Cortana on your Windows Phone

Whether it's to keep you looped in with your world or help you manage your everyday life, Cortana is there for you.

Cortana is your personal assistant on your Windows Phone 8.1, ready to help you with all kinds of tasks and keep you up to date on the things that you care about. Check out the Where's Cortana? section to learn more.

Before you can get all the goodies Cortana has to offer, you'll need to make sure she's on. If you like, you can help her get to know you a little better too.

Is Cortana on?

You may have turned Cortana on when you set up your phone. If you did, you'll see her when you press the Search

If you press the Search 

If you turn Cortana on, for her to work for you, Microsoft collects and uses your location, contacts, voice input, info from email and text messages, browser history, search history, calendar details, and other info.

Introduce yourself to Cortana

To set up Cortana for the first time, you can either tap the Cortana Tile on the Start screen or press the Search 

If you'd prefer not to answer, it's perfectly fine to skip. You can just tell Cortana what you'd like her to know as you go.

Tip

You can change what Cortana calls you any time you'd like. Go to Cortana > Cortana's Notebook 

> Settings, and then tap Change my name.

 

Looking for Cortana on your Windows Phone 8.1? You can find her in a few ways.

Press the Search button

When you press the Search 

Press and hold the Search button

When you press and hold the Search 

Cortana's icon, which will change when she's listening

Tap the app

In the App list, tap the Cortana app to see various interests throughout your day. See the My interests and Cortana section for details. Or, if the app is pinned to Start, just tap the Live Tile.

Say the words, and Cortana can help you do all sorts of things on your Windows Phone 8.1, whether it's making calls, reminding you to pick up your dry cleaning, getting answers about sports scores, stock prices, or random trivia—you name it. She'll even chat with you. If Cortana isn't sure what you mean, she can usually help you figure out how to say things in a way she'll understand.

Press and hold the Search 

Cortana's icon, which will change when she's listening



One advantage of a digital personal assistant is that she won't take it personally if you want to adjust her settings and how she works. To get to Cortana's settings on your Windows Phone:

• Press the Search
  
  button to go to Cortana and then tap Cortana's Notebook 
  
  > Settings.
• In the App list, tap Settings 
  
  , swipe over to Applications, and then tap Cortana. (If you're using Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 or later, tap Settings 
  
  > Cortana.)

Cortana's Notebook is a handy place on your Windows Phone 8.1 where Cortana keeps track of and tweaks things that you tell her about yourself, what you like, and what you'd like done.

Here's what you can do in Cortana's settings.

Flip the master switch

You can turn Cortana off or back on again any time you'd like. Turning her off won't delete anything from the cloud or from Cortana's Notebook, so if you turn Cortana back on, you'll still have access to anything you did before.

To turn Cortana off, open Cortana's Notebook 

Clear your data

Clear the items in Cortana's Notebook on your phone:

1. In Cortana's settings, turn Cortana off
   
   and then restart your phone.
2. Once your phone has restarted, return to Cortana's settings.
3. Tap Delete phone data.

Manage your Cortana data in the cloud:

1. In Cortana's settings, turn Cortana off
   
   and then restart your phone.
2. Once your phone has restarted, return to Cortana's settings.
3. Tap Manage cloud data to view the Settings page on the Bing.com dashboard. From here you can clear your saved places, interests, and other Cortana data.

Look for flights

If you'd like, Cortana can detect if you get an email about a flight and automatically add that information to your interests. For flights, she can send you alerts to let you know whether the flight is delayed. When you go to Cortana you'll see the flight's progress and other information.

If you'd prefer that Cortana not detect flights automatically, clear the Detect tracking info, such as flights, in email on my phone check box. (If you're using Windows Phone 8.1 Update or later, this option will appear as Detect tracking info, such as flights, in messages on my phone.)

Change your name

Cortana will call you whatever you'd like, as long as she can pronounce it. If you didn't tell Cortana what to call you while you were setting things up, you can open Cortana's Notebook

If you'd just like to use a new name (Snoop Lion?), or adjust how she pronounces your name, open Cortana's Notebook

Sign in or out of Facebook

You can use Cortana to sign in to Facebook to let Cortana and Bing.com give you more personalized, tailored suggestions by allowing Microsoft to access certain Facebook information. Check Cortana's Notebook

Check your other settings

From Cortana's settings, you can also change Battery Saver, Speech, and Search settings so they're just the way you like them.

Cortana continually grows and evolves. Here are some of the latest things she can help you with.

Say what? Try chit-chatting with Cortana and see what she might say. Press and hold the Search

Here are a few other starters:

• Do you have a cat?
• Do you have nightmares?
• Do you like cheese?
• Are you an alien?

Just say, "Hey Cortana." For Lumia phone owners, depending on your phone model, there's an update that lets you activate Cortana by saying "Hey Cortana"—no button presses necessary. If you have a Lumia phone that supports "Hey Cortana" and you've installed the Lumia Denim update, go to Settings

Lights. Camera. Action. This one is for all you movie buffs out there. Cortana has the hottest new trailers and showtimes for your area. To get trailer recommendations and showtimes, go to Cortana > Cortana's Notebook

Add

Get your workout on. Cortana will work with you to understand things that are important to you, including frequently visited places like your gym.

If you frequently visit a location (like a gym), Cortana might ask you if you'd like to label and save that location. If you choose to label and save a location, Cortana will store it in your favorite places.

After you save your gym to your favorite places and then go back to the gym, Cortana will ask you if you'd like her help with maintaining a fitness routine.

Once you accept Cortana's offer, she'll leave workout reminders in your daily glance.

Miss a workout? No problem. Simply reschedule.

Just say, "What's up?" Like fun facts and trivia? Press and hold the Search

Cortana makes air travel easier. Summer is here, and that means sun screen and barbecue are out in full force. It also means people are traveling more. But don't worry, Cortana's here to help you keep your travel plans organized.

When you add favorite places to Cortana, and you add traffic as one of your interests, Cortana can let you know when you should leave to make sure you get there on time. Cortana can also get a sense of where your home or work might be, although she'll be sure to ask you before adding them to your favorites.

Tip

You can also add your favorite places to Maps, and those places will sync between your Maps and Cortana experiences when you're signed in with your Microsoft account. In the App list, go to Maps and tap More

> Favorite places.

To add a favorite place with Cortana

1. Press the Search
   
    button to go to Cortana, then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Places.
2. Tap Add
   
   .
3. Enter a search term, place name, or address, then press Enter 
   
   . If there's more than one option, tap the one you have in mind.
4. If you'd like, add a nickname, like "gym" or "movie theater," for the location, then tap Save
   
   . You can use these nicknames in searches or to set location reminders.

When quiet hours are turned on for your Windows Phone 8.1, Cortana will make sure calls or texts don't disturb you. But there are some people you may want to hear from, even during quiet hours. Adding people to your inner circle tells Cortana which people to let through and who can wait a bit.

If you'd like, you can also give those people nicknames so Cortana always knows who you mean when you say you want to call them (Hi, Mom! Hi, Pop!). You can then set some guidelines for Cortana to follow during quiet hours. To learn all about that, see the Quiet hours and Cortana section for details.

Add people to your inner circle

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana, then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Inner circle.
2. Do one of the following:
   • Tap Add
     
     , then find the contact you want to add.
   • Tap a name from the list of suggested people to add them.
3. If you'd like, you can give the person a nickname (or two or three) when you add them. If you'd prefer not to, you can just leave those boxes blank and tap Save
   
   .

Remove people from your inner circle

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana, then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Inner circle.
2. Tap and hold a name from your inner circle and then tap Remove. Tap Remove again to confirm at the prompt.

Sometimes you just don't want to be disturbed. Unless, of course, it's really, really important or you're waiting to hear from someone. Cortana can manage quiet hours for your Windows Phone 8.1 when you'd prefer to be left alone. When it's on, any phone calls you get will go straight to voicemail and all notifications will be silent (unless you've told Cortana you'd like to hear from the people in your inner circle.) For details on how to allow certain people to reach you anytime see the My inner circle and Cortana section.

When quiet hours is turned on, you'll see a moon at the top of your screen

In Cortana's Notebook, you can turn on quiet hours any time you'd like and it will stay on until you turn it off. See the Cortana's Settings section for details. You can also have Cortana turn it on automatically at specific times (say, from 11:00 P.M. until 6:00 A.M., for example), or turn it on for you whenever you're in a meeting that's marked "busy" on your calendar.

Turn on quiet hours right now

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana and then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Quiet hours.
2. Turn on Right now
   
   to turn on quiet hours immediately. It will stay on until you turn it off or until any automatic rules you've set up kick in.

Have Cortana automatically turn on quiet hours at certain times

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana and then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Quiet hours.
2. Turn on Automatic rules
   
   and then do any of the following:
   • Select the Turn on during these times check box and then specify the time and frequency.
   • Select the Turn on when I have a calendar event marked Busy check box and then choose which of your calendars you want the rule to apply to.

Choose which calls can break through

1. Press the Search
   
    button to go to Cortana and then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Quiet hours.
2. Under Calls, do any of the following:
   • If you want Cortana to make an exception for people calling you repeatedly in a short period of time, select the Anyone breaks through if they call 2 times in 3 minutes check box.
   • If you want your inner circle to be able to call you during quiet hours, select the Inner circle breaks through check box.

Choose which texts can break through

Cortana can filter your incoming text messages during quiet hours. Who breaks through is up to you.

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana and then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Quiet hours.
2. Under Texts, choose one of the following:
   • If you want your inner circle to be able to text you during quiet hours, select Inner circle breaks through.
   • If you want Cortana to give anyone in your inner circle the option to break through, select Ask inner circle: Break through? Those people will receive a reply from Cortana that says, "Hi, [your name] is busy and may not respond right away. But if it's urgent, just text back "Knock knock" and your message will break through. - Windows Phone auto-reply"
   • If you don't want any texts to get through during quiet hours, select No one can break through.

Have Cortana send a text reply that you're busy

Cortana can send a text message to anyone who isn't in your inner circle and texts you during quiet hours.

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana and then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Quiet hours.
2. Under Texts, select the Reply that I'm busy right now to contacts who aren't allowed through check box.

Interests are a way for Cortana to keep you up to date on things that, well, are interesting to you. She can also send you timely notifications so you don't miss a beat on the things you care about most.

You can add or remove interests, turn updates and notifications on and off, and more from Cortana's Notebook.

Cortana's Notebook includes some interests that are turned on for you by default. You can turn them off or remove them at any time. (You can also add your own interests, like sports and finance.) Some of those default interests are:

• Weather near me. Cortana can keep you up to date on the weather where you are now, or you can keep tabs on somewhere far away.
• Headline news. Pick a topic—business, entertainment, health, politics, sports, technology, US, or world—and Cortana will get you the latest on that subject. If you don't want to choose, no worries. Cortana will use default news interests.
• Trip planner. If you're expecting to travel soon, the Trip planner interest can help. Cortana will pay attention to any flight itineraries in your email. Then, five hours before your trip, she'll give you a summary of what's ahead, including your flight status, traffic conditions on the way to the airport, and the weather in your destination city. Depending on your country or region, you can also get rail info.
• Getting around. Cortana will let you know how traffic is looking on your normal routes and give you a heads up if you need extra time to get where you're going.
• Daily glance. Cortana will put together a quick look at your day, with things like weather, traffic, and latest headlines.

How do I find my interests?

There are a few ways you can check out your interests:

• Press Search on your phone. Press the Search
  
  button to go to Cortana and then swipe up to see the latest updates she has ready for you.
• Tap the app. In the App list, tap the Cortana app to see various interests throughout your day. Or, if the app is pinned to Start, just tap the Live Tile.
• Get Live Tile updates and notifications. You'll also see quick headlines or updates on the Cortana Live Tile itself or Live Tile for any interest you pin to Start. (Some interests can't be pinned to Start.) Cortana can also send you notifications about your interests, like sports scores. Just tap the notification to see more info about the interest.

Add interests in Cortana's Notebook

It's simple to add an interest in Cortana's Notebook.

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana, then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Interests.
2. Tap Add
   
   , then tap the category you'd like to explore.
3. Do one of the following:
   • If you see a subject that catches your eye, tap it to add it to your interests.
   • If you don't see a suggestion, type what you're looking for in the Search box. For example, if you want to add an interest for "Cortana," in News, type Cortana, then tap the interest below to add it.

Turn notifications on or off

Some interests also give you the option of letting Cortana notify you if something timely or important happens. She can tell you if your flight is delayed, when your team scores, if there's breaking news, when it's time to leave based on traffic, and more.

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana, then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Interests.
2. Tap an interest.
3. Select the Notify me... check box for any alerts you'd like to receive or clear them for any you want to halt, and then tap Save
   
   .

Pin an interest to Start

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana, then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Interests.
2. Tap an interest. If it can be pinned, you'll see a Pin
   
   icon. Tap it to pin the interest to Start.

Turn off or delete interests in Cortana's Notebook

Turn off interests:

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana, then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Interests.
2. Tap an interest, and then turn it off
   
   .

Delete interests:

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana, then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Interests.
2. Tap an interest and then tap Delete 
   
   .

To-do lists and notes on your Windows Phone 8.1 are helpful, but reminders work best if you get them exactly when you need them. Cortana is great at that. She can remind you of something based on the time of day, the place you're going to or leaving, or the person you're in contact with.

Time

Tell Cortana to remind you at a specific time. Need a reminder at 7:30 A.M. tomorrow? 10:00 P.M. every night? 4:33 A.M. on Tuesdays? It's up to you.

Place

Some reminders are only useful if you're at a particular place. When you get to the hardware store, for example. Or as you're leaving work. You can have Cortana remind you when you arrive or leave somewhere.

Person

Cortana can remind you of something when you call or text someone or when they call or text you.

Add a reminder with your voice

1. Press and hold the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana.
2. Say Remind me to [what you want to be reminded to do]. Cortana will ask you for the details she needs to create the reminder.
3. Once she creates the reminder, make sure it looks the way you want. If you need to make changes, tap the part of the reminder you want to edit. When you're done, tap Remind, or tap the microphone
   
   icon and say "Yes."

Add a reminder in Cortana's Notebook

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana and then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Remind me.
2. Tap Add
   
    and then follow the instructions to create your reminder.

Edit a reminder

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana and then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Remind me.
2. Tap the reminder you want to edit and then make any changes you'd like.

Delete or complete a reminder

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana and then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Remind me.
2. Tap and hold a reminder and then do one of the following:
   • Tap Delete to remove it entirely.
   • Tap Complete to move the reminder to your reminder history.

Reuse a reminder that's already been completed

You can reuse or edit a reminder you've already completed as long as you completed it less than six months ago.

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana and then tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   > Remind me.
2. Tap More
   
   > Reminder history.
3. Tap the reminder you want to use again and then follow the instructions.

Cortana can help you figure out what song is playing, whether you're in your car or at the bar, and then help you get that song in Xbox Music. She also keeps track of the songs you've asked her to find for you so you can revisit the list later and decide if you really do want to add some Vivaldi or Herman's Hermits to your collection.

1. Press the Search
   
   button to go to Cortana and then tap the Music search 
   
   icon.
2. Cortana will begin listening. If she can identify the song, it will appear on the screen with the album cover, song title, album, and artist. You can tap it to see it in Xbox Music.

Cortana also saves the search for you in case you want to come back to it later. You can see the songs in Cortana's Notebook

Did you know Cortana can help you play your local or streaming music on your Windows Phone 8.1? It really is as simple as saying, "Play."

Things you can say to Cortana to play your music

Here are some things you can say to Cortana to help you play your tunes in Xbox Music. Press the Search

• Play [artist name, album title, or song title].
• Play [genre]. Genres include rock, pop, jazz, and many more.
• Play [playlist name]. Playlists can be ones you've created or imported.
• Shuffle. Randomly plays songs from your Xbox Music collection.

These also work on Xbox Music and other music apps:

• Pause. Pauses playback.
• Play. Resumes playback.
• Skip forward. Goes to the next track.
• Skip back. Goes to the previous track.

Take Cortana on the road with you so your personal assistant is always there to help. Just pair your Windows phone with the Bluetooth hands-free system in your car to get things set up, and then ask Cortana whatever you want.

1. Pair your phone with a hands-free system in your car. (For safety, don't do this while you're driving.)
2. In the Allow contacts to be downloaded? message box that appears on your phone, tap Allow to download contacts to your car's hands-free system.
   
   After your car downloads your contact list, it includes a special number for a contact named Cortana if your phone is running Windows Phone 8.1 Update. (Check to see which version you have and find out if an update is available.) This contact won't show on your phone.
3. Depending on the hands-free system and your car, do one of the following:
   • Press the voice command button on the steering wheel, and then say "Cortana" when prompted.
   • On the screen for your hands-free system, tap the contact named Cortana in your contact list to start Cortana on your phone.
     
     The car dials the number that starts Cortana.
4. Ask Cortana whatever you like.

If you're having problems with Cortana on your Windows Phone 8.1—or you're unsure about some of the finer details—here's some info that might help you out.

How do I turn Cortana on or off?

To turn Cortana on, on Start  or in the App list, tap Cortana to get started.

To turn Cortana off:

1. On Start or in the App list, tap Cortana.
2. Tap Cortana's Notebook
   
   , and then tap Settings.
3. Turn Cortana Off
   
   .   

Do I need an Internet connection to use Cortana?

Yes. For Cortana to be the most helpful, be sure to connect your Windows Phone to a Wi-Fi or cellular data network that has a strong Internet signal.

Do I need a Microsoft account to use Cortana?

Yes. To use Cortana, you'll need to sign in with your Microsoft account.

How can I use Bing Vision without turning Cortana off?

In the App list, go to Camera > Lens

What if Cortana isn't available where I live?

Is Cortana hearing me okay?

If you suspect that Cortana isn't hearing you when you speak to her, there could be dust or debris blocking the microphone on your phone. Try using a can of compressed air to clean the microphone port and then try again. If you need help with finding the microphone on your phone, go to your phone manufacturer's website for more info.

Why is my daily glance showing the wrong calendar info?

If you've got multiple accounts on your Windows Phone 8.1, it's possible you may see incorrect calendar info when you go to daily glance in Cortana. We're aware of the problem and are working on a fix-please check back for an update. You can also turn off calendar info from the daily glance anytime. Press the Search

Why didn't I get a reminder when I was supposed to?

If you're wondering why you didn't get a reminder in a timely fashion from Cortana, there are some things you can try on your Windows Phone 8.1 to fix this problem.

First, look in Cortana's Notebook

If you're encountering reminder problems, we encourage you to go to Cortana's Notebook first. Reminders you create with Cortana's help are stored in the Remind me section of the notebook, and errors that require your attention will also appear there. Press the Search

Turn on your reminders calendar

If you're not getting time-based reminders you've created with Cortana's help, it's possible that your reminders calendar is turned off. To turn on your reminders calendar:

1. In the App list, tap Calendar.
2. Tap More
   
   > Settings.
3. Under Remind me, select the Reminders check box.

Check your contacts and accounts

If you're not getting person-based reminders, it's possible that you may have deleted a contact or an account that has that contact.

Check your network connection and turn on location services

If you're expecting a location-based reminder and you haven't gotten it, be sure your phone is connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular data network with a strong Internet signal. Also, make sure that location services are turned on. In the App list, tap Settings