Editorials
Cortana Problems in Windows 10 & How to Fix Them
If you have a Windows 10 PC, you need to know how to fix Cortana problems when they occur. Use this breakdown to learn how.
Fixing Cortana problems in Windows 10 is important because Windows 10’s best features rely on her. You can’t start a task on your laptop and finish it on your desktop unless Cortana is working. It’s Cortana that lets you send and receive text messages when paired with an Android phone. Cortana also does things that other personal assistants do, like control music playback and change settings. If you have TuneIn installed, she can play your favorite radio stations.
Here’s how to fix Cortana Problems in Windows 10 and get Microsoft’s alternative to Alexa and Siri working again.
Read: 52 Windows 10 Tips & Tricks You Need to Master Your PC
How to Fix Cortana Can’t Hear Me Problems in Windows 10
Cortana lets users type messages to her but voice commands are always more convenient. Unfortunately, Cortana can’t hear me problems can ruin the experience.
Cortana can only accept voice commands that she can hear, so start by making sure that your microphone is working correctly. Look at your PC’s specs to make sure that it has microphones. Laptops, Windows 2-in-1s and tablets have microphones built-in. You will need to buy a microphone if you are trying to use Cortana on a desktop PC that isn’t an all-in-one. Desktops that aren’t all-in-ones rarely have microphones inside them.
Read: All the Amazing Things You Can Do with Microsoft Cortana
Recent versions of Windows 10 force you to configure your microphone for the best performance. If you have a microphone built-into or connected to your PC and Cortana can’t hear you, try using the microphone setup tool. Type Cortana into the search box at the bottom of your screen and tap Enter on your keyboard.
Now tap on Check the microphone at the top of the Settings app.
How to Fix Hey Cortana Problems
Like Amazon’s Alexa personal assistant, Cortana can respond to your voice commands without you pushing a single button. To do this, you need to turn on the Hey Cortana command. Windows 10 doesn’t turn this on when you set up Cortana, which is why you may have Hey Cortana problems.
Read: How to Use Hey Cortana with Windows 10
To turn the feature on, type Cortana into the search box at the bottom of your screen. Press enter on your keyboard.
Flip the Hey Cortana switch On. A checkbox underneath the button lets you force your PC to stay on and ready for voice commands unless you deliberately turn it off. This is good for offices and kitchens where you will want access to the personal assistant at any time. After all, a voice assistant is only useful if you don’t have to turn on your PC to use her first.
How to Fix Broken Cortana Command Problems in Windows 10
To make the most of Cortana, you need the right commands. She can do a lot, but only if you know exactly what to tell her.
Read: 10 Cortana Tips for Windows 10 & Xbox Users
There’s a complete list of Cortana Commands inside Windows 10. To see this list, click on the search box at the bottom of your screen.
Scroll down to the bottom of the list until you see the Tips area. Finally, click on the More tips link at the bottom of the window for a complete breakdown of Cortana commands.
This list includes audio playback, managing your calendar, adjusting your PC’s settings and integration with apps that you have downloaded from the Windows Store.
How to Fix Cortana Won’t Open Problems
In the latest versions of Windows 10, Cortana will sometime refuse to open. That’s despite your microphone working correctly.
Before you do anything else, try restarting your PC. To restart, open the Start Screen by clicking on the Start button in the bottom-left corner of your screen. Next, click right-click on the Power button and select Restart from the pop-up menu.
So far, there’s no easy way to fix issues like this if a restart doesn’t help. That’s because these problems are usually caused by an underlying issue with Windows. If you have all your files and programs backed up to a hard drive or a cloud storage service, consider resetting Windows 10. A complete reset of Windows 10 will fix any problems caused by recent updates and get your PC back to working the same as it did the day you brought it home.
Read: How to Reset Your Windows 10 PC
Seagate 2TB Barracuda Internal Hard Drive - $59.99 | ||||||||
 | ||||||||
The Seagate 2TB Barracuda Internal Hard Drive is what you buy when you’ve almost filled the hard drive in your desktop PC. It comes with 2 terabytes of storage and communicates to the rest of your PC using a SATA connection. Because it’s a traditional drive and not a solid state drive, it makes a little noise as it searches for your files. The platter inside the drive spins slower than other drives, so it’s not the fastest storage solution there is, but it is faster than the 5400 RPM hard drives that most low-cost desktop PCs have inside them. You can either put this drive inside your Windows 10 PC and have it act as a second pool of storage or remove the original drive and replace it with this one. In both cases, it’s a good idea to have a service like Geek Squad or Staples Easy Tech handle it if you’ve never added a drive before. Buy the Seagate 2TB Barracuda Internal Hard Drive from Amazon for $59.99 | ||||||||
| ||||||||
