# How to turn on/off Cortana in Windows 11 PC **URL:** https://www.compsmag.com/blogs/how-to-turn-on-off-cortana-in-windows-11-pc/ **Author:** Ayushi Chauhan **Published:** 2022-01-04 **Updated:** 2022-01-04 **Categories:** Blogs **Tags:** Apple Guides, Best of Best, Blogs Daily, Computer Guides, Computers Tips and Tutorials, Google tips and tutorials, guiderobert, Guides and Tutorials, guiding12, How To Guide, How To Guides, Software tips and tutorials, Tips, Tricks, Windows 10, Windows 11 **Reading Time:** 6 min --- This tip is about the how to turn on/off Cortana in Windows 11 PC. So read this free guide, How to turn on/off Cortana in Windows 11 PC step by step. If you have query related to same article you may contact us. ## How to turn on/off Cortana in Windows 11 PC - Guide With Windows 11, Microsoft has made Cortana less intrusive than ever. As the company explained in its list of features removed in Windows 11, Cortana is no longer part of the initial boot experience. This will prevent you from receiving a voice prompt from Cortana the first time you set up a new Windows 11 PC. However, Cortana is still present in Windows 11. Cortana is Microsoft's cloud-based digital assistant that assists users with their voice commands. It has been an integral part of Windows operating system since Windows 8.1. You can use Cortana to find files, folders, and applications on your PC, control calendars, set reminders, search the web, configure computer settings, and more. Many people aren't big fans of Cortana and find it more irritating than helpful. Although Cortana is custom feature, most of the time you won't find valid results for what users are looking for. It also gathers information about your habits, location, calendar entries, search history, emails and more and stores them on a cloud server. Besides, it sucks up system resources and can slow down your system. Therefore, Microsoft decided to remove Cortana from the Windows 11 startup experience and taskbar. Cortana, the official digital assistant for Windows computers, was first introduced with Windows 10 in response to Apple's Siri and Google Now But as practical as the app is, the problems it creates for user privacy cannot be overlooked. ## How to Activate Cortana on Windows 11 If you're okay with the privacy loopholes of voice assistants - and believe us, there are many - follow the steps below to enable Cortana on your Windows 11. Also note that Cortana comes installed by default, for all of you ' I really have to do is activate it. ### How to Enable Cortana through the Start menu search bar You can get started using Cortana on Windows 11 quickly using the Start menu search bar. See how: Go to the Start menu search bar, type 'cortana' and select Best Match. When the Cortana app opens, click Sign In and log in with your Microsoft account. Finally, click Accept and Continue. ### How to Enable Cortana through Task Manager If, for one reason or another, the above method does not start up the app, then you can use Task Manager to get a similar result. A program designed to monitor the processes and applications running on Windows, Task Manager can also be used to terminate or manage applications. Therefore, it will be useful to enable Cortana on your Windows 11. Follow the steps below to get started: Press Ctrl + Shift + Del and select Task Manager. Alternatively, you can press CTRL + Shift + ESC. From there, click on the Startup tab. Now right click on Cortana to see the list of options. From this list, select Activate. ## How to Disable Cortana on Windows 11 However, if you get tired of Cortana, you can easily disable it by following the same steps you took to enable it, as well as using some other useful methods that we'll list here. Let's go through them one by one. ### How to Disable Cortana through the Windows Registry The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores critical system files that are continually consulted by an operating system. Whether it's the kernel, a user interface or even device drivers - they will all need to access the Registry at some point. So if you want to disable Cortana permanently, the Windows Registry is your best bet. Before you start editing the Registry, we're assuming you've already supported up all your Windows files. Do not make mistakes; playing with registry changes doesn't come without its perils. Once you've backed up your computer, here's How to get started: Press Win + R to open the Run dialog. There, type 'regedit' and press Enter. When the Windows Registry starts, type the following into the address bar: Computer HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Policies Microsoft Windows Right-click on the Windows folder and select the New > Key option. Name the newly created key 'Windows Search'. Right-click Windows Search and select New > DWORD (32-bit). When finished, rename the newly created file to Allow Cortana. Now launch the Allow Cortana file and set the value data to 0. Click OK. When finished, restart the PC to solidify the changes. Do this and Cortana will be disabled on your PC permanently. ### How to Disable Cortana with Group Policy Editor Group Policy Editor is a Windows administration tool that allows you to configure critical Windows settings known as Group Policy Settings. Group Policy is a feature allows you to control the Windows desktop by letting you mess around with user and computer accounts. You can turn off the Cortana app with the help of the Policy Editor. To get started, follow the steps below: Press Win + R to open the Run dialog. In the Run dialog, type 'gpedit.msc' and press Enter. When the Group Policy Editor opens, select Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search. In the Search folder in the right pane of the dialog, follow the steps below: Browse to the “Allow Cortana” policy file and right-click on it. From here, choose the Disabled radio box and click Apply. ### How to Disable Cortana in Windows settings Another way around disabling Cortana in Windows 11 is via the Settings menu. To get started, follow the steps below: Go to the Start menu search bar, type 'settings' and select Best Match. Alternatively, press the Windows key + I together and the Settings menu will appear. Click on Applications> Applications and features. Navigate to the app list search bar, type 'cortana' and the Cortana app will appear up. Right-click on the Cortana options (three points aligned) and select Advanced Options. Look for the option Runs at log-in and disable the toggle button button underneath it. ## Final note I hope you like the guide How to turn on/off Cortana in Windows 11 PC. In case if you have any query regards this article you may ask us. Also, please share your love by sharing this article with your friends. --- *End of Article*