on the following folders except for the ‘Windows’ – “Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows”
Once you reach the ‘Windows’ folder, next, right-click on it and then choose the ‘New’ option and ‘Key’ suboption respectively.
Now, provide a name for the newly created folder i.e “Windows Search”. After that, go to the ‘Windows Search’ folder and right-click on it, then choose ‘New’ item and ‘DWORD (32-bit) Value’ subitem respectively.
Go to the right pane of the window, and name the new key as ‘Allow Cortana’. Next, double-click on the ‘Allow Cortana’ key to open a new dialog box having the name “Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value”.
Within that dialog box, go to the ‘Value’ field and change the number in it to ‘0’ and click on the ‘OK button.
Finally, close the ‘Registry Editor’ window and then reboot the machine.