Change the Display Language in Windows 7

Microsoft's operating system supports over 30 languages

by
Gilberto Perera
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Former Lifewire writer Gilberto J. Perera is a PMP and Six Sigma professional with more than 15 years of technology education experience and editor-in-chief of GilsMethod.com.
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Gilberto Perera
Updated on May 03, 2021
reviewed by
Jessica Kormos
Jessica Kormos
Lifewire Tech Review Board Member
Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years' experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others.
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Article reviewed on Apr 26, 2020
Jessica Kormos

What to Know

  • Select Start > enter change display language in search box > Change display language > Keyboards and Languages.
  • Next, select Install/Uninstall Languages > Install display languages > select Browse or Launch Windows Update.
  • In Optional tab, choose languages to download. Return to Windows Update page > Install Updates.

This article describes how to change the default language on Windows 7 to any of the more than 30 available languages.

As of January 2020, Microsoft no longer supports Windows 7. We recommend upgrading to Windows 10 to continue receiving security updates and technical support. This article remains for archival purposes.

How to Download and Install Languages in Windows 7

To use languages other than the Windows default, you first need to download and install them from Microsoft.

  1. Select Start (Windows logo) to open the Start Menu.

    Selecting the Start Menu.

  2. Enter ​change display language in the Windows search box.

    Searching for change display settings.

  3. Select Change display language from the list of search results.

    Selecting Change Display languages.

  4. Select the Keyboards and Languages tab in the Region and Language window.

    Selecting Keyboards and languages.

  5. Select Install/Uninstall Languages.

    Selecting Install languages.

  6. Select Install display languages to download the language packs. You will be prompted to select the location of the language packs. Select Browse to find the files on your hard drive, or Launch Windows Update to download them from Microsoft.

    Selecting to install display languages.

  7. If you're downloading the language packs from Windows Update, select the X optional updates are available hyperlink (where X is the number of files you can download).

    Optional updates are highlighted.

  8. Under the Optional tab, check the languages you want to download, then select OK.

    Windows optional updates.

  9. Return to the Windows Update page and select Install Updates to begin downloading the language packs you chose from the list.

    Installing Windows updates.

  10. When your language packs finish downloading and are installed, return to the Region and Language dialog box and select the language you want from the drop-down menu under Choose a display language. Select OK to save the change.

    Selecting Install languages.

Once you set your display language, you might need to restart your computer before the changes take effect.

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