How To Turn Off Cortana Service Windows 10

How to uninstall Cortana

Cortana appearing in the start menu in Windows 10 on a Surface Pro

(Image credit: ymgerman / Shutterstock )

If you lot want to uninstall Cortana from Windows, yous've come up to the right identify. The good news is that it's rather simple to shut downwardly Microsoft's digital banana, as the company continues making it less and less prevalent on devices like the best Windows laptops.

Nosotros're not sure if Microsoft is surrendering territory to Alexa, Google Assistant and (possibly) Siri... but that's a question for another twenty-four hours. We're here to talk over how to uninstall Cortana, with instructions for both regular folks and power users alike.

Microsoft would most likely prefer you get rid of Cortana by upgrading to Windows xi where the digital banana isn't enabled by default. Better still, if you or anyone you lot know has Cortana enabled (we'll show you later in this article), it's relatively simple to switch it off once more.

It seems that Microsoft's not giving up on Cortana, though. Instead, nosotros're seeing Cortana evidence upwardly in other locations, such as Microsoft's mobile Microsoft 365 apps. So, yes, even though you can remove Cortana from PCs, it'southward all the same showing upwards within the company's Outlook and Teams apps.

There are two ways to disable Cortana, equally outlined by Windows Latest. Yous can either stop information technology from automatically opening when you boot your PC (the easier way) or remove the new Cortana app from Windows ten (which is a little harder). We've got full instructions below.

How to disable Cortana in Windows 10

Utilize the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
In Task Manager, click the Startup column.
Select Cortana.
Click Disable.
Then, open the Offset menu.
Find Cortana under All Apps.
Correct-click on Cortana.
Select More.
Click on App settings.
Plow off the switch next to 'Runs at log-in.'

How to uninstall the Cortana app in Windows 10

These steps require a fiddling tinkering, so a word of caution. Since you're going to be poking around in PowerShell, back up your arrangement starting time. Our best deject backup solutions provide piece of cake ways to protect your data.

Open up the Start Menu and type in PowerShell.
Right click on Windows PowerShell.
Select 'Run as administrator'.
Blazon the post-obit text (minus the ' marks) in: 'Become-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.549981C3F5F10 | Remove-AppxPackage'
Press Enter.

Of course, power users assault eradicating Cortana will demand to swoop even deeper into Windows Registry — which is even riskier for everyday users. Since it'south less necessary and a flake unsafe, we recommend skipping that part.

You've already shut Cortana upward and removed its app presence. That should exist plenty for some extra peace of listen.

How to disable Cortana in Windows 11

While Cortana comes disabled by default in Windows 11, it's possible to bring it back, as we'll explain below. If you, or someone else, did that to your PC, and yous want to remove it you can disable it just equally easily.

Nosotros've got two means to practice it hither, and our first is arguably the easiest.

Click Windows + I (that'due south an I not an Fifty) to open Settings.
Select Apps from the left menu.
Select Apps and Features on the right menu.
Gyre to Cortana, click the 3 dots icon and select Advanced options
Flip the "Run at Log-in" toggle to the OFF position.

How to disable Cortana in Windows eleven with the Task Manager

This is another way to stop it in its tracks, pulling Cortana out of your Startup apps.

Correct-click the Windows Showtime push from the bottom of the screen
Select Task Director
Open the Startup tab
Find and right-click Cortana
Select Disable

How to install Cortana in Windows 11

Windows eleven doesn't even have Cortana active by default. Simply, what if, merely play along with united states here, you wanted to enable Cortana in Windows 11?

Fortunately, it's really piece of cake.

Click Windows + I (that's an I not an L) to open up Settings.
Select Apps from the left menu.
Select Apps and Features on the right carte.
Roll to Cortana, click the 3 dots icon and select Avant-garde options
Turn the "Run at Log-in" toggle to the ON position.

Henry is a senior editor at Tom'south Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past vii years. Prior to joining Tom'due south Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.