Microsoft's Cortana Assistant Gets New Features on Android, Windows

Advertisement
By Gadgets 360 Staff | Updated: 7 December 2015 19:14 IST

Microsoft's voice-based virtual assistant Cortana has got an update that lets it greet users, play games, and more on 'Special Days'. Some users are also noticing a new feature that lets them open certain websites simply by saying the site's name to Cortana.

An update to the Cortana app for Windows 10 Mobile and Android users has brought a 'Special Days' toggle in the settings menu, reports WindowsCentral. The 'Special Day' listing can be found in the Cortana's Notebook. Opening it shows the description "Cortana can offer greetings, games, or other activities on certain holidays and special dates." It is not yet clear as to when iOS beta users would get the feature.

WMpoweruser on the other hand has spotted another new Cortana feature only accessible by select Windows 10 Mobile users for now. The feature enables users to simply say the name of the website to Cortana and the voice-based virtual assistant would open the site right away. Users don't even need to add suffixes such as .com or .net. However, this feature is currently limited to Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Pizza Hut, and Wikipedia. Previously the voice-based virtual assistant could only open a website on voice commands if the site was pinned on the handset's start screen.

Advertisement

This new-found feature of Cortana seems to be deeply integrated with the company's Edge browser. As a result, it might take a while for it to reach Cortana for Android or the upcoming Cortana for iOS app, which is currently under beta testing.

 

Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Arc Raiders Will Get Multiple New Maps This Year, Says Embark
  2. iQOO 15 Ultra Teaser Hints at Launch Date, Active Cooling Support
  3. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Colourways Spotted in Leaked SIM Tray Images
  4. Here's How Much the Realme P4 Power Could Cost in India
  5. Oakley Meta HSTN Smart Glasses Review
  6. Viruses and Bacteria Evolve Differently in Space, ISS Study Finds
  7. Sarvam Maya OTT Release: Know Everything About This Malayalam Fantasy Drama Film
  8. Amazon Great Republic Day Sale: Best Deals on Printers Under Rs. 10,000
  9. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 May Sport a Smaller Crease Using This Technology
  1. Global RAM Shortage Is Reportedly Causing GPU, Storage Drive Prices to Skyrocket
  2. Viruses and Bacteria Evolve Differently in Space, ISS Study Finds
  3. Rockstar Games Said to Have Granted a Terminally Ill Fan's Wish to Play GTA 6
  4. Oppo K15 Turbo Series Tipped to Feature Built-in Cooling Fans; Oppo K15 Pro Model Said to Get MediaTek Chipset
  5. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Said to Feature Dual Ultra-Thin Glass OLED Panel to Reduce Crease Visibility
  6. Honor Magic 8 Pro Air Launched Alongside Honor Magic 8 RSR Porsche Design: Price, Specifications
  7. Realme Neo 8 Key Specifications Including 8,000mAh Battery, Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor Confirmed
  8. Astronomers Find Massive Iron-Rich Feature Lurking Under the Ring Nebula
  9. Asus Reportedly Halts Smartphone Launches ‘Temporarily’ to Focus on AI Robots, Smart Glasses
  10. JioHotstar Announces Monthly Subscription Plans Across Mobile, Super, and Premium Tiers
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.