How-to guide for deleting Cortana recordings for privacy protection

For those of you who tend to use the Microsoft device like a PC or an Xbox, it is easier to chat with Cortana to do things rather than doing them by hand.

But like all the other voice assistants, there is some corporate snooping involved with Cortana as well. Back in August of 2019, it was learned that Microsoft contractors often listen to the recordings of Cortana users when of the voice commands they give to Cortana.

While Microsoft says that these Cortana recordings are transcribed in secure facilities, this still means that the transcription program is still in effect and somebody is still listening out all of the Cortana recordings.

For those of you, how feel creeped out by this, we have a how-to guide for deleting Cortana recordings for privacy protection.

How to delete Cortana recordings:-

The first step of this whole guide is to open your Windows PC and sign in the same account of Microsoft that you use for chatting with Cortana. After this follow these simple steps.

In the Search bar located next to your PC’s Start button; type “Settings”. Settings app will come on screen and then tap on it.
Click the option “Accounts” located in the down left corner of the app’s page.
Click on the option “Manage my Microsoft account” that is under the username. This will redirect you to the website of Microsoft where you will be signed in.

Click on the option “Privacy” located in the menu on the top left side of the page.

There you will be asked for entering your password for the Microsoft account once more and enter it. Microsoft might also ask from you to verify your identity via the 2-factor authentication if it is set up earlier.

This would lead you back to your Privacy section of the Microsoft website. Click on the option “My Activity” located in the menu under the banner.

Open up the menu that is titled “Filter by data type” located on the screen’s left side. Click on the 2^nd option there titled “Voice”.

The center of the screen will present the Cortana recordings that are in association with the Microsoft account. Clicking on the Play Button lets you hear each recording.
For deleting all of these Cortana recordings, select the option ‘Clear Activity” located on the list’s top right. For deleting the recordings individually, click on the option “Clear” at the bottom of the each recording link.

Doing this still won’t hinder Cortana from sending the recordings to Microsoft and for that one needs to disable the Speech Recognition.

How to stop your Cortana from recording:-

Go to Settings once more and look for the option Cortana in the column.
In the left side menu, click on option “permissions”.
Next Click on option “Manage the information Cortana can access from this device”. In this section, scroll down to look for option “Speech Privacy Settings” and select it.