Amazon Launches Alexa App in Windows Store

Windows 10 comes with a voice assistant called Cortana, and newer builds of the OS really try to push you to use it. Most people don’t, because Cortana isn’t very capable. Now, you can get a much more powerful voice assistant on your PC with the launch of an official Amazon Alexa app for Windows. It’s available right now in the Windows Store, so you may finally have a reason to open that.

Alexa debuted on the Amazon Echo several years ago, but it has since branched out to more smart speakers, headphones, and smartphones. On the back end, Amazon has added thousands of “Skills” that plug into services like Xbox, IMDB, Reuters, and more. It also has a number of smart home integration capabilities, with the ability to control Hue lights, Nest thermostats, and so on. There’s even a Skyrim skill that lets you play a version of the game by voice. Meanwhile, Cortana only got third-party integrations last year, and support from developers is minimal. Unless you’re specifically interacting with Microsoft apps on your PC, Alexa is more useful. 

The first Alexa speakers were expensive, but now there are sub-$50 options. Amazon rolled out an Alexa app for smartphones several years ago to expand availability even further. A few phones have shipped with Alexa functionality built-in, and the same is true of PCs. If you don’t have one of those select few notebooks, you can install the new app from the Windows Store.

You probably won’t need any additional hardware for Alexa on your PC. It uses your existing microphone and speakers. The app gives your computer most of the standard Alexa functionality as far as the skills go. You need to log into your Amazon account first, but that will automatically connect all the Skills you’ve previously enabled.

If you have an Amazon Music subscription, you can use the Alexa PC app to stream music without any additional setup. If you use something else like Pandora or Spotify, you’re currently out of luck. Amazon says messaging and additional music skills are coming to the PC client soon.

Alexa for Windows accepts commands when you open the app and click the button, but you can also use a keyboard shortcut while the app is running in the background. I’ve found this to be rather buggy, though. Always-on listening is only available on computers that shipped with Alexa pre-installed like the Acer Spin 5 and HP Envy.

Amazon says additional features (like music services) are coming soon, but it hasn’t provided a timeline.

Now read: Amazon Unveils New Alexa Devices Including Upgraded Echos, Smart Microwave, Amazon Reportedly Working on Alexa-Powered Smart Glasses, and Report: Siri Hobbled by Apple’s Obsession with User Privacy