How to Turn Cortana Off

Should we add another article on how to disable Cortana via group policy and registry?

 

IMHO, I think it is better to stay with the standard, and planned, methods available to all, as Ian's link directs.

I am not too happy with methods of messing with the group policies (not available to all versions) or, for that matter, hacks into the registry, if normal options are available to the user. But, everyone to their own.

There are so many examples, over all forums, where these practices have eventually led to requests for help. Subsequent updates etc from MS do not recognize these hacks and can, on occasion, lead to trouble.

 

There should be mention of needing to be signed into a Microsoft account. I just noticed a local account doesn't give access to the option.

 

Good one Cliff. Same rule applies, unfortunately, to several functions in Windows 10

 

The only Windows version without a group policy is Home version.
Group policy is not a hack though and is fully supported and provided by Microsoft.

We already offer spybot anti-beacon for download in Useful Windows 10 Downloads and the way in which that disables Cortana, Onedrive etc. is via registry policy, which does not translate to the correct setting in Group Policy Editor, meaning it doesnt flip the enabled/disabled switch in Group Policy

As for support requests, cant be avoided, from experience, people break something elsewhere and then go find a community to help them try fix the mess.

My 2c

 

As I said IMHO. But thank you for your observations.

 

@davehc

I do not wish to step on anyone's toes.

 

Well I'm new to Win10 as of about a week and I have turned off every Cortana setting and I still get annoying notification messages occasionally offering ways I can be helped . If someone has registry settings to block that junk on a Home edition I would like to have them.

 

Welcome aboard TrainableMan.

 

Hi TrainableMan.

solution 1 here is quite straightforward (as per the OP's link), solution 2 more drastic:

http://www.troublefixers.org/featured/how-to-completely-disable-cortana-in-windows-10/187/

 

You refer to notifications??
Have you looked in "Settings - Notifications"? You can turn off most of the junk messages there.

 

I checked and that setting is already 0 but thank you for trying.

 

Hi TrainableMan,

are you running the latest version of W10?:

https://www.windows10forums.com/thr...ws-10-to-the-latest-version.13015/#post-64095

 

Wolfie, thanks for fixers idea above. I'm definitely not after the extreme method of removing the app completely, I just want it on my terms when I search and not have it send random popup notifications to bottom right. I haven't seen any of them lately so I think I found all of them in settings; though, now with that, it no longer offers to search the web for ideas when I use it to search, but I still remember how to do that myself .

As for running ver 1703, no. It hasn't been forced to my machine yet; I read Microsoft is doing it in stages so I'll let you guys bug-test it a while. I also read I will probably have to recheck all my settings once I get it because Microsoft likes to re-enable stuff.

 

Hi @TrainableMan ,

I have been running 1703 for ages and apart from the home button missing in Edge browser, it all runs fine, might be worth considering?.

 

Home button:

Click the three dots - then settings - Advanced settings
Shw the home button ON and selct your choice for the site shown under the home button.

 

Hi Dave,

done that ages ago but the blank spot is where the home button once was!. I have tried switching it on and off but it doesn't help!.