Cortana’s Demise: Unveiling the Resounding Decline

Cortana App Support Officially Deprecated by Microsoft

The End of an Era for Cortana on Windows 11 and Windows 10

In a significant move, Microsoft has officially terminated support for the Cortana app on Windows 11 and Windows 10 through a recent app update on the Microsoft Store. This development comes after Microsoft’s prior announcement in June, which was anticipated by Windows Insiders who had noticed the shift. The app, once heralded, is now relegated to being a deprecated feature.

Opening the Cortana app will no longer grant access to its once-functional capabilities. Instead, users will be redirected to an online support document detailing the deprecation, accompanied by a succinct message indicating that “Cortana in Windows as a standalone app is deprecated.”

As per Microsoft’s communication, the app’s deprecation necessitates exploring alternative methods to achieve tasks that were previously facilitated by Cortana. Users can now experiment with Voice Access in Windows 11 to manage their computers using voice commands. Additionally, the search box in the Taskbar or Microsoft Edge provides access to the new Bing and Bing Chat for inquiries and research assistance. Windows Insiders are encouraged to test Windows Copilot, an innovative AI-powered assistant integrated with Bing Chat.

Initially slated for discontinuation in the fall, the termination of Cortana’s support has come sooner than expected with the final version being 4.2.308.1005.0. The app is officially retired, replaced by a launch screen that links to the support page. Interestingly, Microsoft has also announced the cessation of Cortana support in Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams display, and Microsoft Teams room. However, Cortana’s presence in Outlook mobile is set to continue. Microsoft concludes its support document by expressing enthusiasm for ongoing innovation and the utilization of AI to enhance productivity.

Cortana’s journey has been a tumultuous one. Emerging from its origins on Windows Phone, the virtual assistant struggled to rival the capabilities and popularity of competitors like Siri and Alexa. Regrettably, Cortana joins the ranks of Microsoft’s discontinued products.