One of the novelties of the latest versions of Windows 10 is the virtual assistant “Cortana”. Through this application using Google voice commands you can open applications, receive notifications, search for information and other functions. However, for many people the program is annoying, and that is where they want to disable Cortana in Windows 10 because it slows down their computer.
Others find that it lacks power or simply find it faster to perform their searches in the traditional way. Others just want to clean up their Windows and only use what they really use, so this wizard is not a good option.
Therefore, if you don’t like this application, here you will see how to deactivate this function and thus free up and optimize your device’s memory. There are many ways to eliminate it, however here we show you a very simple way to do it, which at the same time you can revert whenever you want. In addition, this method works for all versions of Windows 10 where it appears.
How to hide Cortana’s search bar?
The Cortana search bar will usually appear next to the Windows key on the desktop toolbar. It appears with a magnifying glass icon, if it is not yet configured, or with a white circle if it is already configured.
To hide “Cortana” from your desktop, you just have to right-click on the toolbar, which will open a list of applications and “Cortana” will appear. You must place the pointer there and an options tab will open from which you will choose “Hidden” and voila! You will no longer have “Cortana” visible.
However, you have not disabled the app yet, you have only hidden it, so you need to follow the steps below to disable the features of the app.
How to disable Cortana features?
To completely disable Cortana functions you must click on the Windows icon and write the word “Settings”, enter and write “Cortana”. It will display a series of options and you choose “Manage what Cortana can do, see and use”. By doing so, the system will take you to a window where you will see:
- Talk to Cortana
- Permits and History
- Cortana on my Devices
- More details
By clicking on each of these items you will see a series of buttons that show whether or not different functions of the application are active. You must check well so that you do not skip any, the first thing you will see is “Permissions and History”, there you will deactivate the following:
- Safe Search
- Cloud Search
- Activity History
- History of my Device and at the same time delete said history
- Search history
Then you go to “Talk to Cortana” and disable:
- Hello Cortana
- Keyboard Shortcut
- Lock screen
And finally you click on “Cortana on my Devices” to deactivate:
- Get Phone Notifications on this Device
- Help me pick up where I left off on other devices
- Get list suggestions
The “More Details” Tab is not necessary to display because there are no buttons that you must deactivate, having deactivated the aforementioned ones, you should not do anything here.
Can I turn on “Cortana” features again?
In this way you disable the different functions of Cortana, unless some want to continue using them. For example, if you want to continue using Cortana on another device that you have synced, then you will leave the buttons active in “Cortana on my Devices”. But if your goal is to disable absolutely everything, you will start to disable all the features of the app.
Follow the instructions that we offer you step by step to deactivate the functions of the Cortana application on your Windows 10. A useful tip is to carry out the steps as you read this article.
If for some reason later you want to activate Cortana, you will simply carry out the same steps mentioned, only this time you will activate all the functions. Remember that with this method you will not permanently remove the application, you will only disable it.
For many, “Cortana” represents the future in interaction with computers, for others, it is a waste of resources and is just an ornamental function. Be that as it may, in the future it will be known if virtual assistants are really necessary, for now, you can choose whether to use them or not.