Microsoft Shutting Down Cortana App for iOS and Android - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Microsoft Shutting Down Cortana App for iOS and Android

by

Microsoft today announced plans to "shift toward a transformational AI-powered assistant experience" in its Microsoft 365 apps, which will involve refocusing its "areas of innovation and development."

cortana ios twitter
As a result, Microsoft is ending all support for third-party Cortana skills and eliminating the Cortana apps for iOS and Android devices. Third-party Cortana skills will be deprecated on September 7, while the iOS and Android apps will stop being supported in early 2021.

Microsoft says that the Cortana Windows 10 experience, Cortana integration in Outlook mobile, and upcoming Cortana voice assistance in the Teams mobile app can be used to do things like manage calendar and email and join meetings.

Microsoft also plans to end support for the Cortana integration in the Harman Kardon Invoke speaker in January 2021. Speaker owners who used Cortana are eligible for a $50 Microsoft gift card as compensation.

Top Rated Comments

82 months ago
a digital assistant that you had to launch the app manually in order to use turns out to be not very useful? who would have seen that coming?
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
eoblaed Avatar
82 months ago
Translation: No one was using this thing.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Black Magic Avatar
82 months ago
This is why I don't jump on Microsoft or Google consumer products. They more than likely will be abandoned. I posted this many years back in this forum and MS fanboys got heated.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ck2875 Avatar
82 months ago


Microsoft today announced ('https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4575625/upcoming-changes-to-cortana') plans to "shift toward a transformational AI-powered assistant experience" in its Microsoft 365 apps,

That would be quite a shift.
Clippy enters the conversation.

"Hi, it looks like you're trying to shift toward a transformational AI-powered assistant experience."

"Would you like help?"



Attachment Image
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
82 months ago
I was always kind of jealous that the Microsoft AI assistant was Cortona. I wanted to feel like Master Chief telling it to remind me to get my library books.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rychiar Avatar
82 months ago
who knew it existed?🤷‍♂️ and what was it even for?. AI assistants that aren't system wide are kinda useless...


Google assistant on iOS seems to be doing fine and has to be launched manually.
does anyone use that?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

microsoft

Major Microsoft 365 Outage Continues

Friday November 13, 2026 3:55 am PST by
The worldwide Microsoft 365 outage continues, leaving users unable to access email and disrupting features in Teams, Copilot, and other services, although Microsoft says recovery efforts are making progress. Issues emerged on Thursday, November 12, with nearly 130,000 Outlook reports recorded on Downdetector shortly after 1 p.m. Eastern, according to the Associated Press. The disruption...
Apple iPhone Duo optimized apps Zoom Feature

Zoom and These Microsoft Apps Now Optimized for iPhone Duo

Monday November 2, 2026 6:14 am PST by
Over the weekend, the video calling app Zoom was updated with iPhone Duo optimization. On the device's large inner display, users can now see shared content such as the host's desktop and other participants on a call at the same time. In addition, four Microsoft apps were updated with iPhone Duo optimization today: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote. Microsoft Outlook was already optimized ...
Black Apple Event Logo

Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry

Friday October 30, 2026 7:58 am PDT by
Apple faces Russian data retention and disclosure requirements after being added to the country's state surveillance registry, Bloomberg reports. Russia's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, listed Apple and Microsoft on October 2 as "organizers of information dissemination," a classification that carries obligations to preserve communications and make data available to Russian security...
Latest Stories
Apple Black Friday Starts Early: Save on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Apple Black Friday Starts Early: Save on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
5 hours ago
Top Stories: Apple's New Software Approach, iPhone Duo-Optimized Apps, and More
Top Stories: Apple's New Software Approach, iPhone Duo-Optimized Apps, and More
7 hours ago
HomeView Tidbits: Mirror, Sleep Timer, and Other Details
HomeView Tidbits: Mirror, Sleep Timer, and Other Details
23 hours ago
Siri AI Still Not Enabled on HomePod Mini 2 With Latest Software Update
Siri AI Still Not Enabled on HomePod Mini 2 With Latest Software Update
1 day ago
Apple Releases tvOS 27.2.1 With Siri AI for Older Apple TVs
Apple Releases tvOS 27.2.1 With Siri AI for Older Apple TVs
1 day ago
Microsoft 365 Outage Resolving After Nearly 24 Hours
Microsoft 365 Outage Resolving After Nearly 24 Hours
1 day ago
iPhone Duo Survives 450,000 Folds, but Hinge is Weakening
iPhone Duo Survives 450,000 Folds, but Hinge is Weakening
1 day ago
Apple TV 4K Launch Day Deal Arrives at Amazon
Apple TV 4K Launch Day Deal Arrives at Amazon
1 day ago
The MacRumors Show: HomeView and Apple TV 4K First Impressions
The MacRumors Show: HomeView and Apple TV 4K First Impressions
1 day ago
YouTube App Not Working on Your New Apple TV? Here's the Fix
YouTube App Not Working on Your New Apple TV? Here's the Fix
1 day ago
Apple Meets Thai Officials Over iPhone Spyware Warnings
Apple Meets Thai Officials Over iPhone Spyware Warnings
1 day ago
Apple Shares HomeView 27.2 Release Notes With List of Features
Apple Shares HomeView 27.2 Release Notes With List of Features
1 day ago
HomeView in Québec: Apple Says Canadian French Support to Arrive in Software Update
HomeView in Québec: Apple Says Canadian French Support to Arrive in Software Update
1 day ago
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Gets Big $250 Discounts Ahead of Black Friday
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Gets Big $250 Discounts Ahead of Black Friday
1 day ago
Apple Says HomeView Sets New Record in Design-Focused Interview
Apple Says HomeView Sets New Record in Design-Focused Interview
1 day ago
Best Apple Deals of the Week: AirTag 2 Hits Record Low Price, Plus Early Black Friday Sales
Best Apple Deals of the Week: AirTag 2 Hits Record Low Price, Plus Early Black Friday Sales
1 day ago
iPhone 18 and 18e Coming in Spring 2027 With A20 Chip
iPhone 18 and 18e Coming in Spring 2027 With A20 Chip
1 day ago
King Charles to Join Elton John's Apple Music Radio Show
King Charles to Join Elton John's Apple Music Radio Show
1 day ago
Select 'Apple Home Collection' Accessories Now Available to Order
Select 'Apple Home Collection' Accessories Now Available to Order
1 day ago
Major Microsoft 365 Outage Continues
Major Microsoft 365 Outage Continues
1 day ago
Apple Launches Two Products Today
Apple Launches Two Products Today
1 day ago
Hands-On With the New Apple TV 4K and Siri AI
Hands-On With the New Apple TV 4K and Siri AI
2 days ago
Siri AI Coming to Older Apple TV 4K Models in tvOS 27.2.1
Siri AI Coming to Older Apple TV 4K Models in tvOS 27.2.1
2 days ago
HomeView Launch Kicks Off as First Orders Reach Customers
HomeView Launch Kicks Off as First Orders Reach Customers
2 days ago
Apple Continues to Move Up iPhone Duo Delivery Dates
Apple Continues to Move Up iPhone Duo Delivery Dates
2 days ago
Apple Explains How HomeView Keeps Camera Data Private
Apple Explains How HomeView Keeps Camera Data Private
2 days ago
Apple Releases Updated HomeView Software 27.2 Before Launch
Apple Releases Updated HomeView Software 27.2 Before Launch
2 days ago
Apple Adds Samsung Foldables to Trade-In Program
Apple Adds Samsung Foldables to Trade-In Program
2 days ago
Apple Sports App Now Features UFC
Apple Sports App Now Features UFC
2 days ago
Trump Says Tim Cook Should Be Nvidia CEO as Jensen Huang Resigns
Trump Says Tim Cook Should Be Nvidia CEO as Jensen Huang Resigns
2 days ago