Microsoft’s Cortana for Android, with its latest update, enables you to set Cortana as your device’s default digital assistant.
This option has been available since 2015, but the app update, which has been recently rolled out, has introduced specifics that makes it a new feature. This comes with the latest 2.8 update to the Cortana app on Google Play.
It is up to the user whether s/he wants to keep the device’s in-built assistant as default and use Cortana as a tap-to-launch app or replace it with Cortana. As per the Google Play Store listing, the update has gone live on June 15, hence, you may receive the update soon, if you haven’t already. The latest updated app brings with it an improved app performance as well as calendar consistency across PC and phone.
Setting up Cortana as your default assistant is quite simple. The app does it all for you – all you need to do is launch it after it is updated. Once you are logged in, the app prompts you to select basic features you’d like to set up. For example, it asks you whether you want it to be available on your phone’s lock screen. This option, however, has been available to use since March this year.
Then the option to set Cortana as the default assistant appears in the feed. If you choose it, you are then redirected to the “Assist & voice input” section of settings where you have the switch the “Assist app” from Google to Cortana. After this happens, you can long press the home button (or the assistant shortcut) to come across the latter as the default assistant on your phone.
Also, you can set Microsoft’s personal assistant as the default assistant or on the lock screen manually. You have to open the app, go to the user’s profile on the top right corner, and head to the settings app. And then you can select the options as per your choice.
Image credits: Android Police
