How to get Cortana to perform custom tasks on Windows 10 Windows Central PDF

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How to get Cortana to perform custom tasks on Windows 10 You can execute virtually any command using Cortana on Windows 10, and in this guide, we'll show you how. MAURO HUCULAK

12 Feb 2018

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ortana on Windows 10 is your personal assistant that can help you to keep up with your daily tasks, answer questions, and allows you to use voice commands to get things done hands-free. Although the assistant can be handy, it's still limited to the tasks it can perform. For example, you can use voice commands to execute various power options, but there isn't a command to put your PC into hibernation or sleep mode. Further, while you can use commands to open a specific section in the Settings app, Cortana can't change a particular setting on its own. However, it's possible to use Cortana's "Open" command to run a shortcut linked to a particular command or script that allows you to perform virtually any task using only your voice.

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In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to create custom commands X that Cortana can execute on your behalf.

How to execute custom commands using Cortana In the instructions below we'll go through the steps to create a shortcut that executes a particular command, and you'll also learn the steps to perform a more complex task running a script.

Executing a command In the following example, you'll be creating a command to put your computer into hibernation mode using voice command. 1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command. 2. Type the following path and click OK: C:\Users\YOUR-USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs 3. Right-click on an empty area, select New, and click on Shortcut.

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4. In the "Type the location of the item" field, enter the command you want to execute. For example, if you want to hibernate your computer, use this command:

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shutdown.exe -h 5. Click Next.

6. Type a descriptive name for the shortcut, which will also be the voice command that will allow Cortana to run the task. For example, Hibernate Device. 7. Click Finish.

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Once you've completed the steps, you can use the "Hey Cortana, Open Hibernate Device" voice command to hibernate your computer. If you want to put your device into a sleep mode, on step No. 4, make sure to use this command instead: rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState 0,1,0

Running a script In the following example, you'll be creating a command to execute a script using Cortana to switch from the light to the dark theme using a voice command. Warning: This is a friendly reminder that editing the Registry is risky, and it can cause irreversible damage to your installation if you don't do it correctly. It's recommended to make a full backup of your PC before proceeding. 1. Open File Explorer (Windows key + E). 2. Browse into a folder you want to store the script. 3. Right-click on an empty area, select New, and click on New Text Document.

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4. Type a name for the file, make sure to change its file extension from .txt to .bat, and press Enter.

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X5. Right-click the .bat file and select Edit.

6. Copy and paste the following command into the batch file: %SystemRoot%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe NewItemProperty -Path HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize -Name AppsUseLightTheme -Value 0 -Type Dword -Force 7. Save the file as you would normally do with any text file (Ctrl + S).

8. Right-click the file and select Create shortcut.

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9. Select the shortcut, press F2, remove the ".bat - Shortcut" as part of the name, and press Enter. 10. Right-click the shortcut, and select Cut. 11. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command. 12. Type the following path and click OK: C:\Users\YOUR-USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs 13. Right-click on an empty space and select Paste. After completing the steps, you can run the "Hey Cortana, Open Enable Dark Theme" voice command to switch from the light to the dark theme on Windows 10. If you want to switch back to the light theme, you can do this on Settings > Personalization > Colors, and selecting the Light option. Or you can create a second script and shortcut in the Programs folder using the same instructions mentioned above, but on step No. 6, make sure to use this command: %SystemRoot%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe SetItemProperty -Path https://www.windowscentral.com/how-run-custom-commands-using-cortana-windows-10

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HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize X Name AppsUseLightTheme -Value 1 It's worth noting we're just showing you a few examples to get started, you can always create your custom commands. In order to prevent conflicts with Cortana's built-in commands try to avoid well-known words, such as PC, computer, switch, etc., when naming your shortcut. If you're not sure, just create your custom command, and try to ask Cortana to run it using the "Hey Cortana, Open SHORTCUT-NAME" command. If the assistant is having trouble, simply change the name of the shortcut to something else, and try again. Also, it might take a few moments until Cortana can detect the new shortcuts in the Programs folder. The easiest way to find out is to open the Start menu, and check if your shortcuts appear in the "Recently added" list.

More Windows 10 resources For more helpful articles, coverage, 10, visit the following resources:  Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know  Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks  Windows 10 forums on Windows Central SLOW THINGS DOWN

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How to search for Group Policy settings on Windows 10 If you're looking for a specific policy, but you can't remember its name or where's located, then use these steps on Windows 10. MAURO HUCULAK

29 Sep 2020

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Source: Windows Central

On Windows 10, the Group Policy Editor is a tool that allows IT administrators to change advanced (system and apps) settings to control and restrict the environment for users to comply with the organization guidelines. Also, advanced users typically use the tool to customize the desktop experience by enabling and disabling special features. Although the policy editor makes the process of configuring advanced settings straightforward, Windows 10 includes a lot of policies, and unless you know their paths, they could be challenging to find. However, if you must use the Group Policy Editor to modify system settings, but you're not sure where the policy resides or the exact name, the console includes an option to search for virtually any setting quickly. Or you can also use the Microsoft Group Policy search website to search and find information about specific settings. In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to find specific policies in the Group Policy Editor using the filter option and the Group Policy Search website. 

How to search specific policy using Group Policy Editor

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How to search specific polity using Group Policy Search

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How X

to search specific policy using Group Policy Editor

To find a specific or set of policies in Group Policy, use these steps: Important: The Group Policy Editor is only available on Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and other variants, but it's not a feature on Windows 10 Home. 1. Open Start. 2. Search for Edit group policy and click the top result to open the Group Policy Editor. 3. Under the "Computer Configuration" or "User Configuration" branch, right-click the topic you want to search (for example, Administrative Templates) and select Filter Options.

Source: Windows Central

4. Select the type of policy settings to display, including Managed, Configured, and Commented. Quick tip: Typically, you want to use the default selection for these items unless you know precisely the type of policy you want to see. 5. Check the Enable Keyword Filters option. 6. In the "Filter for words field," enter the search keyword(s) and the Any option selected. For example, "defender" to all the available settings for Microsoft Defender Antivirus. Source: Windows Central

7. (Optional) If you want to narrow down the search, you can limit the search using the Within options, including Policy Setting Title, Help Text, and Comment. https://www.windowscentral.com/how-run-custom-commands-using-cortana-windows-10

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X8. (Optional) Check the Enable Requirements Filters option.

9. Select the platform and application filters. For example, Windows 10 operating systems. 10. Click the OK button. 11. Select the All Settings item from the left pane.

Source: Windows Central

Quick note: Selecting All Settings isn't a requirement, but it'll make the process a little easier instead of having to drill-down each filtered folder. If you want to know the policy's exact location, you can always look at the "Path" column on the right side. Once you complete the steps, all the policies matching the search query will appear on the right side, which you can then open to edit as necessary. If you want to remove the filter, right-click the main topic you're searching, and select the Filter On option, or close the Group Policy Editor. However, as long as you don't reset the filters in the "Filter Options" page, you can continue to select the Filter On option to do the same find query over and over.

How to search for specific polity using Group Policy Search

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Microsoft also hosts a website, in the Azure cloud, which includes an up-to-date X

database with all the available policies for various products, including Windows 10. To search a policy with the Microsoft website, use these steps: 1. Open Group Policy Search website. 2. Type a keyword or phrase (for example, BitLocker) in the search box and press Enter. Quick note: This is not your typical search engine search, so the result takes a while to appear. 3. Scroll right, and under the "Search result" column, select the category containing the policy (if applicable).

Source: Windows Central

4. Select the policy from the middle to learn more about the policy, including its path in the Group Policy Editor.

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Source: Windows Central

Although the website is useful, you have to have an idea of the policy you want, since the result may include settings for various products, including for Windows, Windows Server, and Oice among others.

More Windows 10 resources For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:  Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know  Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks  Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

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