How to change the system language across your whole Windows 10 PC

You computer has a default system-wide language set in Windows 10, but you don't have to be stuck with it if your needs are different. With Windows 10 you can set the language settings for single accounts through the Settings app, but what about setting it for all accounts, the Lock Screen, and everywhere else on your PC? For that you'll need the Control Panel.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to properly change the default language across on your entire computer.

How to change the language globally on your PC

Before we dive into this guide, it's important to note that if you're using a Microsoft Account, this preference will sync across devices. If you only want to change settings on one particular computer, you should go to Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings and turn off the Language preferences option.

1. Use the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app.
2. Click Time & language.
3. Click Region & language.
4. Under Languages, click Add a language.
   
5. Click the language you want to add, and select the specific variation if applicable.
   
6. Select the new language and click Options (and download any the language packs as necessary).
   
7. On Region & language, select the new language, and click Set as default.
   
8. If applicable, under Country or region, select your location to enable the Windows 10 to give you local content.
9. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Control Panel.
10. Click Add a language.
11. Click the Advanced settings link in the left pane.
    
12. Click the "Apply language settings to the Welcome screen, system accounts, and new user accounts."
    
13. On the Administrative tab, under the "Welcome screen and new user accounts", click the Copy settings button.
    
14. Check the Welcome screen and system accounts and the New user accounts options.
15. Click OK.
    
16. Click OK again.
17. Reboot your computer and upon restart, you should see the new default language globally set through the operating system.

You'll find this feature especially useful when you work on a mixed-language environment where you need to configure workstations with different preferences to accommodate users. In addition, this feature will help in those times when you happen to purchase a new computer that ships from another country with a different language, or even when you move to another region of the world and you want to change your PC preferences to match the local settings.

How to Change the Display Language in Windows 7

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 7.
However, if you're native language is something other than English, this guide will show you how to change the display language in Windows 7 to one of the 30+ languages supported by Microsoft's latest operating system.
We used Windows 7 Ultimate for this guide, but the instructions apply to all Windows 7 editions.

Setting the Region & Language in Windows 7

1. To get started, click the Start (Windows Logo) button to open the Start Menu.
2. When the Start Menu opens, enter "change display language" without the quotes, in the Windows search box.
3. A list of search results will appear in the Start menu, click Change display language from the list.
4. The Region and Language window will appear. Make sure that the Keyboards and Languages tab is active.
5. Click the Install/Uninstall Languages... button.

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

Install Additional Language Packs from Windows Update

The Install or uninstall display languages wizard will appear prompting you to Install display languages or Uninstall display languages.
Click Install to download the language packs.
You will then be prompted to select the location of the Language packs with two options, Launch Windows Update or Browse computer or network.
Unless you have a language pack stored on your PC, click Launch Windows Update to download the latest language packs direct from Microsoft.

Use Windows Update Optional Updates to Download Language Packs

When you select the Launch Windows Update option, the Windows Update window will appear.
Note: Windows Update is used to download updates, security patches, language packs, drivers and other features direct from Microsoft.
There are two types of updates that are usually available from Windows Update, those that are important and should be downloaded right away and those that are optional, which are not critical.
The language packs fall on the latter, non-critical optional updates, so you will need to manually select the language pack you wish to use to download it from Windows Update.
Click the # optional updates in the available link (the # refers to the number of optional updates that are available for download).

Select Language Packs to Download & Install

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

1. Make sure that the Optional tab is active.
2. Select the language you wish to use by adding a checkmark next to the language pack on the list from the Windows 7 Language Packs section.
3. Once the language packs are selected, click OK.

Language Packs with Download & Install

You will return to the Windows Update page where you will click the Install Updates button to begin downloading the language packs you selected from the list.
Once the language packs ​are downloaded and installed they will be available for use.

Select the Display Language You Wish to Use

Select new display language in Windows 7.

When you return to the Region and Language dialog box, select the languages you just downloaded from the Choose a display language drop-down.
Once you select the language, click OK to save the changes.
In order for the new display language to become active, you will need to log off from your computer. Once you log back in, the display language you selected should be active.