Cortana—the virtual assistant built into Windows 10—might have sounded useful at first, but for many users, it’s more annoying than helpful. Whether you’re after a cleaner system, fewer background processes, or just don’t use voice commands, you can disable or completely remove Cortana from your Windows 10 system.
Here’s how to do it the right way.
⚠️ Quick Note
As of recent Windows 10 updates, Microsoft has separated Cortana from the system and made it a standalone app. That means it’s easier than ever to remove—but also means it may come back with certain updates.
🛑 Option 1: Disable Cortana via Group Policy (Windows 10 Pro Only)
This option is for Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education users.
Steps:
- Press
Win + R, typegpedit.msc, and hit Enter. - Navigate to:
Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Search- Double-click “Allow Cortana”.
- Set it to Disabled, then click Apply → OK.
- Restart your computer.
Cortana will be disabled and removed from the taskbar.
🧼 Option 2: Uninstall Cortana via PowerShell (All Editions)
This method removes the Cortana app for the current user.
Steps:
- Open PowerShell as Administrator:
Right-click the Start button → Windows PowerShell (Admin) - Run this command:
Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.549981C3F5F10 | Remove-AppxPackageThis completely uninstalls Cortana from your system. You won’t see it in the Start Menu or Task Manager anymore.
⚠️ This does not break Windows Search functionality—only Cortana is removed.
🔁 Want to Reinstall Cortana?
If you change your mind later, you can reinstall Cortana from the Microsoft Store:
- Open the Microsoft Store.
- Search for Cortana.
- Click Install.
✅ Final Thoughts
Whether you’re after better performance, less clutter, or improved privacy, removing Cortana is a quick win on Windows 10. The PowerShell method works across all editions, while Group Policy gives Pro users a more structured approach.
Have questions or need help disabling Cortana system-wide? Drop a comment—I’m here to help.