How to Delete Cortana
Are you looking to delete Cortana from your Windows device? Cortana, Microsoft’s digital assistant, can be quite useful, but there are times when you might want to remove it for various reasons. Whether it’s due to privacy concerns, performance issues, or simply because you prefer not to use it, this guide will walk you through the steps to delete Cortana from your Windows 10 or Windows 11 device.
Step 1: Open the Settings App
The first step in deleting Cortana is to open the Settings app. You can do this by clicking on the Start button, then selecting the gear icon located in the lower-left corner of the Start menu.
Step 2: Navigate to Privacy
Once the Settings app is open, click on “Privacy” from the left-hand menu. This will display a list of privacy-related settings on your device.
Step 3: Select “Speech, inking & typing”
In the Privacy settings, scroll down and click on “Speech, inking & typing.” This setting allows you to manage your device’s speech, inking, and typing preferences, which includes Cortana.
Step 4: Turn Off Speech Recognition
Within the Speech, inking & typing settings, you will see a section titled “Language.” Click on “Language” to expand the options. Then, under “Language,” find the “Speech recognition” setting and click on it.
Step 5: Turn Off “Use Cortana for speech recognition and typing suggestions on this device”
In the Speech recognition settings, you will see a toggle switch labeled “Use Cortana for speech recognition and typing suggestions on this device.” Make sure this switch is turned off. This will disable Cortana’s speech recognition feature and effectively remove it from your device.
Step 6: Restart Your Device
After turning off the speech recognition feature, it’s a good idea to restart your device. This ensures that the changes take effect and Cortana is completely disabled.
Step 7: Remove Cortana from the Start Menu
If you want to remove Cortana from the Start menu as well, you can do so by right-clicking on the Cortana icon and selecting “Unpin from Start.” This will remove the Cortana icon from the Start menu, but it won’t completely delete Cortana from your device.
Conclusion
Deleting Cortana from your Windows device is a straightforward process. By following these steps, you can disable Cortana’s speech recognition feature and remove it from your device’s settings. Keep in mind that this will not delete Cortana completely, but it will effectively disable its functionality. If you ever decide to use Cortana again, you can always re-enable it by following the same steps in reverse.
