Microsoft releases updated Cortana app for Windows 10

Tech giant Microsoft has released a beta version of the updated Cortana app for Windows 10.

The company is testing a new chat-based UI for Cortana on Windows 10 PCs. The new beta app, which was originally spotted last month, is now available to testers, and it supports text and voice queries, The Verge reported on Friday.

These new updates come just days after Microsoft announced it is changing the look of the Xbox One's Home screen and how one can control the console via Cortana.

In addition to most of the existing Cortana features, the app also supports light and dark themes in Windows, a less intrusive screen for "Hey Cortana" queries, new speech and language models, and better performance.

This new feature is currently being rolled out to Insiders in the US with more regions becoming available at a later date.

This Cortana app is available in the latest Fast Ring preview of Windows 10, build 18945. It would eventually debut to all Windows 10 users in the first half of 2020, the report added.