Someone may be disturbed or irritated by Cortana and wants to turn OFF this feature in their Laptops, computers. But some people want this feature and they will enjoy it. And searching for ‘How to turn OFF /ON the Cortana?’ How to Disable/Enable the Cortana?’. This is explained later first, we will know about the her.
We have different assistants like Apple’s Siri, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Cortana for Windows. It is a voice assistant developed by Microsoft for Windows 10, Microsoft mobile phone(which has windows 10), Smart speaker, Microsoft band, IOS, Android.
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Time-based reminders
You can set a reminder for a specific time or day, such as 10 AM or every Sunday, so she can remind you exactly about the work and makes more comfort.
Location-based reminders
You can set a reminder with a location, such as a supermarket, so Cortana can remind you to pick up bread the next time you are shopping.
Photo-based reminders
This is very interesting. Add a photo to your reminders, like your child’s favorite game, so you are reminded about it the next time you’re shopping or set a photo of a dish, so she reminds about it the next you visit the same place.
Cortana not only works as a reminder, but she can also answer questions through the information available from web results by the Bing search engine. She can recognize the natural voice. You need not type everything, this makes easy and happy.
She can find the applications installed on your PC or Laptop. Even to find documents. Just you have to say the app or document name she will find it.
Cortana can understand and speak several languages such as English, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese. Depending on the software platform and region in which it is used. As you know that by default she is not enabled in your PC, but it doesn’t take much time to do so.
Follow these steps to turn ON/Enable the Cortana in Windows 10
1. Click on the Windows icon also known as a Start button (left corner of your screen).
2. Now you can see all applications, find for Cortana and click on it.
3. Here she is not active so, Click-use Cortana.
4. It asks permission to know about you, web search history then if you are willing to give, click “sure” nor you can click “later“.
Now, Cortana is ready for you. Click on “Type here to search” then you can go for it.
Follow these steps to turn OFF/Disable the Cortana in Windows 10 (Temporarily)
1. Click on the Windows icon also known as a Start button (left corner of your screen).
2. Now you can see all applications, find for Cortana and click on it.
3. There you find a gear icon (settings), click on it.
4. Now switch off “Hey Cortana” and “Keyboard shortcut”.
Now the Cortana is temporarily turned OFF. This will prevent from ever activating accidentally, but it won’t affect your search experience, and everything will continue to operate as normal.
Follow these steps to turn OFF/Disable the Cortana in Windows 10 (Permanently)
Cortana is built for Windows 10 so disabling completing in your PC/Laptop may it may impact your user experience. So it can be using the Registry Editor tool. Now follow these steps.
Caution: Before using the Registry Editor or Group Policy Editor methods, consider setting up a system restore point. Your system may become unstable or even fail to boot if you make a mistake.
- Right-click on the Windows icon is also known as a Start button (left corner of your screen) and select Run to open the command prompt.
right-click windows icon
2. Now type regedit and press Enter on the keyboard (it may also ask to install the registry editor tool so please install and then continue).
3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_Machine > SOFTWARE > Policies > Microsoft > Windows, then right-click the Windows directory and select New > Key. 
4. Name the new folder as Windows Search.
5. Right-click on the new folder (Windows Search) and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
6. Name the new file AllowCortana (one more time).
7. Open the AllowCortana file by double-clicking on it, set the value to 0, then select OK.
8. Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC/Laptop.
By following these steps Cortana is disabled. However, sometimes you don’t disable her but prevent recording ad storing your search habits and history. To do this follow the below steps.
Follow these steps to stop Cortana from recording and storing your search habits and history
- Click on the Windows icon also known as a Start button (left corner of your screen).
Click on the windows icon
2. Now you can see all applications, find for Cortana and click on it.
3. There you find gear icon(settings), click on it.
4. Click Permissions & History.
5. Now switch OFF all the permissions which are in ON position.
6. After completing step 5. Now click on Manage the information Cortana can access from this device.
7. Here also switch OFF all the options.
8. Scroll down the page and select Speech inking & typing privacy settings.
9. Switch OFF, Online Speech Recognition.
10. Now come to Cortana setting page by clicking on the back arrow twice. Then select Change what Cortana knows about me in the Cloud.
11. Your personal information page will open, at the bottom, you find a clear option click on it.
Cortana is not uninstalled from your PC/Laptop but it stops collecting your information. In the future, if you wish to use Cortana then change all of the settings back to the ON position.
