How To Activate And Deactivate Cortana In Windows 11

Cortana is a professional Virtual assistant in Microsoft 365 that helps users get more work done with less effort and focus on what matters. Throughout Microsoft 365, the Cortana app in Windows 10 and Windows 11 allows users to engage with people, check calendars, set appointment timers, add tasks, and more.

Microsoft agreed to remove it from Windows 11 because of privacy concerns. Microsoft hasn’t entirely deleted Cortana; it’s merely turned off by default. Cortana, on the other hand, is far too useful a feature for some users to drop off. If you’re one of those people, don’t worry—we’ve bought you a great answer to your problem.

We’ll go over the best ways to activate and deactivate Cortana on your Windows 11 PC in this article.

Cortana – All your data is available with Microsoft.

Almost all data sent by Cortana is saved in a Microsoft database. The company must improve Cortana, and in order to do so, it must first comprehend how customers interact with the personal digital assistant. It’s not simply for entertainment. It considers your location, language, and other requests you may have, such as weather or map information. In other words, everything you ask Cortana to do, and everything Cortana performs to offer results, is saved on Microsoft databases.

Also Read: How To Activate And Change Scrollbar Size In Windows 11

Privacy Concerns with Windows 11/10

According to Microsoft’s new privacy settings, the information gathered is shared exclusively with business partners and law enforcement authorities if data is requested. According to the privacy policy, data is not shared with any other third-party entities, such as marketing firms. It will use your data internally, which means that while it will be gathered, it will only be accessible to Microsoft servers and personnel who work on the data to provide statistics or improve the functionality of Cortana and Modern Apps.

Also Read: How To Close All Open Windows For App At Once In Windows 11

How to Activate Cortana in Windows 11

Since you’re comfortable with voice assistants’ privacy concerns – then follow the instructions below to activate Cortana on your Windows 11. Also, keep in mind that Cortana is pre-installed, all you’d have to do is enable Cortana.

1. Type ‘Cortana’ into the Start menu search bar, then choose the Best match option.
2. When the Cortana app loads, go to Sign in and sign in using your Microsoft account.
3. Finally, select Accept and Proceed.

If you do this, you will be logged into your Cortana account. Its app will then be launched.

2. Using the Task Manager to Enable Cortana

If the previous solution fails to launch the app for some reason, you can utilize the File Manager to achieve a similar outcome. The Task Manager is a program that may be used to track and monitor the processes and apps that are now functioning on your computer.

As a result, turning on Cortana in Windows 11 will be beneficial. To begin, enter the following command:

1. Enable Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Del. Alternatively, hold CTRL + Shift + ESC.
2. Tap the Startup tab from there.
3. To access the list of choices, right-click on Cortana.
4. Select Enable from this list.

How to Disable Cortana in Windows 11

If you are handy with Cortana, you can remotely deactivate it by repeating the steps you used to enable it, as well as some other useful methods we’ll mention below. Let’s go through the command to deactivate Cortana.

Also Read:How To Fix Memory Issues On Windows 11

Method 1# Deactivating Cortana, via windows Registry.

If you want to deactivate Cortana, the Windows Registry is your perfect shot.  Now, we’re presuming you’ve successfully backed up all of your Microsoft files prior to actually diving into the Registry. Make no mistake: playing with Registry settings aren’t without risk.

Adhere to the below instructions after you’ve made a backup of your computer:

1. To launch the Run dialog box, press Win + R.
2. Hit Enter after typing ‘regedit‘.
3. Fill this(refer image below) in your address bar when the Windows Registry opens.

4.Select New > Key from the Right click menu of the Windows desktop.

5.‘Windows Search’ is the name of the newly generated key.

6.Select New > DWORD from the context menu of the Windows Search (32-bit).

Method 2# Deactivating Cortana with the help of Group Policy Editor

Group Policy Editor is a Microsoft administrative application for configuring Group Policy Settings, which are key Windows settings. Group Policy is a Windows feature that allows you to manipulate multiple user profiles in order to regulate the work atmosphere of Windows.

Adherence to the below steps can help you to disable the Cortana app with Policy editor.

1. To launch the Run dialog box, press Win + R.
2. Type ‘gpedit.msc’ into the Run dialog box and Click continue or  press Enter.
3. Select Computer Settings > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Search when the Group Policy Editor appears.

Follow the process below from the Search folder in the right pane of the dropdown menu:

1. Look out for “Allow Cortana” in the search bar
2. Right-click on the policy file titled “Allow Cortana” to open it.
3. Pick the “Disabled radio button” and select Apply.

Cortana will be deactivated in Windows 11. Simply set the “Allow Cortana” settings to Enabled to re-enable it, and you’ll be back to your default settings.

Method 3# Applying Windows Settings to Turn Off Cortana

Other option for turning off Cortana on Windows 11 would be to use the Settings menu. Run the command below to get started:

1. Type ‘settings’ into the Start screen search field, then choose the Best match. Alternatively, press Windows Key + I at the same time to bring up the Settings menu.
   Tap Apps > Apps and Features.
2. Type ‘Cortana’ into the app list search bar, and the Cortana app will appear.
3. Select Advanced options by right-clicking on the Cortana choices (three aligned dots).
   Look for the option Runs at log-in and disable the toggle under it.

Cortana will be completely deactivated for your Microsoft if you perform all of the instructions listed earlier.

Also Read:How To Connect And Disconnect AirPods To Windows 11

Wrapping Up

So that’s it for now! With this knowledge, you may confidently alter your Cortana settings in Windows 11. Despite the fact that we have nothing against Windows 11, particularly virtual assistant apps, we recommend that you avoid them as much as possible. Apart from collecting and selling your personal information to the highest bidder, all virtual assistants are subject to hacking, making their use unpleasant for most users.