---
title: "Disable Cortana in Windows 10 after the Anniversary Update"
url: https://lookeen.com/blog/disable-cortana-in-windows-10-after-the-anniversary-update
lang: en
description: "The Anniversary Update for Windows 10 is coming soon. Unfortunately, Cortana can no longer be disabled as easily afterwards. These tricks can help with that."
author: "Jana Schrieb"
published: 2016-07-29T13:58:20+00:00
modified: 2026-11-11T05:42:46+00:00
---

# Disable Cortana in Windows 10 after the Anniversary Update

Today is the last day that Windows 7 or Windows 8 users can download Windows 10 for free. In a few days, the Anniversary Update, also known as Redstone (RS1), will be released.

Article title: Disable Cortana in Windows 10 After the Anniversary Update

## \# Cortana Replaces the Search Function

Under Windows 10, the virtual assistant Cortana is supposed to make users’ daily lives easier. You can control it via voice commands, and it is capable of storing information about the user and learning from it. However, after the update, the search function cherished by many in Windows is now supposed to be completely replaced by Cortana. For many, Cortana has become a thorn in the side, especially since it sends user data and search profiles to Microsoft.

Until now, you could turn off Cortana in Windows 10 via the settings if you didn’t want to use it. After the update on August 2nd, Cortana will no longer be so easy to disable. Disabling Cortana will then only work through Group Policy or the Registry.

Here is how you can still disable Cortana with a little effort.

## \# Disable Cortana in the Registry

[Looking for an alternative to the Windows search function? Click here…](https://lookeen.com/)

This option is available for Windows 10 Home.

1.  Press the **Windows key + R**.
2.  Type **regedit** and click **OK**.
3.  The **Registry Editor** opens. Navigate to the path **HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Policies\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Windows Search**
4.  Right-click on **Windows Search** > **New** > **New DWORD (32-bit) Value**. Create a new entry named **AllowCortana** (without spaces).
5.  Double-click on **AllowCortana** and set the value to **0**. The value 0 means Cortana is disabled, the value 1 means Cortana is enabled.
6.  Restart your PC.

![Cortana can also be disabled after the update with a little know-how](https://lookeen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/1-1-1.jpg)

If you upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10, the key **Windows Search** in the **Registry Editor** might not exist yet. However, you can create it in the directory tree if you are using a local admin account. Right-click on **Windows** in the directory tree > **New** > **Key**.

## \# Disable Cortana in Group Policy

This only works for Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise versions.

1.  Press the **Windows key** + **R**.
2.  Type **msc** and click **OK**.
3.  The **Local Group Policy Editor** opens. On the left, you will find the policies for **Local Computer** > **Computer Configuration** > **Administrative Templates** > **Windows Components** >
4.  In the right pane, double-click on **Allow Cortana** and disable it.
5.  Also double-click on **Allow Search and Cortana to use location data** and select the **Disabled** checkbox here as well.
6.  Restart your PC or restart explorer.exe. Cortana should no longer run.

## \# Disable Web Search in Windows 10 Pro

Web search is also a bothersome feature for some users, as Microsoft blocks searching with Google; instead, searches run through the Bing search engine, which many users cannot do much with. In addition to Cortana, you can also disable web search in Windows 10 Pro. Here is how it works:

1.  To do this, open the **Local Group Policy Editor** as described above.
2.  Click **Computer Configuration** > **Administrative Templates** > **Windows Components** >
3.  Double-click on **Do not search the Web and do not display web results in Search**.
4.  Disable web search and confirm with **OK**.