How to remove Cortana (beta) app from Windows 10 May 2020 (20H1) update?

[SM03]

Hello,
Is there any way to remove /disable the new 'CORTANA (BETA)' app that's present in the Windows 10 May 2020 (20H1) update ISO without disabling the 'Shell Search' functionality?



I don't use CORTANA so need to remove that, & I know that CORTANA APP is locked by the Shell Search compatibility feature, but I don't wanna disable that 'Shell Search' as that 'd disable the searching functionality in START (tried & tested)

If there is any way to remove the app without disabling the ShellSearch, suggest me that, if not, then requesting nuhi to take a look in this case & if possible do something to make this happen.

 

[dennisfong86]

First, let me clear my objective, I want the Corata (beta) app to be removed from the Win ISO, without disabling the local file search functionality from the start or the file explorer.



Your comment is confusing because the path & option you mentioned isn't correct.

Firstly, the Cortana App is located under this path
Remove/Component/Windows Apps/App -> CORTANA which is locked by the 'Shell Search/Cortana' compatibility

So, unless anyone unchecking the 'Shell Search/Cortana' option first from 'Compatibility', the 'Cortana' app can't be unchecked/disabled in order to remove from the Win ISO.

I don't understand where did you find these paths/options as you mentioned in your comment

removal --> system --> apps

Maybe re-phrasing your comment would help us to understand what you want to say actually & about your findings.

P.S: I did remove that Cortana app in earlier win versions prior to the v2004, that breaks the search functionality, but since MSFT split the app from v2004, am yet to test that, hopefully, in this week, am waiting for nuhi to release a new NTLite version actually, for two weeks & more, hope this week, we ll get that.

Edited. And anyway, which version of NTLITE you are using? I am on the Beta version.

As you mentioned, the earlier version of 2004, which exactly is it? 19041.264? Is it pure image from UUP/Microsoft?

 

[Windows 10 User]

I don't have any of the issues that you mentioned here, neither I ever faced.

And for Cortana, I already told what's my issue & what's exactly I am looking for & seeking for in the earlier two of my comments above, requesting to read those as I don't wanna write the same again.

I already read what you said and also want nuhi to let us remove that Cortana app without breaking Search.

 

[SM03]

I already read what you said and also want nuhi to let us remove that Cortana app without breaking Search.

Then ping nuhi here & let see what he have to say in this regard. Nevertheless, I've already pinged him earlier in this thread where the answer is still pending.

 

[SM03]

Edited.

I re-read your earlier comment & now after edit, it's clear now. I will give it a try with newly released NTLite v2.0.0.7490 today & revert here about my test result.

And anyway, which version of NTLITE you are using? I am on the Beta version.

Until now v2.0.0.7455 but Nuhi just released the newest version so am gonna use that v2.0.0.7490

As you mentioned, the earlier version of 2004, which exactly is it? 19041.264? Is it pure image from UUP/Microsoft?

I wrote ' earlier win versions prior to the v2004' mean the earlier versions of Windows 10 that was released before the latest & newest version of Windows 10 May 2020 Update (AKA v2004 or v20H1).
For example,
Windows 10 November 2019 Update (v1909 AKA v19H2)
Windows 10 April 2019 Update (v1903 AKA v19H12)

I hope it's clear now?

 

[Windows 10 User]

Then ping nuhi here & let see what he have to say in this regard. Nevertheless, I've already pinged him earlier in this thread where the answer is still pending.

I already did that regarding other issues I was having but unfortunately he doesn't reply me.

 

[SM03]

dennisfong86, AeonX & Windows 10 User

Okay so I recently tested Win10 Stock ISO only remove the Cortana App from here
" Remove/Components/Windows Apps/Apps/Cortana "

By disabling (Unchecked) the Cortana only under the ShellSearch compatibility option, without unchecking the ShellSearch there

And here is my foundings & result about the test

1. Windows command like 'WINVER' & 'regedit' etc ain't working (showing) while typing is START
2. upon searching for any specific local files directly from & in START, while the local files are showing in START as the search result, but if you click, that didn't open

3. In Windows Settings, under the Search section, all the options (i.e. SafeSearch, search indexing etc ) are disabled & nothing selected there, even if you do select & set those options manually, after reboot, all those options are reset to the default i.e. nothing selected

My test is based on Win10 v2004 May 2020 ISO With latest NTLite BETA build v2.0.0.7490.

Again, when I made another ISO retaining the Cortana app by not unchecking /disabling anything under shellsearch compatibility option, all those three points mentioned above, are working correctly.

If you guys have to add anything in this regard, or have some different findings, opinion & result from your test, share your experience.

Meanwhile, I am tagging the dev nuhi here & requesting to look after this issue & discuss.

 

[crypticus]

hey nuhi can u put your hands on cortana thingy

 

[AeonX]

SM03 So it looks like Microsoft hasn't split the Search totally from Cortana. There are reports that removing Cortana app with Powershell/Dism does not cause problems so it looks like a job for nuhi.

 

[AeonX]

So, I removed the Cortana app with MSMG ToolKit and in NTLite (Cortana still shows up in NTLite after removing the Cortana app with MSMG ToolKit, though) unchecked the Shell Search and Cortana compatibilities but didn't uncheck Cortana and Shell Search in the Windows Apps tab and Windows Search in the Features tab and disabled all 4 Cortana settings in the Settings tab and not only I have no problems in the Start Menu but also no Cortana app.

That's because MSMG Toolkit has a fix for Cortana in the recent update that keeps some Cortana related files in the Windows folder and some registry entries to maintain search compatibility in the Start menu. Those things that are maintained may be being detected by NTLite.

 

[SM03]

SM03 So it looks like Microsoft hasn't split the Search totally from Cortana. There are reports that removing Cortana app with Powershell/Dism does not cause problems so it looks like a job for nuhi.

Yes, MSFT didn't completely separate Cortana from their search system, and nuhi is being tagged here multiple times so let's hope one day he will come & read all these & will decide to do it.

That's because MSMG Toolkit has a fix for Cortana in the recent update that keeps some Cortana related files in the Windows folder and some registry entries to maintain search compatibility in the Start menu. Those things that are maintained may be being detected by NTLite.

I don't use MSMG toolkit, so really can't say anything about that, but if MSMG toolkit can do it then it's obviously possible to impliment that i.e. removing Cortana part without breaking the search feature so nuhi can do it to the future ntlite build. Those who use MSMG toolkit, I req them to do a testing, first only remove the cortana part from the stock win 10 iso via msmg, nothing else and make a iso via msmg, then do the other modification via ntlite on that iso that's been made by msmg, & check what's the end result.

 

[Clanger]

nuhi is being tagged here multiple times so let's hope one day he will come & read all these

oh he see's all that goes on here and if he could clone himself then he could be in 2 places at once.
quit griping

 

[SM03]

oh he see's all that goes on here and if he could clone himself then he could be in 2 places at once.
quit griping
View attachment 3211

I think I/we did tag him, not YOU, & he can speak for himself well, so your comment is neither relevant here nor necessary. If you have to add something to this topic relevantly, you're welcome, orlelse don't clutter the OP by adding unnecessary burdens, stay on topic with relevance.

 

[Windows 10 User]

dennisfong86, AeonX & Windows 10 User

Okay so I recently tested Win10 Stock ISO only remove the Cortana App from here
" Remove/Components/Windows Apps/Apps/Cortana "

By disabling (Unchecked) the Cortana only under the ShellSearch compatibility option, without unchecking the ShellSearch there

And here is my foundings & result about the test

1. Windows command like 'WINVER' & 'regedit' etc ain't working (showing) while typing is START
2. upon searching for any specific local files directly from & in START, while the local files are showing in START as the search result, but if you click, that didn't open

3. In Windows Settings, under the Search section, all the options (i.e. SafeSearch, search indexing etc ) are disabled & nothing selected there, even if you do select & set those options manually, after reboot, all those options are reset to the default i.e. nothing selected

My test is based on Win10 v2004 May 2020 ISO With latest NTLite BETA build v2.0.0.7490.

Again, when I made another ISO retaining the Cortana app by not unchecking /disabling anything under shellsearch compatibility option, all those three points mentioned above, are working correctly.

If you guys have to add anything in this regard, or have some different findings, opinion & result from your test, share your experience.

Meanwhile, I am tagging the dev nuhi here & requesting to look after this issue & discuss.

Yes, MSFT didn't completely separate Cortana from their search system, and nuhi is being tagged here multiple times so let's hope one day he will come & read all these & will decide to do it.



I don't use MSMG toolkit, so really can't say anything about that, but if MSMG toolkit can do it then it's obviously possible to impliment that i.e. removing Cortana part without breaking the search feature so nuhi can do it to the future ntlite build. Those who use MSMG toolkit, I req them to do a testing, first only remove the cortana part from the stock win 10 iso via msmg, nothing else and make a iso via msmg, then do the other modification via ntlite on that iso that's been made by msmg, & check what's the end result.

So, I removed the Cortana app with MSMG ToolKit and I had no problems in the Start Menu.

In NTLite I unchecked the Shell Search and Cortana compatibilities, unchecked Windows Search in the Features tab, unchecked Cortana in the Apps tab, left Start Menu and Search App checked in the System Apps tab and disabled all 4 Cortana settings in the Settings tab and although I didn't have the Cortana app, after typing "winver" in the Start Menu, it had no results, after typing "control panel" in the Start Menu, it showed up with a different icon, after searching for a local file in the Start Menu, it also had no results, and after searching anything in the Settings app, it had no results too.

Finally, I removed the Cortana app with MSMG ToolKit and afterwards loaded the image created by it in NTLite and Cortana still showed up in the Apps tab as checked. I unchecked the Shell Search and Cortana compatibilities but this time I didn't uncheck Windows Search in the Features tab, didn't uncheck Cortana in the Apps tab, left Start Menu and Search App checked in the System Apps tab and didn't disable all 4 Cortana settings in the Settings tab and I didn't have the mentioned problems.

 

[SM03]

So, I removed the Cortana app with MSMG ToolKit and I had no problems in the Start Menu and no Cortana app.

In NTLite I unchecked the Shell Search and Cortana compatibilities, Cortana and Shell Search in the Windows Apps tab, Windows Search in the Features tab, removed Cortana in the Apps tab and disabled all 4 Cortana settings in the Settings tab and after typing "winver" in the Start Menu it showed no results and when searching for things like the Control Panel they showed up with a different icon.

Finally, I removed the Cortana app with MSMG ToolKit and afterwards loaded the image created by it in NTLite and Cortana still showed up in the latter. In NTLite, I unchecked the Shell Search and Cortana compatibilities but this time didn't uncheck Cortana and Shell Search in the Windows Apps tab, Windows Search in the Features tab, Cortana in the Apps tab and didn't disable all 4 Cortana settings in the Settings tab and I had no Start Menu problems (no "winver" and weird icons problems).

May I ask you a personal question, are you a native English speaker or what? Asking this as I found your language/sentence construction ain't that meaningful & quite not easy to understand fully sometimes,

P.S: Not to offend you, or to be mean, just out of curiosity. Don't take this otherwise.

 

[Windows 10 User]

May I ask you a personal question, are you a native English speaker or what? Asking this as I found your language/sentence construction ain't that meaningful & quite not easy to understand fully sometimes,

P.S: Not to offend you, or to be mean, just out of curiosity. Don't take this otherwise.

No, I'm not. Didn't you understand my previous post? I edited it. If you don't understand what I say how come you do what Clanger does?

How can I remove these annoying prompts? I already disabled all notifications on Windows and I still have them from time to time. I described this problem here.

 

[SM03]

No, I'm not. Didn't you understand my previous post? I edited it. If you don't understand what I say how come you do what Clanger does?

How can I remove these annoying prompts? I already disabled all notifications on Windows and I still have them from time to time. I described this problem here.

So, if English is your primary communicating language then I/we expect a precise & to-the-point writeup from you about the subject, I've seen that ppl including me struggle to understand your comment

Write with relevant, clear & the precise point to describe your issue, write in short, & more importantly, stick to subject related NTLITE, without mixing things up with other TOOLS, and then, maybe the dev nuhi would answer you directly.

Again, No offence or nothing personal against you. Take this sportingly & positively as a friendly suggestion, & here I am mentioning it again & again with each of my comment related, bcz I've seen ppl misjudging & misunderstanding others easily here in this virtual internet world where we express ourself by words only.

Now coming to your concern,
I never had those issues, no idea why you're getting those, suggesting you to manually check & set all the privacy-related options from NTLite along with all the OOBE (post-setup) related options as well, I believe that'd be the case here.

 

[pmikep]

I am mentioning it again & again with each of my comment related, bcz I've seen ppl misjudging & misunderstanding others easily here in this virtual internet world ...

I really don't want to get involved in this discussion, but SM03, please note that he said that he was NOT a native English speaker. On the assumption that you are (since you used the word "ain't" in a previous post), and since you acknowledged that "we express ourself [sic] by words only," I suggest that it is harder for non-native speakers to understand you when you use abbreviations like "bcz," "ppl," and misspell "ourselves." (And use "ain't.")

As a native English speaker myself who is trying to learn español, I know from experience that when my Spanish acquaintances misspell a Spanish word in a text to me, it makes it much harder for me to understand them. (Because I do not have enough knowledge of their language to apply mental Error Correction.) Now that I have been trying to learn Spanish, I have found myself choosing my English words more carefully in international forums like this one (includes trying to avoid idioms and colloquialisms) so that non-native speakers can better understand me.

Admittedly, it requires more time to craft a careful message. (For example, 20 minutes for this one.) But if I want to increase the probability of being understood, I need to try to ensure that the message that I transmit is as near error free as I can make it.

 

[Windows 10 User]

So, if English is your primary communicating language then I/we expect a precise & to-the-point writeup from you about the subject, I've seen that ppl including me struggle to understand your comment

Write with relevant, clear & the precise point to describe your issue, write in short, & more importantly, stick to subject related NTLITE, without mixing things up with other TOOLS, and then, maybe the dev nuhi would answer you directly.

Again, No offence or nothing personal against you. Take this sportingly & positively as a friendly suggestion, & here I am mentioning it again & again with each of my comment related, bcz I've seen ppl misjudging & misunderstanding others easily here in this virtual internet world where we express ourself by words only.

Now coming to your concern,
I never had those issues, no idea why you're getting those, suggesting you to manually check & set all the privacy-related options from NTLite along with all the OOBE (post-setup) related options as well, I believe that'd be the case here.

I think my english is understandable enough and I explained my problem and the solution just fine. If I didn't use other tools like MSMG ToolKit I wouldn't be able to remove some things NTLite's free version doesn't let me to. Nuhi doesn't reply me not because of my english or because I also use other tools but simply because he doesn't want to because there were other users who wrote worse english than I and he replied them.

I thought you also had the problems I mentioned after removing Cortana.

What do NTLite's Privacy-related settings and the OOBE have to do with these prompts and the Start Menu Pictures folder shortcut problem?

 

[Clanger]

I wouldn't be able to remove some things NTLite's free version doesn't let me

theres a solution to that.

 

[Windows 10 User]

theres a solution to that.

Thanks, but no thanks.