A different Windows system language is particularly helpful if other family members or friends use the computer or laptop and want to do so in a different language. You can set the system language via the control panel. In this guide, we explain how you can change the Windows language.

If you install the German Windows operating system version, German is the default Windows system language. But how can you set a different Windows operating system language and how can you install an additional language pack?

Change Windows language

But how do you change the language on Windows? Depending on the Windows operating system version, such as Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10, this works in different ways. The Windows system language can be found under the system settings and can only be changed there. If you change the Windows system language, the labels in the menu and the software on the Windows computer are displayed in the selected language. In an emergency, always note how you get to the control panel and the menu for changing the Windows language. In the following we will explain how you can set the language for the various Windows operating system versions. In Windows versions 8 and 10, changing the Windows language has been greatly simplified. You can’t change the system language in Windows 7 that easily. But it also works there.

Change Windows 10 language

If you want to change the language in Windows 10, you have two options to get to the language settings. Click on the Windows logo at the bottom left of the screen and now write “Control Panel”. The app will then appear in the overview. Alternatively, you can also type the word “Control Panel” directly into the “Search Windows” field – the same thing happens.
Now open the “Control Panel” desktop app. Then click on “Add language” under “Time, language and region” on the right. You get to the language settings menu and here you can set the default language, add a new language or remove an installed language. To add a new Windows language, click on “Add language” and select the new Windows language. However, once you’ve added the new system language for Windows, you still need to download it. You can download the new Windows language from the “Options” that can be seen to the right of the added language. After clicking on “Options” simply select “Download and install language pack”. After that, the new system language for Windows is installed and you can use it.

The options can be used to remove languages ​​installed in Windows 10 and set them as default.

This YouTube video also shows you how to change the language in Windows 10:

Change Windows 8 language

If you want to change the Windows 8 language, proceed similarly to Windows 10. In Windows 8, however, you get to the desired menu item in the Control Panel differently. If you want to call up the Windows 8 Control Panel, call up the search function by scrolling the mouse pointer to the right edge of the display. A menu will then appear there in which you can now, as with Windows 10, search for and call up the control panel if you enter “Control Panel” in the search field. In Windows 8, too, click on “Add language” and this will take you to the menu described above. Instructions for changing the language in Windows 8 are described in the article Change system language. Or you can watch how to change the language in Windows 8 in this video guide:

You can find out how to change the language in Windows 10 in our guide.

Change Windows 7 language

To be able to change the Windows 7 language, you need the Windows 7 Ultimate operating system version. In the Windows 7 Ultimate version, you can change the system language using so-called language packs. These language packs are not available in any other Windows 7 version than in the Windows 7 Ultimate operating system version. If you want to change the language in Windows 7, you also need to go through the Control Panel. However, the names for the menu items in Windows 7 are different.
Proceed as follows:

• In the Windows 7 Control Panel, click on “Clock, Language and Region”.
• Then select “Language and region”.
• Now select “Install or uninstall display languages” and select the option to install another system language for Windows 7.
• After that, go to Windows Updates, select “optional updates” and see what languages ​​are available.
• Select and download the required system language. The downloaded language pack can now be activated under “Language and region” / “Change display languages”.

If you don’t know what to do with a Windows problem, please contact a PC-SPEZIALIST local partner. We will advise you on the Windows settings options via the Control Panel and on other important Windows features.