Microsoft Shuts Down Cortana on Windows 11

A digital assistant similar to Alexa, Cortana was first launched for Windows Phone, making its way to Windows 10 in 2015

Microsoft has officially shut down its Cortana app for Windows 11, users are getting a new update that simply disables the digital assistant on their Windows.

Decision to shut down Cortana on Windows 11 comes almost 3 years after Microsoft decided to remove its very own digital assistant from Android and Apple stores.

Windows 11 users attempting to open the Cortana app are simply directed to a notice which states how the digital assistant is shutdown, while also telling them to follow a link and read more about the Cortana shutdown.

Apart from Windows, Cortana will also lose support in Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams Display, and Microsoft Teams Rooms by late 2023. Outlook mobile, formerly named Hotmail, however will continue to support Cortana.

A Competitor to Alexa and Google Assistant

Cortana was originally launched as a digital assistant for Windows Phones back in 2014. With support for voice commands, reminders and even opening applications, the digital assistant made its way to Windows 10 in 2015; getting deeply integrated into the Windows taskbar.

Windows 11, however, did not have Cortana in its taskbar, making it available as a side app until now.

Launched as a ‘key ingredient’ for Microsoft’s “makeover” of the future operating systems, Cortana was not able to be as popular as its competitors such as Alexa or Google Assistant.

A Replacement for Cortana; Windows Copilot

While Cortana in all its years of operation was never really able to gain much success between users, Microsoft is now placing its bets on another sidebar assistant named ‘Windows Copilot’.

Powered by Bing Chat, the Windows Copilot has the ability to control Windows settings, answer questions, and do a lot more. According to Microsoft, you might get to use the Windows Copilot by the end of 2023.

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