Whether you’re switching your PC to your native language, setting it up for a family member, or need it to match a specific region for work, changing Windows’ display language takes just a few minutes — most of that time is simply waiting for the language pack to download.
Quick answer: Go to Settings > Time & language > Language & region, select Add a language, choose the one you want, and check Set as my Windows display language during setup. Select Install, then sign out and back in when prompted — Windows applies the new language across menus, settings, and system messages the moment you sign back in.
Below is the full process for Windows 11 and 10, the difference between display language, keyboard layout, and system locale (a distinction that trips a lot of people up), and fixes for the most common language-switching problems.
Display Language vs. Keyboard Layout vs. System Locale
These three settings are easy to confuse, but they each control something different.
| Setting | What It Changes | Where to Find It | How to Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display language | All Windows menus, Settings text, and system messages | Time & language > Language & region | Requires signing out |
| Keyboard layout | Physical key mapping only — no menu text changes | Language & region > Language options | Applies instantly |
| System locale | How older, non-Unicode apps and Command Prompt display text | Control Panel > Region > Administrative | Requires a full restart |
If your menus are in the right language but typing produces the wrong characters, the keyboard layout is what needs adjusting, not the display language — a very common mix-up.
How to Change the Display Language in Windows 11
1. Open Language Settings
Press Windows key + I to open Settings, select Time & language in the sidebar, then select Language & region.
2. Add Your New Language
Under Preferred languages, select Add a language. Type the language you want — either in English (like “French”) or its native name (like “Français”) — and select it from the results, then select Next.
3. Choose Language Features and Install
On the installation screen:
- Make sure Language pack is checked — without it, Windows adds the language to your list but won’t actually translate anything
- Check Set as my Windows display language to make this the active display language, not just an added option
- Speech and handwriting recognition are optional add-ons, worth checking only if you’ll actually use voice input or a stylus in that language
Select Install and wait for the download to complete — language packs typically range from around 200MB to just over 1GB, so the time varies with your connection speed.
4. Sign Out to Apply the Change
Once installation finishes, Windows will prompt you to sign out. Select Sign out, then sign back in — your entire interface now appears in the new language.
How to Change the Display Language in Windows 10
The process is nearly identical, with a slightly different menu layout.
- Open Settings > Time & Language > Language
- Under Preferred languages, select Add a language
- Search for and select your language, then select Next
- Check Install language pack and Set as my Windows display language, then select Install
- Once installed, confirm the correct language is selected in the Windows display language dropdown near the top of the page
- Sign out and back in to apply it
Reordering Preferred Languages
If you’ve added a new language but Windows is still displaying an older one, it may simply need to be moved to the top of your preferred languages list.
- Go back to Language & region
- Find your new language under Preferred languages
- Select the three-dot menu next to it and choose Move up until it sits at the top of the list
- Sign out and back in
Windows generally uses the topmost language in this list as its actual display language, so its position matters as much as whether it’s installed at all.
Changing the Language for Individual Apps and Browsers
Changing Windows’ display language doesn’t automatically change the language inside every app — browsers, in particular, manage this separately.
Microsoft Edge
- Select the three-dot menu and go to Settings > Languages
- Select Add languages, choose your language, and add it
- Select the three-dot menu next to it and choose Display Microsoft Edge in this language
- Restart the browser to apply the change
Google Chrome
- Select the three-dot menu and go to Settings > Languages
- Select Add languages, choose your language, and add it
- Select the three-dot menu next to it and choose Display Google Chrome in this language
- Restart the browser to apply the change
For Power Users: Changing Language via PowerShell
If you manage multiple PCs or prefer scripting the change instead of navigating Settings manually, PowerShell offers a faster path.
- Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin)
- Check your currently installed languages by running:
Get-WinUserLanguageList- Identify the language tag you want to set as primary (for example,
en-GBorfr-FR) - Set it as the system display language with a command similar to:
Set-WinUILanguageOverride -Language fr-FR- Sign out and back in to apply the change
This method is particularly useful in business or IT environments deploying a standard language configuration across multiple machines, rather than for everyday personal use.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
The Display Language Option Is Greyed Out
- Press Windows key + Pause/Break to open System information, and check the Edition listed under Windows specifications
- If it shows Windows 11 Home Single Language (or the Windows 10 equivalent), this is the cause — Single Language editions don’t support changing the display language without an edition upgrade
- Contact your device manufacturer or Microsoft about upgrading to the standard Home or Pro edition if you need this capability
The Interface Shows a Mix of Two Languages
This is a common, specific issue, particularly when switching to a language like Chinese or Japanese that requires different text rendering than the previous language.
- Press Windows key + R, type
control, and press Enter to open the classic Control Panel - Go to Clock and Region > Region
- Select the Administrative tab
- Select Change system locale, choose the matching locale for your new display language, and confirm
- Restart your PC to complete the change
The system locale controls how certain older, non-Unicode elements are rendered, and a mismatch between your display language and system locale is the most common cause of a partially translated interface.
Some Menus Are Still Showing English After Switching
- Go back to Language & region, select your new display language, and select the three-dot menu next to it
- Choose Language options
- Under related settings, check for a Download option for additional language updates, and install anything listed
- Restart your PC afterward
Not every UI element gets translated in the initial language pack download — occasional supplementary updates fill in remaining gaps over time.
The New Language Won’t Move to the Top of the List
If reordering doesn’t seem to stick, try removing the language entirely and re-adding it, making sure to check Set as my Windows display language during the reinstall rather than relying on manually reordering it afterward.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change the display language in Windows 11? Go to Settings > Time & language > Language & region, select Add a language, choose your language, check Set as my Windows display language, and select Install. Sign out and back in once installation completes to see the change take effect.
Do I need to restart my PC to change the display language? Signing out and back in is sufficient for the display language itself. A full restart is only required if you’re also changing the system locale, which affects how older, non-Unicode applications and Command Prompt display text.
Why is the display language option greyed out on my PC? This usually means you’re running a Single Language edition of Windows, which doesn’t support changing the display language without an edition upgrade. Checking your exact edition under System information (Windows key + Pause/Break) confirms this.
Why does my Windows interface show a mix of two languages after switching? This typically means your system locale doesn’t match your new display language. Changing the system locale under Control Panel > Region > Administrative > Change system locale, followed by a restart, usually resolves it.
Does changing the Windows display language also change my browser’s language? No, not automatically. Browsers like Microsoft Edge and Chrome manage their display language separately in their own settings, so you’ll need to add and select your language there as well if you want the browser interface translated too.
What’s the difference between display language and keyboard layout? Display language changes all the text shown throughout Windows — menus, settings, and system messages. Keyboard layout only changes how physical keys map to characters when typing, without affecting any menu text, and the two can be set independently of each other.
Can I change Windows’ display language using PowerShell instead of Settings? Yes. Running Set-WinUILanguageOverride with your target language tag from an administrator PowerShell window sets the display language directly, which is useful for scripting a consistent setup across multiple PCs rather than configuring each one manually.
Getting Windows set up the way you want often touches a few related settings. If text still looks too small or too large after switching languages, our guide on making text larger on screen in Windows covers that separately. And if you’re setting up a new PC for a family member alongside a language change, our guide on going passwordless with Windows Hello is worth doing at the same time for a smoother, more secure sign-in experience.