Why Isn’t Cortana Available On My Windows 10 PC? Find Out Why And How To Fix It

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By Victor Ashiedu

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Why isn’t Cortana available on your Windows 10 PC? The simple answer is this: if the Country or region setting is different from the Windows display language, Cortana may not be available on your Windows 10 PC.

Here are the high-level steps to get Cortana on your Windows 10 PC:

  1. Check the Country or region setting
  2. Use the same country in the Windows display language
Before you proceed check that Cortana is supported in your language and region. See the list here – Cortana’s regions and languages (link opens in a new browser tab). If your language isn’t listed, there is no need to proceed with this guide.

Here are the detailed steps to fix this problem:

Check The “Country or Region” Setting

why isnt cortana available on my windows 10 pc - step 1: Check The Country or Region Set In The Region Setting

As I mentioned in my introduction, the first step to get Cortana working on Windows 10 is to check the Country or region setting. Here are the steps:

  1. Left-click Windows 10 menu and select Settings (looks like a gear).
  1. Then, on the Windows 10 settings screen, click Time & Language.
why isnt cortana available on my windows 10 pc - step 1: Check The Country or Region Set In The Region Setting
  1. On the left pane of Time & Language screen, click Region.
  1. Finally, on the right pane of the Region setting, check what is set in the Country or region drop-down. If the correct region is set for you, note it and proceed to the next section. Otherwise, to change to a different country, click the Country or region drop-down and select your preferred country.

Use The Same Country As Windows Display Language

why isnt cortana available on my windows 10 pc - step 2: Use The Same Country As Windows Display Language

Once you have noted the country set in the Country or Region setting, the next step is to use the same country as the Windows Display Language.

Follow the final steps below to get Cortana available on Windows 10 PC:

  1. Follow the steps in the last section until you get to the Time & Language screen. Then, click Language.
Alternatively, you can search language settings.
why isnt cortana available on my windows 10 pc - step 2: Use The Same Country As Windows Display Language
  1. Then, on the Language settings screen, check what is set in Windows display language. If this language is different from the country set in the Country or region – from the last section – you need to change it. See the steps beneath this screenshot.
why isnt cortana available on my windows 10 pc - step 2: Use The Same Country As Windows Display Language
  1. To select the same language in the Country or region as the Windows display language, click the Windows display language drop-down. However, if the language you require is not in the drop-down, you will need to install the language.
  2. To begin the installation, in the Preferred languages section, click Add language.
  1. Then, on the Choose a language to install pop up, enter the name of the country you wish to install the language. From the displayed search result, click the language.
In this example, since the country set in my Country or region is United States, I need to install and use English (United States) as my Windows display language. As I have mentioned more than once in this guide, the two settings need to be the same for Cortana to be available on your Windows 10 PC.
why isnt cortana available on my windows 10 pc - step 2: Use The Same Country As Windows Display Language
  1. Once you click on the language you wish to install, the Next button (bottom left) will become active. To proceed with the installation, click Next.
  1. Finally, on the install screen, check the box beside Set as my Windows display language. Then, on the bottom left, click Install – see the second screen below.

You will be returned to the Language screen. While the new language is installing, it will display as Pending.

When the installation completes, you will be prompted to sign out. To complete the process, click Yes, sign out now. Otherwise, to sign out later, click the No, sign out later.

Once you sign out and sign back in, Cortana will become available on your Windows 10 PC. Once the Country or region and Windows display language are set to the same country, Cortana will become available. Note that, in this example, I have not signed out and signed back in – this is why the notification – “Will be display language after next sign-in” – is displayed. See the right side of the screenshot below.

I hope you were able to get Cortana working on your Windows 10 PC with the steps in this guide. I also hope you found the guide helpful and easy to understand.

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About the Author

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Victor Ashiedu

Victor is the founder of InfoPress Media, publishers of Ilifeguides and Itechguides. With 20+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, his expertise spans Windows, Linux, and DevOps. Explore his contributions on Itechguides.com for insightful how-to guides and product reviews.

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