How to Easily Disable Cortana Permanently Using the Windows Registry

Cortana is heavily integrated into the Windows 10 search functionality, so fully disabling it may impact your user experience. Nonetheless, users of Windows 10 Home Edition can disable Cortana with the Registry Editor tool. Users of Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise can use either the Registry Editor or the Group Policy Manager.

After you've created a system restore point, and you're absolutely sure you want to disable Cortana permanently, then you will need to open the Registry Editor:

Important: Disabling Cortana via the Windows Registry Editor is often irreversible unless you performing a clean install of Windows 10.

1. 1. Right-click the Windows icon and select Run to open the command prompt.

   Tip: Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Windows+R.

   

2. 2. Type regedit and press Enter.

   If a User Account Control (UAC) window appears, select Yes to proceed.

   

3. 3. Navigate to HKEY_Local_Machine > SOFTWARE > Policies > Microsoft > Windows, then right-click the Windows directory and select New > Key.

   

4. 4. Name the new folder Windows Search.

   

5. 5. Right-click the Windows Search folder and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

   

6. 6. Name the new file AllowCortana.

   

7. 7. Double-click the AllowCortana file to open it, set the value to 0, then select OK.

   

8. 8. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.