Ten Ways to Launch Cortana in Your Windows 10 PC

With Windows 10, Microsoft did something which Apple couldn’t do in years, that is, bringing their Personal Assistant Cortana to PCs. Cortana on your PC can do a plethora of things like searching your files, managing calendar appointments, track packages, chat with you, tell jokes, and sing songs (which Siri can’t do yet). More about it here. In this post, we are looking at ten easy ways to launch Cortana in Windows 10 PC.

To use Cortana, you just need to click on the Cortana icon in the taskbar and type what you’re looking for. For example, if you’re searching for a file named ‘Football’, then you just have to tap/click the search box, type the word in it, and she will search it for you. You can also click the microphone icon, and speak.

Ten Ways of Invoking Cortana in Your Windows 10 PC

Now, if you are a power user, I am sure you would want even faster ways to invoke Cortana to execute the command. Below are a few ways you can instantly use Cortana:

1. If you’re using Cortana as a search box on the taskbar, you can just type in it or click the microphone icon and speak.
2. If you’re using Cortana as an Icon on the taskbar, then click the Cortana icon, and type into the textbox or speak.
3. Click/tap start or press the start button on the keyboard and begin typing. It will open and place whatever you type into Cortana’s search box.
4. Click on Start and tap on Cortana tile and she will pop up with your favorite news, current weather forecast, etc.
5. You can drag the Cortana tile to your desktop and launch her from your desktop directly.
6. Set up “Hey, Cortana!”, and invoke her vocally with “Hey, Cortana!” followed by your query like, “Hey, Cortana! Sing me a song or do an impression or play a movie game”.
7. Do a 3 finger tap on your touchpad and she will be there to help.
8. Win + Q on your keyboard will also launch Cortana.
9. Pressing Windows Key + S will invoke Cortana ready for typed input.
10. Windows Key + C will invoke Cortana in listening mode.

Lastly, Cortana also works under lock screen. Make sure to turn it on, and allow it to access the microphone

Sound off in the comments if you know any other way of invoking Cortana in your Windows 10 PC.