Microsoft is breathing new life into its digital assistant Cortana in a new version of Windows 10 that's now available to download via the Windows Insiders Dev Channel. Since its release in Windows 10 in 2015, Cortana has enabled users to search the web, track flights, set reminders, and more. While Microsoft's digital assistant previously resided on the taskbar, it became a separate app with the release of the company's Windows 10 May 2020 Update. Back then, users also had the option to prevent Cortana from running at startup or turn it off entirely. However, with the release of Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 20270, Windows 10 users may want to consider giving it another go, as Microsoft has added a file ability to Cortana that allows you to quickly find and open files in Windows XNUMX. Using your digital assistant.
File competition in Cortana
Windows Insiders who upgraded to the latest version of Windows 10 can now use Cortana to translate their thoughts into direct actions to find and open files, saving time navigating the operating system. Business users who are signed in to Cortana with their corporate credentials (Azure Active Directory) can search files saved on OneDrive for Business and SharePoint, as well as files saved locally on their PCs. Microsoft account users, on the other hand, will only be able to find files saved locally on their PC. In a blog post announcing the new Windows 10 Insider Preview, Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc explained that users have several options for using Cortana to open or find files. They can say parts of file names like "Hello Cortana, open Marketing Platform" or use author names "Hello Cortana, open Anthony's Excel Budget" to open files. Additionally, users can find a document they have edited by asking Cortana to find their recent files or a document of a particular file type. Finding hidden documents or files on your hard drive can be a bit tedious and time-consuming, so it's good to see Microsoft provide a hands-free way for Cortana to do this job for you. However, for now, the Cortana File Skill is only available to English-speaking Windows Insiders in the US, but this feature will likely be included in a future Windows update.