How to Change the Display Language in Windows 7

Switch to a different language using Windows Update

Change the display language in Windows 7 to access your native tongue.

 Windows 7

by Gilberto Perera
Updated August 07, 2018

If you live in an English-speaking country and purchased a PC at your local retailer or online, chances are you are running an English version of Windows.

If your native language is something other than English, you can change the display language in Windows 7 to one of the more than 30 languages supported by Microsoft's operating system.

01
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Setting the Region and Language in Windows 7

Screenshot, Windows 7

To use languages other than the default installed in Windows, you need to download them from Microsoft and then install the language pack for the language you wish to use.

  1. To get started, click Start (Windows logo) to open the Start Menu.
  2. When the Start Menu opens, enter ​change display language in the Windows search box.
  3. A list of search results will appear in the Start menu. Click Change display language on the list.
  4. The Region and Language window opens. Select the Keyboards and Languages tab.
  5. Click the Install/Uninstall Languages... button.
02
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Install Additional Language Packs From Windows Update

 Screenshot, Windows 7

  1. The Install or uninstall display languages wizard appears prompting you to Install display languages or Uninstall display languages.
  2. Click Install to download the language packs.
  3. You then are prompted to select the location of the language packs with two options, Launch Windows Update or Browse computer or network.

If you don't already have the language pack you need stored on your PC, click Launch Windows Update to download the latest language packs direct from Microsoft.

03
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Use Windows Update Optional Updates to Download Language Packs

 Screenshot, Windows 7

When you select the Launch Windows Update option, the Windows Update window appears. Windows Update is used to download updates, security patches, language packs, drivers, and other features direct from Microsoft.

Two types of updates are usually available from Windows Update: updates that are important and should be downloaded right away and those that are optional and not critical.

The language packs are the latter—noncritical optional updates—so you need to manually select the language pack you want to use to download it from Windows Update.

Click the # optional updates are available link. The # refers to the number of optional updates that are available for download.

04
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Select Language Packs to Download and Install

 Screenshot, Windows 7

The Select updates to install page loads with a list of available updates that are Important and Optional.

  1. Select the Optional tab.
  2. Choose the language you want to use by adding a check next to the language pack on the list in the Windows 7 Language Packs section.
  3. Once the language packs are selected, click OK.
05
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Language Packs With Download and Install

 Screenshot, Windows 7

Return to the Windows Update page where you click the Install Updates button to begin downloading the language packs you selected from the list. When the language packs are downloaded and installed, they are available for use.

06
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Select the Display Language You Want to Use

Select display language Windows 7
Select new display language in Windows 7.

 Screenshot, Windows 7

When you return to the Region and Language dialog box, select a language you just downloaded from the Choose a display language drop-down.

After you select the language, click OK to save the change.

For the new display language to be active, you must first log off from your computer. When you log back in, the display language you selected is active.