How to change the Windows language in Windows 11 and 10

Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10. You need an internet connection to download the language, and an administrator account.

Change the language in Windows 11

1. Open Settings (Win + I) and go to Settings > Time & language > Language & region.
2. Next to Preferred languages, select Add a language.
3. Type the language name, choose the exact variant you want (for example English (United Kingdom) or Español (México)) and select Next.
4. Tick Set as my Windows display language. Leave Language pack ticked; the speech and handwriting options are optional.
5. Select Install and wait for the download to finish.
6. When prompted, select Sign out, then sign back in. Menus, Settings and built-in apps now use the new language.

If the language is already installed, you don’t need to add it again. Just pick it from the Windows display language list at the top of the Language & region page and sign out.

Change the language in Windows 10

1. Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language.
2. Under Preferred languages, select Add a language, choose one and select Next.
3. Tick Set as my Windows display language, select Install, then sign out and back in when it’s done.

Already installed languages appear in the Windows display language list at the top of the same page.

Change the sign-in screen and new users too

The steps above change the language for your account only. The sign-in screen, system messages and any new user accounts keep the old language until you copy your settings to them:

1. In Settings > Time & language > Language & region, select Administrative language settings (on Windows 10, it’s under Related settings). The classic Region window opens.
2. On the Administrative tab, select Copy settings.
3. Tick Welcome screen and system accounts and New user accounts, then select OK and restart.

On the same tab, Change system locale sets the language used by older programs that don’t support Unicode. Change it only if an older app shows garbled characters, because it affects every user.

Region, keyboard and app languages

• Date, time and number formats: in Settings > Time & language > Language & region, set Country or region and Regional format. These are separate from the display language, so you can use English menus with local date formats.
• Keyboard layout: select … next to a language, then Language options > Add a keyboard. Switch layouts with Win + Space.
• Remove a language: select … next to it, then Remove. You can’t remove the current display language until you switch to another one.
• Microsoft Office: Office follows Windows by default, but you can change it in Word, Excel or Outlook under File > Options > Language.
• Microsoft Teams: Teams has its own language setting; see spell check and languages in Teams.

Change the language with PowerShell

On Windows 11, you can install and switch languages from an administrator PowerShell or Terminal window. Use the language tag, such as fr-FR, de-DE or en-GB:

Install-Language fr-FR
Set-SystemPreferredUILanguage fr-FR

Install-Language downloads the language pack and features; Set-SystemPreferredUILanguage makes it the default for the whole PC. Restart afterwards. To check what’s installed, run Get-InstalledLanguage. These commands come from the LanguagePackManagement module, which isn’t available on every Windows 10 version, so use Settings there.

“Only one language pack allowed” and other problems

• “Only one language pack allowed” or “Your Windows license supports only one display language”: the PC runs Windows Home Single Language, common on laptops sold in some countries. Check in Settings > System > About under Edition. You can still add keyboards and other input languages, but changing the display language needs an upgrade to standard Home or Pro; see how to upgrade Windows Home to Pro. A clean install with a Single Language key installs that edition again.
• Add a language is greyed out: on a work or school PC, your organisation may control languages through policy. Ask your IT team.
• The download is stuck or fails: check that Windows Update works and isn’t paused, then restart and try again. Metered connections can block optional downloads, so turn off Metered connection for your network while it installs.
• Some text is still in the old language: sign out and back in (or restart). Some app names and older Control Panel pages aren’t fully translated in every language, and the sign-in screen needs the copy settings step.

Changing the display language doesn’t change your user name. To change that, see how to change your user name in Windows.

Related guides

• Spell check on Teams: turn it on, add languages and fix it
• How to upgrade Windows 10 Home to Pro (3 ways)
• How to change user name in Windows 10 (local or Microsoft account)

Official sources: for more detail, see Microsoft’s own pages:

• Microsoft Support: Manage the language and keyboard/input layout settings in Windows
• Microsoft Learn: LanguagePackManagement PowerShell module

Frequently asked questions

Will changing the language delete my files or apps?

No. It only changes the language of menus and built-in apps. Your files, settings and installed programs stay as they are.

Is changing the Windows language free?

Yes. Language packs are free downloads for standard Home, Pro and higher editions. Only Single Language editions need a paid upgrade to switch.

Why did my language change by itself on another PC?

If you sign in with a Microsoft account, Windows can sync language preferences between PCs. You can turn that off under the backup or sync settings in Settings > Accounts.

Can I go back to the original language?

Yes. Pick it again from the Windows display language list and sign out. The original language stays installed unless you removed it.