Cortana, the digital personal assistant, was introduced to Windows desktop operating system with Windows 10. Unfortunately, the digital personal assistant from Microsoft has very few takers, at least in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Very few users like and use Cortana. This is probably why Cortana is no longer part of the first boot experience in Windows 11 and is not pinned to the taskbar by default.
Although Cortana continues to exist in Windows 11, it’s not enabled by default. However, users, who like Cortana, can enable the same and start using Cortana with a few clicks (requires you to sign in with a Microsoft account).
However, if you do not like it, Windows 11 does not allow you to uninstall it via the Settings app. We have to take the help of the built-in PowerShell or Terminal to uninstall and remove Cortana.
Uninstall Cortana for current user Command Prompt in Windows 11
If you want to uninstall from all user accounts, please refer to the directions in Method 2.
Step 1: Open the Windows Terminal as administrator. To do that, type Terminal in the search, right-click on the Windows Terminal entry, and then click Run as administrator option.
When you get the User Account Control screen, click on the Yes button to open the Terminal as admin.
Step 2: At the Terminal window, copy and paste the following command:
Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.549981C3F5F10* | Remove-AppxPackage
Step 3: Press the Enter key to execute the command and uninstall the Cortana app from Windows 11. You may exit the Terminal now.
Uninstall Cortana for all user accounts in Windows 11
Step 1: Open the Windows Terminal with admin privileges.
Step 2: Copy and paste the following command at the Terminal window and then hit the Enter key:
Get-appxpackage -allusers *Microsoft.549981C3F5F10* | Remove-AppxPackage
Reinstall Cortana in Windows 11
If you feel like reinstalling Cortana again, you can get the Cortana from the Store. Here is how.
Step 1: Open the Store app and search for Cortana.
Step 2: Click on the Get/Install button on the Cortana page to download and install the Cortana app.
Stop Cortana from automatically starting with Windows 11
If Cortana automatically starts with Windows 11 on your computer and it’s annoying to the core, you can configure it to not load automatically with Windows 11.
Step 1: Go to Windows 11 Settings > Apps > Startup page.
Step 2: In the Startup apps list, turn off the Cortana app. That’s all!
Brian Johnson says
The reason that the people working for MS are too incompetent to tell people there how to do it and so that they don’t have to get past their 3rd grade education aren’t taught it by one of the three people working there who actually made in into junior high, before being overwhelmed.
Jem S. says
I just would like to point out the only reason Microsoft has included Cortana in EVERYTHING they put out there is an attempt to appease their demonic alien overlords and keep them from either anal probing us all to death or eating our genitals. (I figured the other dude here said something so stupid it gave me cancer so I might as well let the creative juices flow, so to speak)
CCleaner is the epitome of foreign entities being able to collect, aggregate, and sell the private location, photos, Callendar of tens of thousands, maybe millions of people who know no better than to install the app that has had the junkiest reputation for backdoors and the jankiest reputation of stability and has been as reliable as a Taco Bell fart after a Taco eating contest while seated in a Hot Tub.
emeraldserenity says
Just wanted to say I was able to use CCleaner to uninstall Cortana (and also Edge!). Literally took 2 seconds.