Cortana is a virtual assistant, just like Google Assistant. It works the same way as Google Assistant works. Cortana is a default virtual assistant for the Windows operating system; using it, you can operate your Windows system with your voice. Here in this guide, we will discuss how to disable and uninstall Cortana on Windows 11.
Windows 11 doesn’t even have Cortana active by default. If Cortana is enabled; on your Windows 11. It will always have access to your microphone. You will get an annoying Cortana pop-up if you accidentally say something like Cortana or hey Cortana or similar sounding words. If you don’t like this Cortana feature, you can disable it from your Windows 11.
How to Disable Cortana on Windows 11
If you don’t want to completely remove it from your Windows system but want to disable it temporarily, you can do so using Task Manager, Windows settings, or by signing out from the Cortana app. So, let’s discuss them one by one.
1. Sign Out from Cortana
If you have already enabled Cortana on Windows 11, you have to sign out before; you disable it. Here are the steps to sign out from Cortana and remove microphone access.
1. On the Windows search option, search for Cortana and open it. If you have signed in, you have to sign out first.
2. It will open the Cortana app. Click on the three dots and select Sign Out from the option.
3. Once you have signed out from Cortana, remove microphone access. For that, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone. Here, turn off microphone access for Cortana.
That’s it; this is how you can sign out from Cortana on your Windows 11. If you want to disable Cortana from Windows 11, follow the below method.
2. Disable Cortana from Startup via Task Manager
By default, Cortana automatically starts when you boot your system. If you prefer Cortana not to run until you activate it manually, you can disable its automatic startup with Windows.
To disable Cortana from startup using Task Manager, follow these steps:
1. Right-click on the Start Menu or use Win + X to open the power menu.
2. Click on the Task Manager option from the menu that appears to access it. Alternatively, you can also right-click on the taskbar to access the task manager.
3. Here, click on the Startup Apps tab on the task manager window.
4. Next, you will get the list of the apps that start automatically when you start your system.
5. Now to disable Cortana, click on the Cortana app and select the Disable option on the top.
That’s it! This will disable Cortana from automatically starting again when you restart your system.
3. Disable Cortana from Windows Settings
There are no direct ways to uninstall Cortana on Windows. If you want to disable/uninstall Cortana from your Windows 11, then follow the following steps:
1. On Windows 11, we get a centered taskbar. Here, click on the Windows icon to open the Start Menu and click on Settings.
2. Next, click on the Apps tab from the left panel of the Settings window. Then, select the Apps & features options present to the right of your screen.
3. Here, in the App list search box search for Cortana and click on the three-dot. Then select Advanced options from the drop-down menu.
4. Under the Runs at log-in section, turn off the Cortana toggle and you are all set. Cortana will no longer start when you log in to your Windows 11 PC.
How to Uninstall Cortana on Windows 11
Although the above methods will help you disable Cortana, unlike other Windows apps, you cannot uninstall it as it is deeply integrated as a default Windows app. To uninstall it, you need the help of a PowerShell command.
To do that, you can open Windows PowerShell/Terminal as an administrator. Follow these steps:
1. Click on the Start Menu icon and then type Terminal into the search bar.
2. Next, locate the Terminal app in the search results. Now, right-click on it, and choose the Run as administrator option from the context menu.
3. After that, allow the User Access Control permission by clicking the Yes button.
4. It will open up the Windows PowerShell with Administrator permission. Now, copy and paste the following command to uninstall Cortana from your system.
Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.549981C3F5F10 | Remove-AppxPackage
Now, wait for the command to execute. Once done, Cortana will be completely uninstalled from your Windows 11 PC.
How to Reinstall Cortana on Windows 11
You can easily restore Cortana on your Windows 11 whenever you want if you decide to use it again. Unlike disabling or uninstalling, the process is straightforward. All you need to do is download and install Cortana from the Microsoft Store at your convenience.
Here are the steps, you can follow to do so:
1. Open the Microsoft Store.
2. In the search bar, type Cortana and select the Cortana app from the search results. Or, directly visit this link to download it.
3. Then, click the Get button to download and install Cortana again on your system. After that, you can enable Cortana on your device.
Conclusion
That’s it; this is how you can disable and uninstall Cortana on Windows 11 if you are not interested in the annoying Cortana pop-up. You can follow any of the above methods to do so.
We hope this article was helpful to you. If you liked the article, feel free to share it with your friends. If you have any suggestions or doubts regarding the disabling process, do not hesitate to leave them in the comments section below.
