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"Cortana, you're fired!"

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EarthDog said:
I can get her to stop popping up... but the service still runs (posted instructions in this thread). Depends on what you are talking about. Do tell how you did it.
Click to expand...

This might be all I did too. It won't auto-launch or run in the background. I guess I haven't tried to actually start Cortana myself, but I'm guessing it will restart if I did. I'll page back through the thread to look for your instructions.
Basically all I did was rename a few key files in the Cortana directory so that the computer can't find her to start her up.
 
EarthDog said:
Just look in your processes in task manager... ;)
Click to expand...

She's gone from there. I double checked last night (day 2 without her) and still not there. I'll look again tonight to verify. The computer has been rebooted probably 3-4 times in the last two days too.
 
Original poster should edit post#1 of this thread with instructions that people say work on latest Windows 10 build, and post it as the first thing in this thread as an EDIT.
 
I still haven't gotten around to play with this but I think other people have, whatever they posted should go up front to make the thread title relevant.
People hit this thread doing search, then they probably spend a lot of time reading through 60 posts, many of which have nothing to do with how to disable Cortana on every version of Windows 10.
Not updating is not an option for many.

So whatever the current method is, it should be *clearly* posted. It's important.
 
Since the passive agressive method isn't working... :p

Alaric, will you put the current working method in the first post... or perhaps a link in the first post to the current instructions?
 
I honestly don't know what works with the current build. I don't have a current build to try it on. I don't get updates or builds on my OS. That was my solution. I'm going through the thread looking for good info on more current builds now. I may redo the entire OP with what I can gather.


I put my solution in the first post, as requested, but I don't know how much help it will be. I don't get updates, because that will undo the GPedit settings and take away that functionality. Before I finished researching a work around I decided I'm going back to W7 for a multitude of reasons. I no longer care what W10 is going to do because my ultimate solution to the Cortana problem is to have her thrown out of the building. I found it interesting that not long after the Anniversary Update (about an hour) which keeps Cortana on whether you like it or not, the FBI announced you should cover your webcams. Coincidence? Maybe, but when Cortana is allowed a free rein she uses the webcams and microphone at Cortana's discretion by default, not yours. The code is there whether you use it or not, and that's one more potential vulnerability to exploit. Turns out I can't actually fire Cortana without barring her from the premises. LOL
 
Last edited:
Use 3rd party update programs, they don't use the webpage that will disable the GPedit settings, but can't vouch for the updates themselves not mucking up the system :( also, doesn't ShutUp10 cut all telemetry including Cortana ?
 
I tried to clean up the OP and make the info gathered more accessible. I'm open to any suggestions, changes, etc., to further improve it. For now, it's 2:00 AM and I'm going to bed. :)
 
Thanks for updating. We will see if it passes the *clear* test. :)

You were told to cover up your Webcam long before w10, fyi. ;)

Edit: as far as shutup10, I use that and it leaves the task, but you don't 'see' cortana in windows.
 
 
Yes. To me anyway...

It does not stop searches.

Some users however don't even want to see it running in task manager which SU10 leaves. I believe you need to get into the registry and rename keys for that to stop. But it takes so few resources, I just leave it now.
 
EarthDog said:
But it takes so few resources, I just leave it now.
Click to expand...

Doesn't it break things if you completely remove Cortana? Same reason for leaving IE? Background processes check in with it and get mad when they don't find it?

I'll look for some links if need be, but I think I've read enough hints about this sort of thing that it is common knowledge, but maybe it isn't
 
I haven't heard that, no. Of course it could exist, I just never ran across that issue. I have never removed the task/service so I cannot speak to it. It appears others have in this thread and have been going for days so........................?
 
 
EarthDog said:
Yes. To me anyway...

It does not stop searches.

Some users however don't even want to see it running in task manager which SU10 leaves. I believe you need to get into the registry and rename keys for that to stop. But it takes so few resources, I just leave it now.
Click to expand...

I'll see if I can find it. There was a recent article I came across that showed how to completely remove Cortana using the GPE in the non-Home version, as well as reg edits in the Home version.

Of course, like always, any update Windows does can revert those changes.
 
Updates post AU 1607 don't seem to change my gpedit settings. Next big version update might do that, but not AU so far.
 
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