Amazon released a new version of its Alexa app for Windows 10 that runs in the background and enables hands-free use.

“Today, Amazon released a new version of the Alexa app for Windows 10 PCs that allows customers to access the experience hands-free on Windows 10 devices,” an Amazon representative said. “This means you can easily invoke Alexa regardless of whether the app is running in the foreground or background – all you need to do is ask. In addition to enabling wake-word capabilities, today’s update also adds support for Pandora, letting customers play their favorite stations through Alexa.”

Alexa’s emergence on Windows 10 occurred after Microsoft and Amazon announced that they would integrate Cortana, Microsoft’s failed digital personal assistant, with Alexa. Amazon announced the Alexa app for Windows 10 in January 2018. At the time, it was available to PC makers to add to their PCs. But the app was made available to all Windows 10 users that November.

If you’re using Alexa for Windows 10, it will auto-update to the new version. If not, you can get the latest version from the Microsoft Store.

Hat-tip: I found out about the new Alexa app for Windows 10 from Neowin.

Tagged with Amazon Alexa