How to Change the Language on Your Computer

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: February 18, 2023 Tested

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 internet browser's language or other programs.

Things You Should Know

On Windows, go to
>
> Time & language > Region & language > Add a language. Choose your desired language and dialect.
Click
. Click the language again, then Set as default. Restart your computer
> Restart.
On Mac, go to
> System Preferences > Language & Region > +. Choose your language and click Add > Use [Language]. Restart your computer.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

On Windows

1
Open Start
. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
- You can also press the Windows key on your keyboard to open Start.
2
Click Settings
. This gear-shaped icon is in the lower-left side of the Start window.

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3
Click Time & language. It's in the middle of the Settings window.
4
Click the Region & language tab. You'll find this on the far-left side of the window.
5
Click Add a language. It's next to a large + sign in the middle of the page, below the "Languages" heading.
6
Select a language. Click the language you want to use on your computer.
7
Select a dialect. If clicking your preferred language brings you to a page with different regional dialects available, click a dialect to select it.
- This may not be available for your selected language.
8
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
Click Options. This button appears below the language. Doing so opens the language's Options window.
10
Download the language pack. Click Download below the "Download language pack" heading in the upper-left side of the page.
11
Click Back
. It's in the top-left corner of the screen.
12
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
Restart your computer. Open the Start menu, click Power
, and click Restart. Once your computer restarts and you sign back into your account, your selected language will be in place.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

On Mac

1
Open the Apple menu
. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
2
Click System Preferences. It's near the top of the drop-down menu.
3
Click Language & Region. It's a flag-shaped icon near the top of the System Preferences window.
4
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
Scroll to select the language you want, then click Add.
6
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.
- 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
Restart your Mac to complete the language change.

Community Q&A

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.
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.

Warnings

Be sure not to change the language on your computer to something you don't understand or can't easily backtrack through.

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