Windows 10: Enable or Disable Cortana in Windows 10

The good thing is that it's easy to enable again in the future should you want to.

 

In my earlier post, I reference the wrong thing and have corrected it. I meant to reference this:

Turn On or Off Search online and include web results in Windows 10 Windows 10 General Tips Tutorials

So on one of my other machines, I edited the registry to turn the web search back on and Cortana was now on the taskbar instead of windows search. I went and tried to switch it back, but Cortana stays on so the only way to get Windows Search on the task bar instead of Cortana is to turn it off.

 

Hi all, I just registered here and I have a request about disabling cortana. I'm not being pushy about this, and I have some knowledge on how to do things so please bear with me.

As a sample to start with, I am currently working on a text file that will be renamed to .cmd for an install
Code: robocopy f:\Michael_\Software\AdobeFlash c:\users\Michael\Desktop robocopy f:\Michael_\Software\AdobeReader c:\users\Michael\Desktop cd /d C:\Users\Michael\Desktop flashplayer26_ra_install readerdc_en_ra_crd_install cd /d F:\Michael_\Software\7zip-x64 setup cd /d F:\Michael_\Software\Anaconda3-4.4.0-Windows-x86_64 setup cd /d F:\Michael_\Software\AtomSetup-x64 setup cd /d F:\Michael_\Software\c++ setup cd /d F:\Michael_\Software\CCleaner Professional Edition setup cd /d F:\Michael_\Software\Classic Shell setup cd /d F:\Michael_\Software\cpu ID setup cd /d F:\Michael_\Software\Delete imposible files setup[/quote] Yes, I am aware of chocolaty, but am concerned with it's use. Some programs I have want to install other things along with it, that I don't want, and I can uncheck them during install, others have option of where to install or if I would like to activate some plugins or "add variable to path" and I cant monitor these things when it is on auto install without user interactions

I have renamed all the .exe files to setup as command doesn't reconise "windows" or other certain program names as program or syntax and this has been the easiest for me. I robocopied adobe files since the file will delete after install and if I just copy and paste them, I get an error "the file has been moved or renamed" and then it deletes it, and I selected NO on chrome browser download, MacAfee and add to tool bar options that I don't want.

What I am looking for is help with disable cortana.reg and startup. Simply putting the reg edit in startup folder, it doesn't run on startup. Honestly I don't know how to create a startup/setup.ini and I would like to run that on startup.

Since I'm on insider preview, skip ahead, every time they push an update, it turns cortana back on.

I would like to have a .ini file that runs on startup, looks for cortana turned back on, runs the .ini with 2 options
1 finds nothing, does nothing
2 finds cortana, runs reg.edit, reboot pc skipping login. (this being the only time it skips login)

I have googled how to skip loging using cmd and I have found nothing but ways of getting into control center and turning on auto login, and it will always be on.

I have all programs that I want to install on a Seagate 2tb external hard drive, and my installer.cmd file there as well. This is where I would like to keep the .ini file (or what ever it takes to complete desired task) and have it set to copy it to startup folder (or where ever it needs to reside to always run on startup). Since I haven't done something like this to auto run from startup folder since windows 7, I don't know if this is the proper location.

I joined windows 10 insider preview before 10 was launched to the public, and wasn't happy with it. I took my laptop to Microsoft store for help and they told me to leave, as they were not allowed to see, or do anything with windows 10 under contract and could be fired, so I contactacted HP telling them what I had done. They sent me all 4 recovery CD's to get me back to windows 8 and I guard them with my life.

As I keep everything on my Seagate, it is no big deal to put the CD's in and start over, in which at this moment of writing this, I am on 8, updating my installer.cmd testing, re-installing cd's, and testing more.

At the end of my installer will run windows 10 media creation tool I got from Microsoft (all legit) that will update me to 10 again.

That being said, I will also be installing Ubuntu thru usb flash, and I belive once I can get help with the cortana thing, I can apply it to auto start ubunto to flash drive and then self delete from startup folder.

If I am stepping out of bounds, just a simple gesture please.

FYI, I got the reg edit from this thread long ago without registering, and would like to thank you.

 

This had got to be the most used tutorial I have ever used. I have a strong dislike to Cortana. And, on a new laptop, it was virtually the first thing I headed for. Thank Brink, for msking it soooooooo easy.

 

You're most welcome elbmek. I'm glad it could help. *Smile

 

It has taken me a couple of weeks, but I have come up with this and it works for me.

This is only what I have done. If one chooses to do the same, I'm not responsible for the outcome if one isn't happy. It can be deleted. And Cortana can be turned back on.

File, and folder names are what I used. My file is on external hard drive so it wont be deleted on new install of windows

This is going to create an auto kill of Cortana batch file that will find it, remove it, reboot pc (with auto login) look for it again, and turn off auto login. It is set for single user, I didn't try to do on multi user, as I am the only one on my pc

Create a new folder and name as one pleases
In that folder, create a new simple text, again naming what one pleases.
Copy this
Code: reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\default\Experience | Find "AllowCortana" IF %ERRORLEVEL% == 1 goto donothing If %ERRORLEVEL% == 0 goto turnoff goto end :turnoff REG DELETE HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\default\Experience\AllowCortana /f REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /f /v DefaultPassword /t REG_SZ /d YourMicrosoftPassword REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /f /v AutoAdminLogon /t REG_SZ /d 1 REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" /f /v AllowCortana /t REG_dword /d 00000000 shutdown /r goto end :donothing REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /f /v AutoAdminLogon /t REG_SZ /d 0 REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon" /f /v DefaultPassword /t REG_SZ /d 00000[/quote] Of course one would need to change the password to their actual password, and put in simple text.
Rename extension of txt file to .bat
Right click .bat file and select "send to>desktop (create shortcut)
Move shortcut to File created (mentioned above) so both files are in same folder.
Right click shortcut and select properties, click Advanced at bottom, and check "run as administrator" and select apply before hitting ok.
Back in said folder, create another simple text (name of ones choice not same as previous txt changed to bat.
Code: start "" "F:\kill cortana\turn off.bat - Shortcut"[/quote] F:\ is referring to an external hard drive I have my folder with above files in, one would have to ensure above code directed to folder location and file name where you created yours.
And then change that txt extension to bat. Copy second bat you created and past here
Code: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp[/quote] It will prompt for admin rights to copy it over.
It is a hidden system folder, so having "show extensions & show hidden files" turned on in file explorer helps.

A .bat file will run on startup when in this folder, a .bat file with "run as admin" permissions won't run on startup. Thus the need for a regular bat file to run and start the bat file with permissions for you is needed.

Running the first bat file alone, will net in "access denied"

Yes, I did a lot of copy and paste as I searched the internet to come up with this. So the capital and lower case letters are from either how I found them, or edited what I found to make things work. cmd.exe doesn't care, so neither do I. Your password has to be written exactly though to make it work.

DISCLAIMER: If you were to do the same, and it is on a shared device, I am not responsible if the wrong person got into your pc and found your password from the bat file. It turns on registry (default password) in auto login, and then deletes it on reboot. It does auto reboot after changing registry for Cortana. (Approximately 30-60 seconds after startup) and deletes default password from registry after reboot.

If Cortana isn't found, your password is still set to 000000 and auto logon is turned off. If you have auto logon already set, it will delete it. Make changes to goto donothing to stop this.

 

If you would like to have Cortana back, delete bat file from startup folder and copy this and change extension to .reg
Code: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\default\Experience\AllowCortana] "Behavior"=dword:00000020 "highrange"=dword:00000001 "lowrange"=dword:00000000 "mergealgorithm"=dword:00000001 "policytype"=dword:00000004 "value"=dword:00000001[/quote] And run enable Cortana from this thread.

Sorry, tried to edit post and it was acting funny and wouldn't let me add this without looking bad in post

 

jp thats very clever and well thought out but with brinks solution its a touch of a link and run - job done

 

Thanks, but I never know when insiders updates until Cortana pops up in the middle of me doing things. It was something I needed, and I figured it out myself.

And shared. I don't expect anyone to use it.

 

Sharing is always appreciated JP. Thank you. *Smile

 

as we say here, another iron in the fire *Cool

 

I realized my first post here being one of asking someone else to do it for me was a bit of a stretch, "ooh, who does this guy think he is?" I'm sure floated in people's thoughts.

Just some old man with more than basic computer skills. I could have been rude, done for myself, and never come back. But, I've been participating in development of phone hacking and non traditional computer use since Windows phone 6.X

I'm just new here. I know pepper communication, and how to be polite.

And I wasn't going to go thru the trouble of making something and posting it without group prior knowledge of where I come from. I understand trust issues.

What I posted, group can see for themselves exactly what they are having done to their units, and do it themself. Nothing to hide. Not exactly as easy as click and done, but....

I don't know code and such, but I can google and figure out what I need.

 

i think its rather clever but remember one thing - there is no such thing as a stupid question!

 

Cheers! Still works on Version 1709 Build 16299.19!

 

mine is still in standard search after recent update *Nerd