Manuals for Windows 11
- How to Install Windows 11: Check System Requirements, Activate TPM and Secure Boot
- Set up TPM 2.0 to install Windows 11
- How To Get Windows 11 Beta How To Connect With Windows Insider. Which channel to choose. What to do if the processor does not meet the Windows 11 system requirements?
- Supported processors for Windows 11. List of processors from Intel and AMD that will use the new operating system
- How to remove the Weather widget from the taskbar in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Customize news and interests in Windows 10
- Optimize Windows 10 and Windows 11. Speed up the system, disable auto-start programs, delete temporary files and other tips?
- Permanently disable updates in Windows 10, Windows 11 and stop apps downloading in the background
- What is the difference between Home and Pro versions of Windows 11
- How to Reduce RAM Consumption in Windows 11
- How and what to replace the Start menu in Windows 11
- 25 Windows Commands You Should Definitely Remember
- How to change the screen lock time in Windows 11
- How to Disable the Touch Screen in Windows 11 Laptop
- How to Make a Small Taskbar in Windows 11
- Entering UEFI in Windows 11
- How to make Windows 11 look like Windows 10
If a reader is following this guide, they may have already tried removing Cortana through the “Installing and Removing Programs” section. Cortana ships with the latest Windows builds and some configurations block standard uninstall options. In practice, this means the application cannot be removed in the typical way. The following steps explain how to disable Cortana and remove the app from Windows 10 and Windows 11 permanently, ensuring it does not run in the background or consume system resources.
Disable Cortana in Windows 10/11
Open the Task Manager using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Esc, or press Ctrl+Alt+Del and choose Task Manager. Expand the view by selecting More details, then switch to the startup tab.
Locate Cortana in the list. Right-click it and choose Disable from startup. This prevents Cortana from launching when the computer boots and reduces ongoing resource use.
With Cortana disabled at startup, the assistant will not run automatically, helping reclaim memory and CPU time for other tasks.
How to Uninstall Cortana from Windows 10/11
To remove the application completely, a command line tool such as Windows PowerShell is often used. This method is generally preferred for its reliability and clarity.
Open the Start menu, type PowerShell, and select Run as administrator to launch an elevated session.
In the PowerShell window, enter the following command and press Enter:
- Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers Microsoft.549981C3F5F10 | Remove-AppxPackage
Within moments, Cortana will be removed from the system. Some remnants may linger in the registry, but it is best to avoid modifying registry settings without proper guidance.
Note: In some Windows configurations, Cortana remains in a lightweight state or reappears after major updates. For users who want a persistent removal, pairing the PowerShell approach with a careful review of startup items and update settings is often effective.
Additional guidance and steps are available from official support channels and community knowledge bases, with practical updates reflecting current Windows behavior. For more details and context, see Microsoft support resources and user community notes.
[Citation: Microsoft Support]