[Jcmg62]

I'm UK based and have just updated to 8.1. I'm aware that I can change my region in settings to get cortana but wanted to know from other non-usa users if there are any pitfalls to changing regions (will location based services and bing searches, maps and the store still work as they should). In a nutshell, has having cortana on board been worth changing something as significant as your region?

[AV2RY]

I know store changes

[anon(8657436)]

I'm UK based and have just updated to 8.1. I'm aware that I can change my region in settings to get cortana but wanted to know from other non-usa users if there are any pitfalls to changing regions (will location based services and bing searches, maps and the store still work as they should). In a nutshell, has having cortana on board been worth changing something as significant as your region?

No pitfall apart from the fact that the store will now show you the top apps from US and apps that are developed specifically for UK won't be available to you to install but you can still use them if you have them installed already.
Also the news section of Cortana will be biased to US news.

I'll do a thorough check and let you know of any other effects.

[Jcmg62]

Many thanks Ashhar 😊

[darkest.white]

I'm UK based and have just updated to 8.1. I'm aware that I can change my region in settings to get cortana but wanted to know from other non-usa users if there are any pitfalls to changing regions (will location based services and bing searches, maps and the store still work as they should). In a nutshell, has having cortana on board been worth changing something as significant as your region?

The only thing really is just the store. You can download what ever app you want, however if you want to purchase an app, you'll have to setup a payment method for that region. Except you don't have a zip code and all that so when I wanna purchase an app I switch the region back to my actual one, make the purchase, then switch back to US

[anon(8657436)]

As it turned nothing apart from what I mentioned has any effect. The only thing I encountered was (I think it was just a random problem) that my XBox Music subscription stopped working for about a day but it's back to work now.

So concluding, there shouldn't be too much of a problem.

[Gorki247]

As other have already mentioned, you won't be able to purchase any apps from the store (free apps will be fine). However, you should be able to get around this if you buy the apps on windowsphone.com and have them pushed to your device. I haven't tried it yet but if this works, I think it would be acceptable workaround until we get Cortana.

[Jcmg62]

Thanks guys....one last thing.....I cant find cortana in the store. I've changed my language and regional settings to usa and rebooted the phone a coupe of times. The store is still working and all the apps are priced in $ so I'm assuming the phone thinks I'm in the US but for the life of me I cant find cortana in there. Am I missing something obvious?

[Gorki247]

Make sure you made the following changes:
Language: English (United States); in that list it has to be at the top - this requires a reboot
Region: United States; Regional format can remain English (United Kingdom) - this requires another reboot
Speech: English (United States)

Cortana cannot be found in the store. If you made the necessary changes, you will it in the app list.

[AndyFZ1S]

Also once you are all set you can then change regional format back to UK, ebay and Amazon will then show in pounds and not dollars etc 😊

[Jcmg62]

Found it.......cheers guys very helpful

[Magnus Lundin]

Searching will give results for wrong region and language, a bit annoying. But I put a shortcut tile to google.se (as I'm Swedish), and then those searches will be Swedish. The main problem is that Cortana replaces special characters like which destroys searching.
Really hope Cortana will be available in other regions, even if only with English voice in the beginning...

[Magnus Lundin]

Also the calendar seems to get the wrong date format, 12AM/PM instead of 24h, even if I changed the format to Swedish. All other places are correct.