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How to Change the Language on Your Computer

This wikiHow teaches you how to change your computer's language. This will affect the text used in menus and windows. You can do this on both Windows and Mac computers. Changing your computer's default language will not change your...
Method 1 of 2:

On Windows

  1. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 1How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 1
    Open Start
    How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 2How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 2
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
    1. You can also press the Windows key on your keyboard to open Start.
  2. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 3How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 3
    Click Settings
    How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 4How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 4
    . This gear-shaped icon is in the lower-left side of the Start window.
  3. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 5How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 5
    Click Time & language. It's in the middle of the Settings window.
  4. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 6How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 6
    Click the Region & language tab. You'll find this on the far-left side of the window.
  5. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 7How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 7
    Click Add a language. It's next to a large + sign in the middle of the page, below the "Languages" heading.
  6. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 8How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 8
    Select a language. Click the language you want to use on your computer.
  7. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 9How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 9
    Select a dialect. If clicking your preferred language brings you to a page with different regional dialects available, click a dialect to select it.
    1. This may not be available for your selected language.
  8. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 10How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 10
    Click your added language. It should be below your current default language in the "Languages" section of the window. Doing so will expand the language's box.
  9. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 11How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 11
    Click Options. This button appears below the language. Doing so opens the language's Options window.
  10. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 12How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 12
    Download the language pack. Click Download below the "Download language pack" heading in the upper-left side of the page.
  11. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 13How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 13
    Click Back
    How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 14How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 14
    . It's in the top-left corner of the screen.
  12. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 15How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 15
    Click the language again, then click Set as default. You'll find this button below the language. Doing to will move the language to the top of the "Languages" section and set it as the default for all built-in menus, apps, and other display options.
  13. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 16How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 16
    Restart your computer. Open the Start menu, click Power
    How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 17How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 17
    , and click Restart. Once your computer restarts and you sign back into your account, your selected language will be in place.
Method 2 of 2:

On Mac

  1. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 18How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 18
    Open the Apple menu
    How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 19How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 19
    . Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
  2. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 20How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 20
    Click System Preferences. It's near the top of the drop-down menu.
  3. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 21How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 21
    Click Language & Region. It's a flag-shaped icon near the top of the System Preferences window.
  4. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 22How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 22
    Click +. This icon is below the bottom-left corner of the "Preferred language:" box on the left side of the Language & Region window. Doing so prompts a pop-up window with different languages.
  5. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 23How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 23
    Scroll to select the language you want, then click Add.
  6. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 24How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 24
    Click Use [Language] when prompted. This is the blue button in the bottom-right corner of the window. Doing so will set your computer's default display language to the added language.
    1. If you miss this step, just click and drag the language you added from the bottom of the "Preferred languages" box to the top.
  7. How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 25How to Change the Language on Your Computer Picture 25
    Restart your Mac to complete the language change.
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