Set up and test Cortana in Windows 10, versions 1909 and earlier, with Microsoft 365 in your organization

  • 2 minutes to read

What can you do with in Windows 10, versions 1909 and earlier?

Your employees can use Cortana to help manage their day and be more productive by getting quick answers to common questions, setting reminders, adding tasks to their To-Do lists, and find out where their next meeting is.

See also:

Known issues for Windows Desktop Search and Cortana in Windows 10.

Before you begin

There are a few things to be aware of before you start using Cortana in Windows 10, versions 1909 and earlier.

  • Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) account. Before your employees can use Cortana in your org, they must be logged in using their Azure AD account through Cortana's notebook. They must also authorize Cortana to access Microsoft 365 on their behalf.

  • Office 365 Trust Center. Cortana in Windows 10, version 1909 and earlier, isn't a service governed by the Online Services Terms. Learn more about how Cortana in Windows 10, versions 1909 and earlier, treats your data.

  • Windows Information Protection (WIP). If you want to secure the calendar, email, and contact info provided to Cortana on a device, you can use WIP. For more info about WIP, see Protect your enterprise data using Windows Information Protection (WIP). If you decide to use WIP, you must also have a management solution. This can be Microsoft Intune, Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (version 1606 or later), or your current company-wide 3rd party mobile device management (MDM) solution.

  • Troubleshooting tips. If you run into issues, check out these troubleshooting tips.

Turn on Cortana enterprise services on employees' devices

Your employees must connect Cortana to their Microsoft 365 account to be able to use skills like email and calendar.

Turn on Cortana enterprise services

  1. Select the Cortana search box in the taskbar, and then select the Notebook icon.

  2. Select Manage Skills , select Manage accounts , and under Microsoft 365 select Link. The employee will be directed to sign into their Microsoft 365 account.

  3. The employee can also disconnect by selecting Microsoft 365, then Unlink.

Turn off Cortana enterprise services

Cortana in Windows 10, versions 1909 and earlier can only access data in your Microsoft 365 organization when it's turned on. If you don't want Cortana to access your corporate data, you can turn it off in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

  1. Sign into the Microsoft 365 admin center using your admin account.

  2. Select the app launcher icon in the upper-left and choose Admin.

  3. Expand Settings and select Org Settings.

  4. Select Cortana to toggle Cortana's access to Microsoft 365 data off.