How to Change Your Computer's Language: Step-by-Step Guide

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An easy guide to changing your computer's display language
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Did you know that you can change the primary language of your computer? This is a fantastic feature that you might use in many ways, such as when learning a different language. However, changing your computer's default language will not change your internet browser's language or other programs. This wikiHow article teaches you how to change your computer's language on Windows, Mac, or Linux.

How to Change Computer Languages

  • Windows: Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language , select or add a new language, then restart your computer.
  • Mac: Go to System Settings/Preferences > General > Language & Region , select or add a new language, then restart your computer.
  • Linux : Open Terminal and edit the locale and .pam_environment files to reflect the language of your choice, then restart your computer.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

On Windows

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  1. Press Win + I to open Settings using keyboard shortcuts, or open the Start menu and click the gear icon. [1]
    • Use this method for Windows 10 and 11. If you're using Windows 7 or Windows XP , the steps are slightly different.
  2. It's in the middle of the Settings window.
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  3. You'll find this on the far-left side of the window. [2]
    • If you're using Windows 11, this will say "Language & region" instead.
  4. Use the drop-down under "Windows display language" if the language you want to use is listed there. If it is, click it to select it and restart your computer.
    • If the language you want to use is not listed, continue following these steps to add it.
  5. It's next to a large + sign in the middle of the page, below the "Preferred languages" heading.
  6. Click the language you want to use on your computer.
    • You can either browse the alphabetical list to see all the languages available, or type the language you're looking for in the search bar at the top of the window.
    • There are icons that represent how much functionality a language has for your computer. Not every language is available for every feature on your computer. For example, Chinese (Traditional, Macao SAR) is not available for text-to-speech or speech recognition.
  7. Since you're trying to change your computer's language, ensure "Set as my Windows display language" is checked.
    • The language and all the packages needed will begin installing immediately. You'll see the new language under the "Preferred languages" header and can watch the installation's progress.
  8. You'll see a message that you need to log out to continue. Click either Yes, sign out now or No, sign out later .
  9. To do this, press the Win key to open the Start menu, click your name or profile icon, select Sign out , then sign back into your account. Once you've done this, Windows will display your chosen language in areas like Desktop and File Explorer. [3]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

On Mac

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  1. Do this by clicking the Apple logo in the Apple menu and selecting System Settings.
    • If you're using a version of macOS older than Ventura, this menu is called "System Preferences" instead.
  2. It's in the menu on the side of the window.
    • Skip this step if you're using an older version of macOS than Ventura.
  3. You'll see this on the right side of the window. [4]
    • Click General if you're using a version older than macOS Ventura.
  4. Click + to select a language or drag a listed language to the top of the menu.
    • If you're adding a new language, you'll see that the menu is divided by a line:
      • Above the line are languages supported by Mac that will show in menus, notifications, websites, and more.
      • Below the line are languages that aren't fully supported by Mac but may appear in some apps and websites.
    • If the language you dragged to the top of the list isn't fully supported, Mac will use the next language on the list to display notifications, menus, or apps that your first language choice doesn't support.
    • If you want other users to see the new language you've picked, click the gear icon that pops up (it's a Settings icon), and make sure to choose Apply to Login Window . [5]
  5. [6]
    • To change the language for a specific app, go to System Settings > General > Language & Region > Applications and select the + button to add a language.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

On Linux

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  1. 1
    Open the Terminal. You can change your computer's language via your settings GUI, but the language can also be changed via Terminal. For most Linux distros, Ctrl + Alt + T will open a Terminal window.
    • To change the language via Terminal, the language must be installed on your machine already.
  2. 2
    Edit the locale file. To do this, enter the command sudoedit /etc/default/locale . The locale file will open, and you'll be able to edit it. Make the following changes:
    • LANG="en_US"
    • LANGUAGE="en_US:en"
      • Replace en_US with the language of your choice from this list .
      • Save the file once you have made these changes.
  3. 3
    Edit the .pam_environment file. To do this, enter the command sudoedit ~/.pam_environment . Make the following changes:
    • LANG=en_US
    • LANGUAGE=en_US
      • Replace en_US with the language of your choice from this list .
      • Save the file once you have made these changes.
  4. 4
    Reboot your computer. Once you've saved these two files, restart your computer. When you restart, the language should be in the language you've chosen. [7]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What if I don't understand the language it is in?
    KingTehMasteh Games
    Community Answer
    If you have a phone, try downloading Google Translate. Then take a picture of the words and it will translate.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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  • Question
    If you press "Restart", would that restart your computer and make you have to set it up all over again?
    DonutAtwork.com
    Community Answer
    If you had saved the setting, it would not revert back upon restarting. If it does, try Windows update and update your computer to the latest settings.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Tips

      • Changing your computer's language won't necessarily change the language for all apps, programs, menus, and so on. When downloading software, you'll still have to select your preferred language as part of the installation process.
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      • You can also change the language of your iPhone, iPad , or Android .
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      • If you accidentally change the display language to something you don't know, open Google Translate on your phone and use it to help you understand menus so you can change the language back to something you can read.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.windowscentral.com/how-properly-change-system-default-language-windows-10
      2. ↑ https://www.windowscentral.com/how-properly-change-system-default-language-windows-10
      3. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/manage-the-language-and-keyboard-input-layout-settings-in-windows-12a10cb4-8626-9b77-0ccb-5013e0c7c7a2
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-the-system-language-mh26684/mac
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-the-system-language-mh26684/13.0/mac/13.0
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-the-system-language-mh26684/mac
      7. ↑ https://askubuntu.com/questions/133318/how-do-i-change-the-language-via-a-terminal

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