The American tech giant Microsoft has discontinued the standalone Cortana voice assistant in Windows operating systems. This update comes from XDA Developers, which cited information published on the company’s official site.
The announcement states that “Microsoft will no longer support Cortana as a standalone app on Windows from late 2023.” The shift appears to be driven by the introduction of a fresh, AI-powered feature set built into Windows itself, signaling a broader move toward integrated AI assistance within the OS.
At its May Build conference, Microsoft unveiled Windows Copilot, a new AI-driven helper that lives in the taskbar and works directly within the operating system. This tool is designed to assist users by interpreting context, automating routine tasks, and guiding configurations all through intelligent prompts and analysis of user actions.
As part of the transition, Microsoft described Copilot as capable of summarizing daily activity, rewriting text, proposing actionable steps, and adjusting system settings based on user behavior and preferences. The aim is to provide a more seamless, proactive assistant experience without requiring a separate app. This marks a shift from a traditional mobile-like assistant to an integrated, AI-first feature embedded across Windows.
Cortana was first introduced to Windows with the release of Windows 10 in 2015, enabling voice commands to set reminders, launch applications, and answer questions. Over subsequent years, Microsoft gradually reduced Cortana’s presence within Windows, removing it from the taskbar with the launch of Windows 11 and scaling back its visibility in desktop workflows. The evolution reflects a broader reallocation of Cortana’s capabilities toward productivity and enterprise tools, rather than consumer-oriented voice interactions.
In April 2021, Cortana ceased functioning on mobile platforms running Android and iOS, a move that mirrored the company’s strategic pivot away from consumer-centric assistants. With competing offerings from Google and Apple, Microsoft redirected its AI investments toward features that are deeply integrated into Windows and Microsoft 365 ecosystems, shaping a more cohesive user experience across devices and services. The ongoing transition emphasizes the preference for native, system-level AI that can operate without a separate app, providing consistent behavior across environments.