Cortana for Windows 10 only available in U.S. English

By Richard Devine
published

If you're rushing over to download the latest Windows 10 Technical Preview, there's something you need to know first about Cortana. It isn't totally surprising, but it's important to note that she's only currently available in U.S. English.

The information is nestled in the system requirements page at the Windows Insider site, and while it's usually a good idea to read things like that before installing anything, in this case it's doubly worth it. There are some other bits and pieces in there that affects folks who use Windows Media Center for example, so before doing anything, go check them out.

Richard Devine
Richard Devine
Managing Editor - Tech, Reviews

Richard Devine is a Managing Editor at Windows Central with over a decade of experience. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently, you'll find him steering the site's coverage of all manner of PC hardware and reviews. Find him on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@richdevine

74 Comments
  • Makes sense. At least they included more language support in the OS
  • But then you can't use those new language and Cortana, right?
  • Right.
  • Microsoft is like: So you are killing yourself to get this update to get Cortana on your PC will surprise mother f*cker you won't get it in your country.
  • Surprise mother fucker, omg, that's some funny shit right there.
  • Microsoft, as always treating the best to the country that hates it the most.
    It's like an abusive relationship!!
  • Hah. We're going to read lots of complaints cause of that xD
  • Planning to move to the US to talk to her!
  • Better change your region..Would save a lot....
  • But you don't get to feel that feeling you know
  • Come on over, were giving every other mother fucker amnesty.
  • And the rest are deportables.
  • Uh oh. People are gunna be pissed.
  • I bet the headline for that very same fact will read very different on other sites.
  • Let's say I want to install the Technical Preview right now and hopefully in the future keep upgrading until the final release of Windows 10. Since Cortana is only available in EN-US right now, will I be able to successfully change the language of the whole system from EN-US to PT-PT later on or will I have to reinstall from scratch?
  • I'll get right back to ya...
  • Windows normally ask you to reinstall from scratch to change languague. If i'm not mistaked.
  • Changes take place after a simple restart only..No need for a complete reinstall..!!
  • I don't care if currently Cortana is US only for the preview. I just hope that on release it'll be available internationally. I have the feeling that quite a lot of new features will be region restricted in win 10.
  • US only. Who would've thought. I'm still waiting for the Zune, Bing Rewards, and Surface Pro 1 docking station amongst other things here in Sweden. Maybe I'll see Cortana in another 10 years or so :D
  • After Microsoft killed Nokia, the only Company who cared about people outside of USA disappeared!
  • It sure feels like that, why can't they just let us use all those things in US English, but have our regions the same?...
  • Now its US and India haha.
  • Yaa true...
  • Yeah, having to change region too seems kinda silly, expecially since Cortana insists on using Fahrenheit instead of Celsius even though regional format is set to Sweden.
  • The other way around for Canada it's surprising to see rogers branded(customized) nokia phones unlocked at ms store
  • Ya empezaron otra vez con su "US only". Los mismos errores de antes. Muy mal.
  • Pero eso se veía venir, de verdad esto no es sorpresa para nadie
  • Paciencia! Lo mismo paso en Windows Phone y ahora se puede usar con ES-ES asi que seguro mas adelante se va a poder usar en español y la semana que viene el OS en si en español.
  • Estoy de acuerdo con ustedes, que ya se veía venir y que asi paso con Windows Phone...Pero que no se supone que es una nueva era para Microsoft? Como empresa obligada a cambiar de forma positiva no puedes tener los mismos errores que han costado incluso perdida de usuarios, como opinión personal me emociono bastante lo que sucedió en el evento del miércoles, pero estas cosas son las que me dejan pensando y empiezo a tener mis dudas sobre el exito de Windows 10 fuera de Estados Unidos.
  • At least you have Cortana on your phones speaking your language :)
  • Cortana is available by regions, no languages in deed. And no, is not available in my region (Mexico). And Alex, if its not a final versión, that means is easier to let the people prove a little taste of what the OS is capable to do. Giving some for all in their own región, if not how it supposed to I will evaluate the system if they show me things that will be available only in US?
  • I don't see how this is an error or mistake, this isn't a final release, it isn't a mistake for them to l limit their resources to ironing out bugs from one language. Quit this sense of entitlement.
  • Wouldn't it make more sense to be able to bug test something in multiple languages though, you know, to open up to even more testers and, as a result, recognise bugs faster?
  • People this says US English not US only (I hope Im right) :)
  • Microsoft said just that.
  • I don't think so bcoz people outside US hav to change their region in their windows phone to get cotana.....
  • I live in Finland, if I change my settings to US, will I be able to use it?
  • I think yes as in my phone we have to change region to US to get Cortana
  • Why am I not surpised, US only hits again.
  • Looks like my vm is becoming American
  • There seems to be a confusion here. Cortana is available in U.S. ENGLISH not the region but the language, so it doesn't matter if you live in Europe, Asia, Africa or Oceania as long as you set your language to US English you'll have Cortana. I know the sentence: "If you're rushing over to download the latest Windows 10 Technical Preview, there's something you need to know first about Cortana. It isn't totally surprising, but it's important to note that she's only currently available in U.S. English." may seem confusing but try installing it in US English.
  • Just change Region :D
  • Do you need the US-EN iso or can you use her with any language as long as you set something to US? Can i get the interface in Dutch but Cortana in English or do i need the US version for that?
  • Dear Microsoft, This might come as a surprise to you, but there are people able to speak English outside the U.S. as well. 
  • You lie! Don't you know the world IS the US? :p
  • Let's fight back! Hablemos Español aqui
  • Dear microsoft ......... There's a world outside US
  • Read guys - read. Cortana is available everywhere. The only limitation is that you'd have to set your to EN-US I.e. United states English. They might already be working on other English accents and other languages
  • Yes, because we all want to mispell our words when we write and the auto-correct kicks in to change it to the awful US spellings.
  • Well looks will have to download the US-English iso unless you can enable Cortana using a workaround similar to Wp.
  • Everybody, this is still the technical preview.  One would hope that by the time it's RTM that at least the languages currently supported on WP Cortana will be included.  This is pre-release.  You really can't fault them for having just US English as it's without a doubt the language most of their data is in (from WP). 
  • All 3? That is an accomplishment.
  • you're killing yourself?
  • I don't get it. Do I need to change the language for the whole os? Or just Cortana?
  • Anyone who knows Microsoft won't be surprised. It's just more of the same. You know who's really gonna be pissed? People who bought windows RT.
  • No, not really. Nobody "bought RT". They bought a consumer tablet, that will still continue to do exactly what it did when they bought it. The sense of entitlement of some people is just staggering. Besides, RT tablets will receive an update of some sort, it just won't be fully featured Windows 10, and why should it.
  • Lol right. My rt is now useless because i may not have Cortana. Bummer. I like my tablet for what it does already. Anything new or more on it would just be icing.
  • Why? W10 will eventually make it to Arm devices.
  • Given that Cortana is available in the UK on phones now, it just seems like a really poor showing from Microsoft to not have the same regions available on the PC side now also. Given all the publicity, they really had better have this stuff live by launch. Not having Cortana ready on phones in the beginning was kinda of forgivable given the very low market share, but releasing a new desktop OS without one of the main selling points would be unforgivable.
  • "but releasing a new desktop OS" Ermmm, when did they release Windows 10? Last time I checked they released a Technical Preview ie. A Beta!
  • I hate this way of doing things the animal farm way. They do it as if those in America pays more for their Lumias than the rest of the world. Why do I have to be forced to change my region? What I must change is the language only not the region.
    I am still waiting for cortana on my phone without having to change my region.
  • Argh, comments on the WC Windows 8 app... so annoying. Why does refreshing them jump to the top, the oldest post and not the point you were looking at when you refreshed? end of rant, lol :)
  • Now I am tempted to download, let me check how big the download is?
  • Early build made in the USA so it makes sense. If it was made in Germany as an early build I would not be surprised if it was in German. Get over it... You guys got Denim before North America...
  • One less incentive to bother with these previews then. Sigh.
  • Wait a sec... I recall Cortana learning 7 new languages in the Windows 10 "the next chapter" thingy. Now it's USA people shouting them letters non-stop again? :(
  • If Cortana is maintained and updated on the back-end, why can't Microsoft simply plug in her already existing languages?
  • I do not care if it is not in my language, but I want to use that feature without needing to change region everytime.
  • Well Cortana has been region specific since the beginning so this isn't a surprise.
  • Noice
  • B
  • <p>American English is just a corrupt version of British English. It lacks the finess, and accuracy, of our native tongue.</p> <p>I&#39;m not deriding American English;&nbsp; just pointing out that it is different, and we&nbsp;would like to have the ability to ask questions in our own language without ambiguity.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>
  • American English is just a corrupt version of British English. It lacks the finess, and accuracy, of our native tongue. I'm not deriding American English;&nbsp; just pointing out that it is different, and we&nbsp;would like to have the ability to ask questions in our own language without ambiguity