Re: Make Cortana Perform Custom Tasks On Windows 10
Tommye Hope
Although the assistant can be handy, it's still limited to the tasks it can perform. For example, you can use voice commands to execute various power options, but there isn't a command to put your PC into hibernation or sleep mode. Further, while you can use commands to open a specific section in the Settings app, Cortana can't change a particular setting on its own.
Warning: This is a friendly reminder that editing the Registry is risky, and it can cause irreversible damage to your installation if you don't do it correctly. It's recommended to make a full backup of your PC before proceeding.
In order to prevent conflicts with Cortana's built-in commands try to avoid well-known words, such as PC, computer, switch, etc., when naming your shortcut. If you're not sure, just create your custom command, and try to ask Cortana to run it using the "Hey Cortana, Open SHORTCUT-NAME" command. If the assistant is having trouble, simply change the name of the shortcut to something else, and try again.
Also, it might take a few moments until Cortana can detect the new shortcuts in the Programs folder. The easiest way to find out is to open the Start menu, and check if your shortcuts appear in the "Recently added" list.
Mauro Huculak is technical writer for WindowsCentral.com. His primary focus is to write comprehensive how-tos to help users get the most out of Windows 10 and its many related technologies. He has an IT background with professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA, and he's a recognized member of the Microsoft MVP community."}), " -0-7/js/authorBio.js"); } else console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); Mauro HuculakSocial Links NavigationMauro Huculak is technical writer for WindowsCentral.com. His primary focus is to write comprehensive how-tos to help users get the most out of Windows 10 and its many related technologies. He has an IT background with professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA, and he's a recognized member of the Microsoft MVP community.
First you should know that I want to use tasks primarily to make my emails into tasks and the app I am talking about is the one who's icon is a checkmark on a clipboard and not the one with the big blue check. Unfortunately, I tried to use this app last year and the default folder is filled with tasks. I am not sure how they were added but they all have a flag. Anyway, my questions are as follows.
Removing All Email Tasks: To remove tasks, refer to bullet #4. When you drag an email to the ToDo task, it creates a copy of the email. It's recommended to file the original email in an Outlook folder to avoid confusion. If you need to respond to the person after completing the task, you can open the email from the ToDo task.
Assigning a Task to a Custom List: First, create a custom list. Then, click on the MyDay icon from the top menu and select ToDo. In the bottom panel, select "Manage all tasks". In the left pane of the ToDo App, choose "New List". Now you can drag your email to MyDay, right click, and select "Move Task" to your custom list. You may need to refresh your screen for the list to appear.
Duplicate Tasks Lists: If you are creating tasks in the desktop version, it's recommended to keep MyTask/To-Do list active as it is the future task management process. Users have the option to begin using New Outlook, which has adopted Outlook for the web version functionality.
If you want to delete a custom list, do so with caution as it will permanently delete the list and all its active and completed tasks. However, if you created a project task list and want to delete the details after 3 to 6 months, it's safe to do so.
You can also add tasks to the Calendar by dragging them as a calendar event if you want to focus on completing a task on a particular date for a specific time period. Click on the MyDay icon, drag the email to "Add as an Event".
I hope these suggestions help you get started with managing your tasks in Outlook 365. It's great to see users who are interested in maximizing the features to minimize their work efforts. Kudos to you for completing your due diligence!
Keep me up to date on the task template and dropdown fields. It is available in the classic desktop version, but I don't think it is available in New Outlook and Web versions. I am afraid you may spend time creating them, and MS does not support this feature.
Clearing Bulk Flagged Items: When you clicked on Clear Flag/Delete Task, the flags and emails were removed from the filtered list (followflag:followup flag). Refresh your screen to remove the Filter search request. The emails will reappear in the original location - in my case - the Inbox. Since you cleared 700 items, give the emails time to show.
Cortana is Microsoft's digital assistant. First launched in 2014, Cortana was originally developed for the Windows Phone 8.1 and is included in other Windows devices and operating systems (OSes), including Windows 10 and 11.
The text- and voice-enabled virtual assistant uses the Microsoft Bing web search engine to perform tasks such as answering questions. Cortana is integrated across the Microsoft 365 product suite for use with Windows OSes version 2004 and later and the Microsoft Edge browser.
Cortana was a major addition to Windows 10 when the OS released but has since fallen in relevance. Microsoft later began reducing Cortana's prevalence in Windows systems, with Cortana no longer being used in the device setup process and no longer being enabled by default in Windows 11. In March 2021, the Cortana mobile app was shut down entirely. Over time, Microsoft has added and removed features.
The name Cortana comes from Microsoft's flagship game series Halo. The series, originally developed by Bungie and then 343 Industries, features an artificial intelligence (AI) character of the same name from the 26th century. Cortana's voice actress, Jen Taylor, also voices the Cortana voice assistant for Windows in the U.S.
Like Apple's digital assistant, Siri, Cortana responds to natural language and can perform a variety of organizational tasks for users, including setting reminders, scheduling calendar events, calculating math problems, and converting measurements and currency.
To activate Cortana, a user can say "Hey, Cortana" if voice settings are enabled, press the Windows key plus C or click the Cortana button next to the search bar on Windows 10. In Windows, the Cortana window then appears and the user can type in their question or request.
If users do not want to use Cortana, they can turn the program off. To turn Cortana off in Windows 10, open Settings, then select Privacy and Microphone. Then de-select Cortana's access to the device's microphone. App permissions can also be turned off in the settings.
Because Cortana's memory is non-volatile, user preferences the program gathers are available if and when the user decides to turn Cortana back on. To reenable Cortana, go through the same steps and just toggle the Runs at log-in option.
Cortana's competitors include Google Assistant, Siri and Alexa. Google Assistant is Google's voice assistant AI for Android devices. Siri is Apple's personal assistant for iOS, macOS and watchOS devices that uses voice recognition and is powered by AI. Alexa enables an Amazon Echo device to listen for user commands to perform a multitude of tasks, including playing music, answering questions, creating and editing to-do lists and setting a timer or alarm.
Alexa commands can also be customized. Customized voice commands, or skills, can be more versatile, opening new ways for users to interact with Alexa. For example, users could set a skill to order a product from a specific retailer, turn Echo smart speakers into security devices, make donations as well as support other languages for different users in one household.
Cortana was originally a direct competitor to other voice assistants, but Microsoft has slowly been dropping support for the Halo-inspired voice assistant. In 2019, Microsoft's CEO stated that the company no longer sees Cortana as a direct competitor to Alexa or Siri. After this, the company began changing Cortana from an assistant for different software integrations, as it slowly lost more features. In January 2020, the Cortana mobile app was removed from markets in areas such as the U.K., Canada, Australia, Mexico and Germany. In July of the same year, Cortana was removed from the Xbox Dashboard. In early 2021, the app was removed from iOS and Android app stores. Over time, Cortana lost functions such as being able to play music or control other devices.
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