Microsoft has recently announced that the company is killing support for the Windows standalone Cortana app on Windows 10 and Windows 11, starting in late 2023.
Cortana is a virtual assistant developed by Microsoft in 2014, which uses the Bing search engine to perform tasks such as setting reminders, creating calendar events, providing weather updates, and answering questions for the user.
It was originally developed for the Windows Phone 8.1 and later included in other Windows devices and operating systems (OSes), including Windows 10 and 11, Android, and iOS. However, the Redmond giant began reducing the prevalence of Cortana and converting it from an assistant into different software integrations in 2019.
Further, in April 2019, the virtual assistant was split from the Windows 10 search bar. In January 2020, the Cortana mobile app was removed from certain markets, and on March 31, 2021, Microsoft stopped supporting the Cortana app for mobile (iOS and Android) all over the globe.
“Starting in late 2023, we will no longer support Cortana in Windows as a standalone app. However, you can still access powerful productivity features in Windows and Edge, which have increased AI capabilities,” Microsoft said in its support documentation about Cortana.
“This change only impacts Cortana in Windows, and your productivity assistant, Cortana, will continue to be available in Outlook mobile, Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams display, and Microsoft Teams rooms.”
It further added, “We know that this change may affect some of the ways you work in Windows, so we want to help you transition smoothly to the new options. Instead of clicking the Cortana icon and launching the app to begin using voice, now you can use voice and satisfy your productivity needs through different tools.”
The news of Cortana’s retirement comes after Copilot, the new AI assistant powered by OpenAI’s technology, was unveiled last week during the Build conference. The Windows Copilot will be available in a preview for Windows 11 in June.
Microsoft has provided a list of suitable replacements for the Cortana app to ensure a smooth transition to its other recently launched products, such as Voice access in Windows 11, the new AI-powered Bing search engine, the Microsoft 365 Copilot AI productivity tool, and the recently announced Windows Copilot.
“We are excited to keep innovating and using AI to help you work smarter and faster. We hope you enjoy the new ways to use AI to save time and focus on what matters most to you,” Microsoft concluded.
