Windows 10: Microsoft's 'One Store' takes a step towards completion

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Step towards fixing Cortana issues

I was extremely long winded when I wrote this out as a response to another thread but there is shorthand TLDR instructions included at the end so if you don't want to read through and get walked through step by step just scroll down to the bottom!

Okay, I have been working on this issue repeatedly since I first became a windows insider and in each build I have had to try and find different ways to get it working. I just installed the actual release and have been trying to figure it out and I just
got it working, and actually hearing everything I say, though your milage my vary obviously, but even so, I thought I would share it here on the forums and try and help others with the same issue.

First question is do you have the Realtek HD Audio drivers installed? (Most of us that have been running into this problem have Realtek drivers so that's what I have been focused on) If the answer is yes, then keep on reading this fix I found with ya and
don't worry you don't have to go out and buy a new microphone or a new sound card.

So first things first, go click on the "Ask me anything" search bar at the bottom, then click the third icon down (Notebook) on the left, and then click on "About Me", followed by "Change my name" and then type in your name and click on "Hear how I'll say
it." If you hear Cortana say your name that that is a good sign, shows us that your Cortana itself isn't actually screwed up, it is just having issues because of your Realtek audio.

So next you click on the search bar and just type in the word "real" and in the search results you will see "Realtek HD Audio Manager." If for some reason it doesn't show up in the search then you can find it in the classic control panel just type "Control
Panel\All Control Panel Items" in the address bar of an explorer window (without the quotes) and then click on your Realtek audio manager.

Next step is on the right side of the window at the top you will see "Device Advanced Settings" open that and then click the bottom radial button that says "Separate all input jacks as individual input devices." This is the biggest part of the fix so if
there is a way to separate your input jacks with other audio devices I suggest trying that, I just couldn't give step by step directions for them, Almost done!

Now, back on the desktop right click on the white speaker for audio options, and click on "Recording Devices" you may need to right click and select "show disabled devices" to see everything. But now you can see individual microphones including your laptops
hardware microphone. Whichever microphone you want to use with Cortana, for me its the preinstalled one so I don't need anything extra to use the features) right click on the icon and the make it the default recording device and click again to select it as
the default communication device.

Now that you are able to select a specific microphone Cortana should be able to access it correctly. Go back to the "Ask me anything" bar and select the third icon down again, (Notebook) This time click settings, and then scroll down to "Let Cortana respond
to Hey Cortana" and click on learn my voice. If everything worked then now Cortana should be able to hear what you say, and you can set up your voice, and then in turn it will actually respond to you!

Hope this helped someone figure out all this madness, I apologize for it being so long winded, I was just trying to make it as easy to understand as possible and easy to follow step by step even on a new operating system, so it could help as many people
as possible.

Shorthand instructions;

1. Open Explorer, type or paste "Control Panel\All Control Panel Items" Open Realtek HD Audio Manger

2. Click Device Advance Settings (top right) >> Click "Separate all input jacks as independent input devices"

3. On desktop right click on white speaker >> Recording Devices >> Select the individual mic and make it default mic & communications device

4. Click "Ask me anything" search bar, third icon down (Notepad) >> Settings >> Let Cortana respond to "Hey Cortana" set up voice

5. Throw your hands up in the air like you just don't care / Do victory dance (step 5 is optional)

 

Photos in Microsoft photos count toward One Drive storage

If I organize my photos on my PC in Microsoft Photos - are those photos automatically part of One Drive and do they count towards my One drive storage limit?

Moved from: OneDrive / Managing storage limits / Questions about my subscription / OneDrive in Microsoft Office / Office 365