--- title: Microsoft Cortana Will Be Removed From The App Store description: Microsoft Cortana Will Be Removed From The App Store --- [Securafy Knowledge Hub](https://blog.securafy.com) - [Topics](https://blog.securafy.com/#sf-cover) - [Tools](https://blog.securafy.com/#sf-tools) - [Books & Guides](https://blog.securafy.com/#sf-books) [Talk to Securafy](https://meetings.hubspot.com/securafy/strategy-call) [Topics](https://blog.securafy.com/#sf-cover) [Tools](https://blog.securafy.com/#sf-tools) [Books & Guides](https://blog.securafy.com/#sf-books) [Talk to Securafy](https://meetings.hubspot.com/securafy/strategy-call) [Knowledge Hub](https://blog.securafy.com) / IT Operations IT Operations # Microsoft Cortana Will Be Removed From The App Store Microsoft Cortana Will Be Removed From The App Store ![Randy Hall](https://blog.securafy.com/hubfs/Randy%20Hall%202.png) By Randy Hall Updated Jul 2024 2 min read Share [**](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://blog.securafy.com/2021/04/24/microsoft-cortana-will-be-removed-from-the-app-store) [**](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://blog.securafy.com/2021/04/24/microsoft-cortana-will-be-removed-from-the-app-store&text=%3Cspan+id%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper_name%22+class%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper+hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field+hs_cos_wrapper_type_text%22+style%3D%22%22+data-hs-cos-general-type%3D%22meta_field%22+data-hs-cos-type%3D%22text%22+%3EMicrosoft+Cortana+Will+Be+Removed+From+The+App+Store%3C%2Fspan%3E) [**](mailto:?subject=%3Cspan+id%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper_name%22+class%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper+hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field+hs_cos_wrapper_type_text%22+style%3D%22%22+data-hs-cos-general-type%3D%22meta_field%22+data-hs-cos-type%3D%22text%22+%3EMicrosoft+Cortana+Will+Be+Removed+From+The+App+Store%3C%2Fspan%3E&body=https://blog.securafy.com/2021/04/24/microsoft-cortana-will-be-removed-from-the-app-store) ![](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png)It's no secret that Microsoft is one of the 800-pound gorillas of the tech world. Even so, there are areas where the company undeniably struggles. Their Internet Explorer browser was a disaster from day one. It was ultimately retired in preference for Microsoft Edge, which has some supporters, but still lags far behind Chrome and Safari, and even Mozilla's Firefox. In a similar vein, Microsoft has struggled to make a name for itself in the virtual assistant arena. Amazon's Alexa app boasts more than fifty million installs on the Google Play store, and legions of loyal users are addicted to Google's native assistant. On the other hand, Cortana boasts a little over a million installs on the Google Play store. It is a pale shadow compared to the other two, and is a virtual non-entity in the Apple ecosystem, where Siri reigns supreme. Given this, Microsoft recently decided to pull the plug, and Cortana has begun to vanish from the app ecosystem. The virtual assistant clearly isn't going anywhere; it is embedded in the OS after all, and it will remain there. However, in terms of competing with other VA's in the app space, the company has wisely decided not to attempt to fight that battle and focus their energies elsewhere. So Cortana is soon to be a thing of the past on mobile devices. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Microsoft can continue to refine Cortana's capabilities, making it an indispensable part of the OS, while Alexa, Siri, and Google's ubiquitous assistant battle it out in the mobile market where they've already firmly established and entrenched themselves. Kudos to Microsoft for reading the room correctly and focusing their energies where they can do the most good. While Cortana will barely be missed in the mobile ecosystem, we look forward to seeing what enhancements the company has in store for their VA in the Windows environment. Tagged Under IT OperationsBusiness Continuity In This Article Need Help With Your Current Setup? Talk through your current systems, risks, and support gaps with Securafy. [Book a Strategy Call](https://meetings.hubspot.com/securafy/strategy-call) ## Join The Conversation Have a question or perspective on this topic? Add it below. ![Randy Hall](https://blog.securafy.com/hubfs/Randy%20Hall%202.png) About The Author Randy Hall · CEO & Founder Randy Hall is the CEO and Founder of Securafy, with decades of experience helping organizations make smarter, safer decisions about technology. A frequent speaker and instructor at national IT events, Randy has advised thousands of organizations, from startups and SMBs to large enterprises and U.S. government entities, on secure, practical technology adoption. He writes about the decisions business leaders are often expected to make without enough context, including cybersecurity, compliance, AI, cyber insurance, IT strategy, and business resilience. Outside the office, you’ll often find Randy on Lake Erie enjoying time on his 38-foot Chris-Craft. **Writes about:** Cybersecurity strategy, compliance, AI security, business resilience, cyber insurance, SMB risk, IT leadership [More From This Author →](https://blog.securafy.com/author/randyhall) Related Articles Business Continuity [Compliance Risk Assessment: How Downtime Impacts Your Bottom Line](https://blog.securafy.com/compliance-risk-assessment-how-downtime-impacts-your-bottom-line) When systems go down, compliance obligations don't pause—and the financial consequences ... Jul 28, 2026 Compliance [HIPAA Security Rule Changes Are Delayed To 2027: Why Healthcare Organizations Should Not Wait](https://blog.securafy.com/hipaa-security-rule-changes-are-delayed-to-2027-why-healthcare-organizations-should-not-wait) The updated HIPAA Security Rule won't take effect until 2027, but healthcare ... Jul 23, 2026 Compliance [Multi Factor Authentication Best Practices for CJIS Security Policy Compliance](https://blog.securafy.com/multi-factor-authentication-best-practices-for-cjis-security-policy-compliance) Law enforcement agencies and criminal justice organizations face mounting pressure to ... Jul 16, 2026 Compliance [CMMC Phase II Has Been Suspended: What Defense Contractors Still Need To Do](https://blog.securafy.com/cmmc-phase-ii-has-been-suspended-what-defense-contractors-still-need-to-do) The Department of Defense suspended CMMC Phase II enforcement, but that doesn't mean ... Jul 15, 2026 IT Operations [Cybersecurity For Veterinary Clinics: Protecting Client Data, Payment Systems, And Practice Operations](https://blog.securafy.com/cybersecurity-for-veterinary-clinics-protecting-client-data-payment-systems-and-practice-operations) Veterinary clinics handle sensitive client data, payment information, and critical ... Jul 9, 2026 IT Operations [AT&T Cybersecurity, AlienVault USM, And Managed Security: What SMBs Still Need To Own](https://blog.securafy.com/att-cybersecurity-alienvault-usm-and-managed-security-what-smbs-still-need-to-own) Managed security platforms like AT&T Cybersecurity and AlienVault USM provide ... Jul 8, 2026 Get Practical Cybersecurity Field Notes Monthly cybersecurity, compliance, and IT strategy updates from Securafy, written for business owners who need clear next steps. - Practical security tips from our Cyber Security Drip series - The Securafy Times, our monthly roundup on compliance and IT strategy - Occasional updates on new tools, guides, and research - No spam — unsubscribe anytime NIST CSF 2.0 Zero Trust Application Control CISA Aligned Enterprise Partner © 2026 Securafy — Columbus & Cleveland, Ohio [Main Site](https://www.securafy.com/) [Blog Home](https://blog.securafy.com/) [Contact](https://www.securafy.com/contact.html) [Privacy Policy](https://www.securafy.com/privacy-policy.html) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Randy Hall", "url" : "https://blog.securafy.com/author/randyhall" }, "dateModified" : "2024-07-24T20:18:05.608Z", "datePublished" : "2021-04-24T15:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Microsoft Cortana Will Be Removed From The App Store", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.securafy.com/2021/04/24/microsoft-cortana-will-be-removed-from-the-app-store", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.securafy.com/hubfs/securafy-logo.png" }, "name" : "Securafy Inc." } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://securafy.com/#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : [ { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressLocality" : "Columbus", "addressRegion" : "OH", "postalCode" : "43219", "streetAddress" : "4449 Easton Way, Suite 200" }, { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressLocality" : "Independence", "addressRegion" : "OH", "postalCode" : "44131", "streetAddress" : "6100 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 200" } ], "areaServed" : [ "Columbus OH", "Cleveland OH", "Ohio" ], "name" : "Securafy Inc.", "url" : "https://securafy.com/" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://securafy.com/#website", "@type" : "WebSite", "inLanguage" : "en-US", "name" : "Securafy", "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://securafy.com/#organization" }, "url" : "https://securafy.com/" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://blog.securafy.com/#blog", "@type" : "Blog", "name" : "Securafy Knowledge Hub", "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://securafy.com/#organization" }, "url" : "https://blog.securafy.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://blog.securafy.com/2021/04/24/microsoft-cortana-will-be-removed-from-the-app-store#article", "@type" : "Article", "author" : { "@id" : "https://www.securafy.com/about-us/#randyhall", "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Randy Hall" }, "dateModified" : "2024-07-24T20:18:05+00:00", "datePublished" : "2021-04-24T15:00:00+00:00", "description" : "Microsoft Cortana Will Be Removed From The App Store", "headline" : "Microsoft Cortana Will Be Removed From The App Store", "image" : "https://www.securafy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/securafy-og-default.jpg", "inLanguage" : "en-US", "isPartOf" : { "@id" : "https://blog.securafy.com/#blog" }, "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.securafy.com/2021/04/24/microsoft-cortana-will-be-removed-from-the-app-store", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://securafy.com/#organization" }, "url" : "https://blog.securafy.com/2021/04/24/microsoft-cortana-will-be-removed-from-the-app-store" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://blog.securafy.com", "name" : "Knowledge Hub", "position" : 1 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://blog.securafy.com/2021/04/24/microsoft-cortana-will-be-removed-from-the-app-store", "name" : "Microsoft Cortana Will Be Removed From The App Store", "position" : 2 } ] } ```