You've just set up an appointment in Windows 10 via the Cortana voice assistant. The only problem is that you may not be in front of your Windows 10 computer when the alert goes off telling you the appointment is due.
No problem. You can set up the same notification so it also appears on your smartphone at the appropriate hour.
The key here is Cortana. By installing Cortana on your smartphone, you can share reminders and other notifications between your phone and your Windows 10 device. And this process works on the iPhone, Android phones, and Windows Phone handsets. Here's how.
First, you need to install the mobile Cortana app on your iOS device or your Android device if you haven't already done so. Apple iPhone and iPad users can download Cortana from Apple's App Store. Android users can download Cortana from the Google Play store. If you own a Microsoft Windows Phone handset, Cortana is built into the device, so there's no need to download it separately.
On your iPhone, you'll need to enable Notifications for the Cortana app, which you'll be asked to do when you install the app. If you didn't do so during the installation, follow these steps.
On your iOS device, tap on Settings > Notifications. Scroll down the list until you see Cortana. Tap on the entry for Cortana and then turn on the button to Allow Notifications. Open the Cortana app on your iPhone and sign in with your Microsoft account.
On your Android device, tap on Settings > Notifications. Tap on the entry for Cortana and turn on the button to "Display notifications."
Open Cortana and sign in with your Microsoft account. Grant Cortana access to your location and various media. Tap on the account icon in the upper-right corner and tap on the entry for Settings. At the Settings screen, tap on the option to "Sync notifications." Turn on the buttons for all three settings—Missed call notifications, Low battery notifications, and App notifications sync.
Tap on "Allow" to the question "Allow notification access for Cortana?" Return to the previous screen and tap on the command to "Choose which apps to sync." You can leave all of the apps turned off, and the notifications will still work. But you may want to also turn on synchronization for certain apps, such as Calendar, Contacts, Email, and Photos.
Next, on your Windows 10 device, click in the Cortana search field at the bottom of the screen where it says "Ask me anything." Click on the Settings icon (the one that looks like a gear). Scroll down the pane until you see the section called "Send notifications between devices." Make sure that setting is turned on. Then click on the button that says "Edit sync settings." Make sure the options to "Get notifications from this PC on my phone" and "Upload notifications from this PC to the cloud" are both turned on.
Now type or speak your reminder to Cortana on your Windows 10 device. For example, you can say to Cortana: "Set up an appointment with Mary for 3 p.m. on Tuesday to discuss next week's presentation." When your notification comes due, you'll see and hear it on your phone as well as on your Windows 10 device. As long as you have one or the other or both, you'll be sure to get the virtual tap on the shoulder for your appointment.
For more, check out:
- How to Use a Smartphone App to Find Your Car
- How to Use Google's Translate App
- How to Set Up Family Accounts in Windows 10
- How to Retrieve Folders, Files With Windows 10 Quick Access