Windows 10 and 11 support changing the default language. You no longer need to be concerned about the default language when you buy a computer — if you prefer to use a different language, you can change it at any time.
This is particularly useful for environments where multiple users access a single computer and those users prefer different languages. You can download and install additional languages for Windows 10 and Windows 11 to view menus, dialog boxes, and other user interface items in your preferred language.
Install a Language in Windows 10
First, sign in to Windows 10 using an administrative account. Press Windows+I to open the “Settings” window and then click “Time & Language”.
Select “Region & language” on the left, and then click “Add a language” on the right.
The “Add a Language” window shows languages that are available to be installed on your PC. The languages are listed in alphabetical order according to the default Windows language. Click on the language you want to start downloading.
Back on the “Time & Language” screen, you’ll see any languages you have installed. Click a particular language and you’ll see three options underneath: “Set as default”, “Options”, “Remove”. Click “Options” and then click “Download” to download the language pack and keyboard for that language.
Change the Display Language on Windows 10
To change the language of the user account you are currently using, return to the “Time & Language” Settings page, select a language, and then click “Set as default.” You’ll see a notification appear under the language that reads, “Will be display language after next sign-in.” Sign out of and back into Windows, and your new display language will be set. If you want to change the language of another user account, sign in to that account first. You can set a different language for each user account.
Install a Language on Windows 11
Languages are installed via the Settings app in Windows 11. Click Start, type “settings” into the search bar, and hit Enter or click “Open.” Alternatively, you can hit Windows+i to open Settings.
Click “Time & Language” on the left hand side, and then click “Language & Region.”
Click “Add Language” to open the list of available languages.
You can scroll through the list, or use the search function, to find the language you want. There are a lot of them, so the search function is your best bet.
After you find the language you want, select it and click “Next.”
Windows 11 presents you with a few optional languages features — you should probably install all of them if you don’t want to have to come back later. If text-to-speech is available, it’ll also be listed.
Tick “Set as my Windows display language” to change your language immediately after the package has downloaded, and then click “Install.”
You need to log out and log in for the changes to take effect. Restarting your computer will also work.
Change the Display Language on Windows 11
All of the languages you have installed are available on the “Language & Region” page in the Settings app. Click the drop-down menu on the right-hand side, select the language you want, then click “Sign out” or restart manually.
When you sign back in, everything will be in the new language you selected.
If you want to change the language for a specific account, the process is the same. Just log in to the account, navigate to “Language & Region”, and pick the language you want.
Change the Language of Welcome Screen and New User Accounts
Applying a language pack to a user account may not necessarily change the Windows default system language used in Welcome, Sign In, Sign Out, Shutdown screens, Start menu section titles, and the built-in Administrator account.
To get all this to change as well, first make sure you’ve installed at least one additional language pack and that one user account has been set to use a different display language other than the default. If the computer only has one user account, its display language must have been changed from the default.
Open Control Panel, switch it to icon view if it isn’t already, and then double-click “Region.”
On the “Administrative” tab, click the “Copy settings” button.
The window that opens lets you copy the current language to the system account, which in turn will cause everything to show up in the language you choose. You also have an option to set the current language as default for new users. Just make sure that the display language for the currently logged-in user is the one you want to use everywhere. After setting your options, click “OK,” and then restart your PC.
Any subsequent accounts created will default to the new language. If any language settings don’t take effect immediately, always try logging in and logging out.
