How to Change the Display Language in Vista
INFO: The display language is the language that Vista uses in wizards, dialog boxes, menus, Help and Support topics, and other items in the user interface. This will show you how to install or uninstall a language pack, and how to change the display language in
Vista Ultimate and
Enterprise.
NOTE: For Vista editions other than Ultimate and Enterprise, you can use the free program
Vistalizator instead to change the display language. See:
Free Software List for Vista
RELATED LINKS:
1. How to Change the Keyboard Input Language in Vista
2. How to Uninstall a Windows Update in Vista
EXAMPLE: BEFORE and AFTER Display Language Change
Before.jpgAfter.jpg
STEP ONE:
Install or Uninstall a Language Pack in Windows Update :
OPTION ONE: How to Install the Language Pack(s)
NOTE: You must have a language pack installed to be able to change the display language in STEP TWO below.
1. Open the Control Panel (Classic View).
2. Click on
Windows Update.
3. Click on
Check for updates in the upper right corner. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This may take a moment to finish.
4. Click on
View available updates.
Windows_Update.jpg
5. Check the
language pack(s) you want for your display language and click
Install. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Example, the Spanish Language Pack.
6. Click
Continue for the UAC prompt.
View_Available_Updates.jpg
7. You will now see this as the language pack(s) is
downloading and
installing. (See screenshots below)
NOTE: This will take some time to finish depending on how many language packs you selected. This example took around 20 minutes.
Downloading_Updates.jpgInstalling_Languages.jpg
8. When finished you will see this screenshot below.
9. Close Windows Update.
Successfully_Installed.jpg
OPTION TWO: How to Uninstall the Language Pack(s)
1. Open the Control Panel. (Classic View)
2. Click on the
Regional and Language Options icon.
3. Click on the
Keyboards and Languages tab. (See screenshot below)
4. Click on the
Install/uninstall languages button.
5. Click
Continue for the UAC prompt.
Install_Uninstall.jpg
6. Click on
Remove languages. (See screenshot below)
Remove_Languages.jpg
7. Check the
language pack(s) you want to uninstall and click
Next. (See screenshot below)
Uninstall_Language.jpg
8. Click
Remove to confirm uninstalling the language pack. (See screenshot below)
Confirm_Remove.jpg
9. You will now see this screenshot below.
NOTE: This will take a bit to finish.
Removing_Languages.jpg
10. When finished, click
Restart now. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: It will take a bit to finish restarting as Vista is Configuring updates.
Finished_Restart.jpg
STEP TWO:
How to Change the Display Language :
1. Open the Control Panel. (Classic View)
2. Click on the
Regional and Language Options icon.
3. Click on the
Keyboards and Languages tab. (See screenshot below)
4. Click on the
Choose a display language drop down arrow and select a display language.
5. Click
OK.
Choose_Language.jpg
6. Click
Log off now. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You will be taken to the logon screen.
Logoff.jpg
7. Log back on to this user account.
NOTE: The display language is now changed.
8. You will now notice the
Language Bar on the taskbar. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This is for the Keyboard Input Language. To see how to use and remove this langauge bar, see:
How to Change the Keyboard Input Language in Vista
Language_Bar.jpg
That's it,
Shawn