Microsoft gave another edge to Windows 10 with new features and enhancements, dubbed the Windows 10 Creators Update. With major upgradations to Cortana and Windows Ink, new 3D apps, VR capabilities, an e-book reader, new gaming features and better security settings, Version 1703 is geared towards making Windows 10 flashier and more usable.
Cortana new features in Windows 10 v1703
Major interesting updates have been announced to Cortana too. Cortana is Microsoft’s digital assistant that helps you accomplish a variety of personal tasks at home or work. Here are the major new features added to Cortana with the Creators Update:
Cortana can now get to use your full screen
With the objective of enabling long-distance hearing and reading, Cortana can now be used full-screen on your desktop. If your PC is unlocked or idle for 10 seconds, you will get a full-screen experience of Cortana by using “Hey Cortana”, instead of getting Cortana in listening mode, the way it used to happen earlier.
The out-of-the-box experience becomes a lot easier
The out-of-the-box experience adds Cortana to assist the users while configuring their systems for the first time and complete the setup on their own. In the new version of the out-of-the-box experience, Cortana will explain each step in the set-up process to you and ask you ‘Yes/No’ questions. From there, Cortana will select the option stated by you. In the case of any doubts, you can simply ask Cortana about them.
Small changes, enhanced smartness
Cortana now becomes smarter and more helpful than ever with a slew of improvements relating to your music and reminders. You can now control your device’s volume by giving out instructions to Cortana. If you want to turn up the volume, simply use the voice command and say “Hey Cortana, turn up the volume” and the job gets done! Now that Cortana will be able to remember the last music app you played, there will no longer be any need for you to repeat the name of the app on every occasion. The new update adds, even more, apps on which you can control music playback through Cortana. Furthermore, using Cortana with Groove will now allow you to play songs according to your mood, activity or category!
Even the reminders feature of Cortana has been tweaked to allow the user to create recurring reminders for every month or every year. This could only be done so far for the days of the week.
“Pick up where I left off”
It is similar to Apple’s Mac OS ‘Handoff’. This feature however is currently only available in the US. It enables the users to resume certain tasks they were performing on a particular device by switching to another one. However, this happens only if you are using the same Microsoft Account on both the devices. Although the feature should come enabled by default, in case that is not so, you can enable the feature by going to Cortana > Notebook > Pick up where I left off, and turn on the ‘Help me pick up where I left off’ toggle switch. The Action Center of your new device will display “Resume from your other devices” notifications together with the links to pick up from where you left off.
A few other changes include a new keyboard shortcut (Windows key + C) that allows you to open Cortana in listening mode. Further, Cortana now allows you to sign-in with Azure Active Directory identity.