Criticizing Microsoft and their mediocre Cortana
Criticizing Microsoft and their mediocre Cortana
The idea that Cortana should be reborn as a suppository needs adjusting. It was already turned off after the latest update, and the annoying pop-ups kept appearing. I had to manually edit the registry to silence it. Whether this fix works long-term depends on how deeply the issue is set, so you might need to switch to another OS if things don’t improve.
Microsoft sees this as within their guidelines... MS -- Ask Cortana. ME -- No thanks *turns it off* -- .... *after a couple months* MS -- Need to log in to use Cortana. ME -- No. *clicks the X to close* MS -- *window reopens* MS -- Log in to access Cortana. ME -- No. *clicks X again* MS -- *window comes back* MS -- Log in to use Cortana. ME -- Not okay. *types 'G' and hits X* MS -- *restores everything* MS -- Log in now. ME -- You’re all right! *loads the shotgun* Trying to push a new OS that disrupts what works, before the issues disappear, messing with tools users rely on, and leaving people like Microshaft frustrated. They’re the Steve Urkel of today’s software scene... "Did I do that?"
I'm struggling to understand everything. Stop using Win+C and Cortana won't launch. If you're not pressing that shortcut, check if your keyboard has a stuck key. You can remove Cortana by opening the Terminal as an administrator and typing: winget uninstall Cortana. From what I know, Cortana is no longer active, just a legacy feature for Surface headphone users. Microsoft has updated its AI tools in Office 365—search for features in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, use the auto-presentation generator, and explore Bing. The voice recognition system moved to Windows 11 touch controls, and Voice Control is coming soon. I don't know when it will be fully removed, but I think it might take about a year after the next Windows 11 release. Unless Microsoft has secret plans...
The issue today is the overuse of many unnecessary shortcuts that nobody actually needs. It’s hard to type accurately without accidentally pressing something you didn’t mean. I realized I’m autistic recently and have motor difficulties that likely play a role, especially since typing problems got worse after turning off Cortana during setup. If I disabled Cortana at installation, why would Win + C still function?
This feature appears as a popup to let users turn it back on. Microsoft offers an open-source solution named PowerToys: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows...ys/install. On GitHub, click the blue "Install PowerToy" button and select the latest release from the bottom. After installation, launch it, go to "Keyboard Manager," enable it, then use "Remap a shortcut." You’ll see a panel with an empty row; add details as needed and click OK. This disables the Win+C shortcut. It functions on Windows 10 and 11. Keep in mind some features are pre-enabled during setup—adjust settings via the side navigation. PowerToys is a useful tool that continuously improves, offering additional workflow help.
@GoodBytes - This will it work on Windows 10 Home? I own the home edition on my HTPC, using it solely for streaming. I believe you can disable Cortana in Windows 10 Pro, which I’ve done for both my and my wife’s workstations. I’m using a Logitech K400r keyboard with a trackpad for the TV PC. If I swipe left a few times, Cortana appears; it’s quite bothersome. I attempted to disable the triple touch that activates Cortana on laptops, but it seems this option isn’t available in the Logitech driver. I didn’t want to modify the registry since my system functions perfectly as is, and this is just an annoyance.
I don't intend to make a joke about Apple's long-standing reputation, but changing keyboard shortcuts through software feels absurd. Users often criticize Apple for not allowing mouse acceleration off—something you can disable in the terminal with a straightforward command, similar to turning off Cortana—but then ignore it when it comes to such simple tasks as this. It usually takes just three clicks: opening system preferences, selecting keyboard, and choosing shortcuts. I'm not trying to boast about MacOS superiority or anything, but I'm pointing out that if Apple could handle this, Windows should have done the same ten years ago. They seem to be deliberately making their operating system less user-friendly.