Windows 10: Enable or Disable Cortana on Lock Screen in Windows 10

How to: Enable or Disable Cortana on Lock Screen in Windows 10

How to Enable or Disable Cortana on your Lock Screen in Windows 10


Cortana is your cloud-based personal assistant that works across your devices and other Microsoft services. Depending on the capabilities of your device and the version of Cortana youre using, Cortana can provide a range of features, some of which are personalized. Cortana on Windows is available in certain regions and languages. If Cortana isnt available for your Windows device, you can still search for files on your device in the search box on the taskbar. Cortana is also available on other platforms, such as Android and iOS, in select markets.

Cortana works best when you sign in and let her use data from your device, other Microsoft services, and third-party services you choose to connect. To provide you with personalized experiences, Cortana learns from certain data about you, such as your searches, calendar, contacts, and location. Youre in control of how much data you share. If you choose not to sign into Cortana on Windows, you can still chat with Cortana and use her to help you search the web, documents stored in Microsoft services like OneDrive, and your Windows device. See the section about Windows Search in the Privacy Statement for more information. If you dont sign in, or you choose to sign out, your experiences will be more limited and they wont be personalized with your Cortana data. On iOS and Android devices, Cortana only works when you sign in.

Starting with Windows 10 build 14328, you can now have Cortana on your (Win+L) lock screen where you can ask her questions like Remind me to take out the trash when I get home or When is the next Mariners game? and get an immersive Cortana experience without having to unlock your device. You can also try asking Cortana How is the traffic on my way home? or What is my schedule for tomorrow like? For sensitive tasks or those that launch applications, Cortana will prompt you to unlock your device.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable Cortana on the (Win+L) lock screen for your account or all users in Windows 10.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: Turn On or Off Cortana on Lock Screen for Current User in Settings
• Option Two: Turn On or Off Cortana on Lock Screen for Current User using a REG file
• Option Three: Enable or Disable Cortana on Lock Screen for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor
• Option Four: Enable or Disable Cortana on Lock Screen for All Users using a REG file

EXAMPLE: Cortana on Lock screen










OPTION ONE [/i] Turn On or Off Cortana on Lock Screen for Current User in Settings
1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the Cortana or Cortana & Search (build 17623) icon.

2. Do step 3 (enable) or step 4 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


3. To Turn On Cortana on your Lock Screen
A) Click/tap on Talk to Cortana on the left side, and turn on Use Cortana even when my device is locked under Lock screen on the right side. (see screenshot below)

B) Check or uncheck Let Cortana access my calendar, email, messages, and Power Bi data when my device is locked for what you want.




4. To Turn Off Cortana on your Lock Screen
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on Talk to Cortana on the left side, and turn off Use Cortana even when my device is locked under Lock screen on the right side. (see screenshot below)









OPTION TWO [/i] Turn On or Off Cortana on Lock Screen for Current User using a REG file

*note The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD in the registry key below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Preferences

VoiceActivationEnableAboveLockscreen DWORD

0 = Off
1 = On


1. Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Enable Cortana on your Lock Screen
A) If you haven't already, you will need to first turn on Hey Cortana for your account.

B) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_ON_Hey_Cortana_on_Lock_screen_current_user.reg

Download

3. To Disable Cortana on your Lock Screen
*note This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_OFF_Hey_Cortana_on_Lock_screen_for_current_user.reg

Download
4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.





OPTION THREE [/i] Enable or Disable Cortana on Lock Screen for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor

*note You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.

If disabled, this option will override and remove Option One, and override Option Two.

The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Four.
1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Search




3. In the right pane of Search, double click/tap on the Allow Cortana above the lock screen policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


5. To Enable Cortana on Lock Screen
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

*note Not Configured is the default setting.

6. To Disable Cortana on Lock Screen
A) Select (dot) Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)




7. Close Local Group Policy Editor.

8. Restart the computer to apply.





OPTION FOUR [/i] Enable or Disable Cortana on Lock Screen for All Users using a REG file

*note You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.

If disabled, this option will override and remove Option One, and override Option Two.

The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search

AllowCortanaAboveLock DWORD

(delete) = Enable
0 = Disable


1. Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Enable Cortana on Lock Screen
*note This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_Hey_Cortana_on_lock_screen_for_all_users.reg

Download

3. To Disable Cortana on Lock Screen
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_Hey_Cortana_on_lock_screen_for_all_users.reg

Download

4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. Restart the computer to apply.

8. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Sign in or Sign out of Cortana in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Hey Cortana in Windows 10
• How to Have Cortana Learn your Voice for 'Hey Cortana' in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Cortana Listening Mode Keyboard Shortcut in Windows 10

:)

 

My lock screen is black!

I am using the anniversary update of windows 10, therefore the sign in screen is also having the lock screen wallpaper. whenever I turn off my laptop or resume my PC from sleep, the lock screen appears black but the sign in screen(screen in which we type
our pin or password to unlock PC ) has the wallpaper.

I think this is due to enabling Cortana on lock screen, as this started happening after I enabled it(Cortana on lock screen). After this problem I even disabled Cortana on locks creen, but nothing happened.

Please Help!

 

Lock screen at start up

Lock Screen - Enable or Disable in Windows 10
I hope that helps.