How to Enable or Disable Cortana on your Lock Screen in Windows 10
Cortana, your personal productivity assistant, helps you stay on top of what matters and save time finding what you need. Simply type or speak requests in natural language to connect with people, manage your schedule, find a free hour, set a reminder, add a task, and more. You can also find local information, get definitions, and keep track of the latest news, weather, and finance updates.
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.
With the Windows 10 May 2020 Update version 2004, you now have access to a new Cortana experience that offers an emphasis on productivity, helping you quickly find the information you want across Microsoft 365. Cortana in Windows 10 features a chat-based UI that gives you the ability to interact with Cortana using your voice or the keyboard.
Cortana in Windows will assist you in better managing your schedule and tasks. You can speak or type requests to check your calendar, set a reminder, or add to your lists in Microsoft To Do. And you can look up local information, get definitions, and keep track of the latest news, weather, and finance information with Bing search.
See also:
- Making it easier to stay caught up with Cortana in Microsoft 365
- What is Cortana? | Windows Support
- What’s new with Cortana? | Windows Support
- What can you do with Cortana in Windows? | Windows Support
- Cortana in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Docs
- Cortana's regions and languages | Windows Support
- Cortana and privacy | Microsoft Privacy Support
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 Cortana Settings
- Option Two: Turn On or Off Cortana on Lock Screen for Current User in Settings
- Option Three: Turn On or Off Cortana on Lock Screen for Current User using a REG file
- Option Four: Enable or Disable Cortana on Lock Screen for All Users in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Five: Enable or Disable Cortana on Lock Screen for All Users using a REG file
EXAMPLE: Cortana on Lock screen
1 Open Cortana.
2 Click/tap on the Menu (3 dots) button, and click/tap on Settings. (see screenshot below)
3 Click/tap on Permissions under Talk to Cortana. (see screenshot below)
4 Click/tap on Voice activation, and go to step 2 in option 2 to turn on or off use Cortana on lock screen. (see screenshot below)
1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.
2 Do step 3 (on) or step 4 (off) below for what you would like to do.
A) Click/tap on Voice activation on the left side, and turn on Allow apps to use voice activation and Allow apps to use voice activation when this device is locked on the right side. (see screenshots below)
B) Turn on Cortana starts listening when you say "Cortana" under Choose which apps can use voice activation.
C) Turn on Use Cortana when your device is locked.
D) Go to step 5 below.
This is the default setting
A) Click/tap on Voice activation on the left side
B) Turn off Use Cortana when your device is locked under Choose which apps can use voice activation on the right side. (see screenshot below)
C) Go to step 5 below.
5 You can now close Settings if you like.
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD in the registry key below.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Settings\VoiceActivation\Microsoft.549981C3F5F10 _8wekyb3d8bbwe!App
AgentActivationOnLockScreenEnabled DWORD
0 = Off
1 = On
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
This step will also turn on these required items:
1) Allow apps to use voice activation
2) Allow apps to use voice activation when this device is locked
3) Cortana starts listening when you say "Cortana"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_Use_Cortana_on_lock_screen.reg
Download
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_Use_Cortana_on_lock_screen.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.
You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.
If disabled, this option will override and gray out Option Two, and override Option Three.
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Five.
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)
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.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured is the default setting.
7 Close Local Group Policy Editor.
8 Restart the computer to apply.
You must be signed in as an administrator to do this option.
If disabled, this option will override and gray out Option Two, and override Option Three.
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.
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
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 Enable or Disable Cortana to Automatically Run at Startup in Windows 10
- How to Sign in or Sign out of Cortana in Windows 10
- How to Turn On or Off Hey Cortana in Windows 10
- Change to Speak or Type to Cortana when Press Win+C keys in Windows 10
Enable or Disable Cortana on Lock Screen in Windows 10
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New #1
UPDATE:
Starting with Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14328, you can now have Cortana on your 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.
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Enable or Disable Cortana on Lock Screen in Windows 10
How to Enable or Disable Cortana on your Lock Screen in Windows 10Published by Shawn BrinkCategory: Apps & Features
04 Jun 2020
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