How to Change Windows 10 Display Language Without Reinstalling the Operating System?

Read this article to find out how to change the language of Windows 10 interface without having to reinstall it, what system languages can be installed and what settings should be modified for that purpose.

Introduction

In Windows 10, people usually choose the preferred language for the entire operating system when they install it. However, if the language settings were wrong, or people have to use computing devices with certain language preferences, there are some settings to be modified in order to bring them in line with your personal likings.

So if you ever need to change language preferences in Windows 10, this can be done in a quick and easy way with the help of the Settings app and without having to reinstall the operating system.

In today’s article, we will show you how to change the default display language into any other, including doing it for new and existing user accounts.

How to change the default display language in Windows 10?

If you have to move to a different region or you need to use a display language different from the default choice, or the initial language settings for the computing device have been wrong, there is absolutely no point in reinstalling Windows 10. All you need is to modify a couple of system settings to enjoy the experience of using your operating system in the right language.

Disable language synchronization

If you are using a Microsoft account, the language settings will apply to all devices linked to such account. If you plan to change regional and language settings for one computer only, you need to disable synchronization of such settings before you proceed.

This is how you disable language sync in Windows 10.

Open the main system application, Settings. You can do it in any way you prefer. For example, click on the Start button in the lower left corner of your desktop, on the Taskbar, and open the main Windows menu. Use the scroll bar or the mouse wheel to search the list of all programs and applications installed on this computer and find the line Settings, or click on the Settings button in the left side of the user menu, and the application will open.

In the main Settings window, scroll down if necessary and choose the tab Accounts.

In the left panel, go to Sync your settings.

In the right panel, find the section Individual sync settings and the line Language preferences, then set the slider to the Off position (disabled).

When these steps are taken, you can start changing language settings for the copy of Windows 10 installed on this computer, without worrying that this can affect similar settings in other linked devices.

The steps to take if you want to change the display language

To change the display language of your Windows 10, you should close all running applications and do what is described below.

Use any method you prefer to open the Settings application. For example, right-click on the Start button that you can find on the Taskbar, in the left lower corner of the desktop, or press the key sequence Windows + X instead to open the context menu, and select the line Settings. The application will start immediately.

Use the scroll bar or the mouse wheel to navigate the Settings window, and find the tab Time and language.

In the left panel, go to Language.

Now look to the right and find the section Preferred languages, where you can prioritize language settings, and click on the button Add a preferred language, with a + (plus) symbol on it.

In the new window Choose a language to install use the scroll bar or the mouse wheel to find the language you need, or start typing its name in the search field above.

Choose the language pack you are planning to use in Windows 10 from the list.

When the language is chosen, hit Next.

In the next page Install language features check the box for Install language pack to confirm your choice (the box with the tick will become blue, i.e. active).

Click Install below.

Changes will take effect after the language package is installed, which usually takes several minutes only. In some cases, restarting your Windows 10 may be required, and then the corresponding language settings will apply to all system elements. The changes will affect the sign-in screen, the Settings app, Windows Explorer, desktop, all applications, preferred browsers and websites you visit. From now on, they will use the new language by default. Besides, Windows 10 may suggest reviewing your current privacy settings.

Changing region settings

If you change the display language for Windows 10 because you move to a different region, then regional settings should be modified too.

Changing them in Windows 10 is easy enough: just follow the steps below.

Open the main system application, Settings, using any way you prefer. For example, press the keyboard shortcut Windows + I to access the app directly.

In the main window of the Settings app, find and select the tab Time and language.

In the left panel, select Region.

In the right panel, find the section Region and use the nested menu Country or region to specify your new location if it differs from the current settings.

In the section Regional format use another nested menu to select proper formats to display date and time in Windows, if these differ for your time and region.

Now look at the left panel and jump to the tab Language again.

Use the scroll bar or the mouse wheel to find the section Related settings and click on the link Administrative language settings.

In the new pop-up Region window, jump to the tab Administrative and in the section Welcome screen and new user accounts hit the button Copy settings.

The new window will show you corresponding screen and account settings. In the section Copy your current settings to check the boxes for each option: Welcome screen and system accounts and New user accounts.

Click ОК one more time, and then restart the computer.

After all these steps, your computer will display proper regional settings specified according to your physical location.

Most of the time, people don’t change or install additional languages regularly for their personal needs. This opportunity to change language packs quickly is more often required in small or large companies that need to deal with customers having various language preferences.

Besides, this option would be useful for people who have to move to a different region and would like their regional settings to comply. Another scenario is buying a computer from another country when the required configuration is not available locally.

Also, you should remember that modifying language settings may disable some functions like Cortana because this service is not supported in certain regions.

Conclusion

Preferred display language is one of the easily customizable things in the operating system. If you ever need to change the language settings, use one of the methods described here to replace the language pack currently used by Windows 10 without having to reinstall it.

See the full article with all additional video tutorials. If you still have any questions, please ask in a comments. Also visit our Youtube channel, there are over 400 video tutorials.

change the language in windows 10 home single language or change the windows to windows 10 home

My windows upgraded to windows 10 home single language (Arabic) through Windows update and I need to change it English but I couldn’t .

What can I do to change it or change the windows to windows 10 home .

Thanks in advance

Replies (9) 

Thank you for posting the query in Microsoft Community.

I do understand your concern, however I suggest you to try the below steps and change the language.

Add a language. Select your desired language. That can be UK-English or US-English.

Make it default by clicking on it and choosing «set as default«. Go to options and download language pack.

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thank you for answering.

I tried what you said but when I go to the options of language I couldn’t download it. There is a massage (unavailable in this edition of windows)

Then, I made a factory reset to the PC and reinstalled the windows and the first think it asked for me is my language 🙂

but it went back to windows 8 (the first version).

So, my question now is

Is the update to windows 10 will come again to me or not .

Thanks in advance

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well. i just bought a new Dell and the single language came in portuguese. you were able to do a factory reset. in my case i do not know how to do that. now. what other option is available?? because the one offered above . does NOT WORK

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I have the same issue as «renzocarioca», my computer shows me «Windows 10 Home Edition Single Language», and I want it changed to be English (currently running on Portuguese).

In the language settings there is an option to download new language packages, but when I try doing so it states my version is single language and won’t let me download a new one, the option to downloading it is dimmed out.

Suppose I want it to be English only, how should I proceed with the change then? As it won’t allow me to download the English pack, should I firstly remove Portuguese and afterwards it would allow me to download the English pack? How would my Windows 10 behave if I remove it’s installed language package?

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Thank you for posting the query in Microsoft Community.

I do understand your concern, however I suggest you to try the below steps and change the language.

Add a language. Select your desired language. That can be UK-English or US-English.

Make it default by clicking on it and choosing «set as default«. Go to options and download language pack.

This doesn’t work for me.

The Windows 10 system tells me I cannot change the primary language. Which his strange.

I have checked with HP before buying a laptop (with Win 10 Home Chinese, no other version available here) and they were told by MS that UI language could be changed.

I also checked online myself prior to purchasing and the official statement from MS is here:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/language-packs#lptabs=win10

On the compare version page there is nothing mentioned about language:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-editions
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/WindowsForBusiness/Compare

It clearly says on the language pack page that any base language can change «Download and install additional languages for Windows 10 to view menus, dialog boxes, and other user interface items in your preferred language using the Language Control Panel.» and change to English.

Anyone from Microsoft care to comment? It seems that Microsoft AGAIN made all Windows versions not the same? Hiding differences and having different versions per sales channels.

I have already told HP to take the laptop back and cancel our order of 25 laptops if MS can’t fix this for them.

At least no one is laughing anymore at the office about my Macbook Air; that just asks me which language my OS should be when I open it up for the first time. (Apologies for this semi-rant, but I am also the one who is now dealing with this Win10 language BS in our company)