If you’re an Android user who has been curious about Microsoft’s virtual assistant, Cortana, you’re in luck. While Cortana is not available for download in the Google Play Store, it is compatible with all Android devices and can be easily downloaded from a third-party source. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the steps to get Cortana up and running on your Android phone or tablet.
Enabling Third-Party Installation
Before you can download Cortana onto your Android device, you’ll need to enable installation from a third-party source. To do this, head to your device’s settings, then to security, and scroll down until you see the “enable unknown sources” option. Tap on this option and agree to Google’s disclaimer.
Downloading Cortana
Now that your device is ready for installation from a third-party source, you can download Cortana. Open Chrome and paste in the link to the Cortana download file provided in the description below. Your phone will open up a page in Google Drive, where you should select the download option and then tap “open in chrome.” The Cortana installer will only take a few seconds to download.
Installing Cortana
Once the Cortana installer is downloaded, tap on it in the notifications panel and select “package installer” for the app that you want to open it with. Your phone should then open the first installation page for Cortana, where you can read through the app’s features and permissions. If you’re okay with everything, scroll to the bottom and hit “install now.” Once your phone says the Cortana application has finished installing, you’re ready to open the app and begin setting it up for you.
Setting Up Cortana
When you first open Cortana, the virtual assistant will introduce herself. You can then read through a few things you can ask Cortana in the future. Hit “next” and select a name you’d like Cortana to call you in the future. The last step is to sign into a Microsoft account. If you’ve used a Windows computer or downloaded something from the Windows Store or Windows Phone store, you already have an account. Simply enter your email and password to sign in.
Using Cortana
Now that Cortana is up and running on your phone, you can start asking it questions. You can ask for the time, weather, surf conditions, calendar appointments, and more. While you will need to manually start the Cortana app each time you want to use it, integration with your Android device is pretty good for a third-party virtual assistant.
Cortana vs. Google Now
If you’re curious about how Cortana compares to Google Now, let us know in the comments below. If you found this tutorial helpful, give it a thumbs up!