How to Change the System Language on Windows 10

This article explains how to install a language, access language sync settings, and change your region on Windows 10.

How to Install a Language in Windows 10

To change the system default language, close all running applications first, and be sure to save your work. If you want to change the language only for one device, turn off language syncing first (see below for instructions).

1. Open Settings.

2. Click Time & Language.

3. Click Language.

4. Click the plus sign next to Add a language in the Preferred languages section. 

5. Search for your language or country name and select yours from the results.

6. Click Next.

7. Make sure there’s a check next to Install language pack and Set as my Windows display language. Optionally, check off Speech recognition, Text-to-speech, and Handwriting. Then click Install.

8. Click Yes, sign out now on the Windows alert.

9. When you sign back in, you’ll see the new system language in all Microsoft programs, including system settings and software like Word.

   To switch languages, go to the Languages settings page, open the drop-down menu, and select another language.

How to Disable Language Sync in Windows 10

If you want the language change to sync to other devices, you can skip this section. (Language syncing is on by default.)

1. Open Settings.

2. Click Accounts.

3. Click Sync your settings.

4. Toggle Off Language preferences.

How to Change Region Settings if You’ve Relocated

If you’re changing the Windows 10 system language because you’ve relocated, you should also change the region settings. When you do this, you can change the default currency, adjust the date and time format, and more. The Microsoft Store will also reflect local options.

1. Open Settings.

2. Click Time & Language.

3. Click Region.

4. Select a country or region from the drop-down menu at the top.

5. Select a regional format from the second drop-down menu if it doesn’t autofill.

6. Click Change date formats in the Regional format section to choose a calendar type and a date and time format. 

   After you change the regional format, the Settings app will switch to the associated language. In this example, it's Brazilian Portuguese, so it says Change data formats.

7. When you’ve finished making changes, hit the back arrow.

8. Click Additional date, time, & regional settings.

9. Click Region.

10. Go to the Administrative tab and click Change system locale under Language for non-Unicode programs. 

11. Select a language from the drop-down menu and click OK.

12. Click Cancel.

13. Click Copy settings.

14. Check Welcome screen and system accounts and New user accounts.

15. Click OK.

16. Click Close.

17. Click Restart now (you can also hit Cancel and restart later if you prefer) to save your new region settings.