Can Cortana be used without a microphone?

[Quillz]

Stupid question, I know, but I don't have a microphone or any kind of voice input connected to my ThinkPad. So I have Cortana completely disabled. Any reason not to do this? Does Cortana have some way or working without voice input?

I'm still able to search just fine...

[Osiris]

oh, I was hoping this was going to be some sort of enlightening tech riddle or maybe you taught cortana how to read sign language via a camera instead.

[Eric Veteran]

No. She's meant to be a hands-free assistant so I guess they figured if you're at a keyboard you could just do the things she can control yourself. It still answers questions if you type them, just not vocally.

[Anibal P]

Works just fine as a fancy search tool, I generally keep my mic off, but still use Cortana for searches

[Ian W]

I suppose it could depend on what you mean by using her, but at least some of Cortana's features can be accessed without a microphone. In fact, this is my primary method of interaction with her since the microphone is disabled (though all forms of telemetry are turned on).

As examples, one can set up reminders, send e-mail messages to contacts, ask Cortana questions or even tell her things simply by typing into the textbox. Note that the search prompt will change depending on the command / query.

 

[PGHammer]

_{Cortana has *always* been able to be used without voice input (that is, in fact, still true with the beta on Android); that is the single biggest reason I prefer it to Google Now (even, if not especially, on Android - my tablet is just that; if it were a PHABLET, speaking into it would make sense).}

_{In addition, the lack of need for spoken input means it can be used in places where both Google Now and Siri are non-starters (libraries, for example).  More and more public libraries are free hotspots - so are more and more fast-food places (McDonald's and Burger King are simply the two biggest examples outside of Starbucks).  Talking with your mouth full of food or drink (or at all in a library) is considered gauche; however, you can type while eating.  THAT is why Cortana beats both Google Now and Siri - you aren't limited to voice input.}