Windows 10: Language - Add, Remove, and Change in Windows 10

I have a question related to languages, under Start Menu -> Settings -> Manage Optional Features, one can add language related things like OCR, text to speech, voice recognition, handwriting but how and where does one use it?

 

In your screenshots when installing the Swedish language, there is a "SWE" sign at the taskbar towards the right. Mine has disappeared and I am unsure of how to switch to other languages, how can I get that bar back on the taskbar again?

 

I'm having some troubles with this. At first I set Windows up with one language. Later I changed it completely (which was not easy, to change it also for default users and the logon screen).
But some parts are still appearing in the old language: when using the search bar in the taskbar, for instance, to search settings, they appear in the old language and not in the new one. When I try to enter clicking there there's on action, I guess because it can't find the route properly. How can I update or change the language of that, without having to create a new user and set up everything again?
It seems so stupid that it's so hard to change the language of the OS, having to go through several screens and different menus...

 

Well, I also rebuilt the index and now some of the links work, but they are still in the same language.
Any way to change completely the language without having to create a new user???

 

HI every one! just registered. I have been having a problem with the keyboard languages in task bar. that is Arabic language been added there and I have deleted it over 30 times but every time I restart the system it just springs up again outta nowhere. I've tried control panel but it's just doesn't look right. and I've also checked for programs that might have installed it automatically but there is no program in the list. is there anyway to delete a language pack other than control panel?

 

Ok - this is a common problem.

I am assuming you have English US installed, but same works for any language.

Go to Settings, Time and Language, Region and Language.

It should display your default language (say English US)

I am now assuming you can read arabic here. It is tricky if you do not.
Now add arabic language

Set it as default, and click options

At next menu, add English US keyboard, then delete arabic keyboard.

Then go back up to main language, page, set English US as default, and then delete arabic language.

If you cannot read arabic, you could practice with another language to get key strokes correct. Fortunately when selecting keyboard, it displays in native language as well.

 

no I can't read Arabic.....but I'll try this. I HOPE THIS WORKS

 

Hi everyone--newby--first post. Not very Computer savvy--silver surfer.
I'm British, live in Germany. I'm looking to buy a new Laptop /Notebook, but naturally all here have German Language Windows 10 Home pre-installed. I'm presently running Windows 7 Ultimate on a very old Vaio Laptop. Reading the info on changing the language brings me to ask --does that change the complete installed version language? I would want to change it from German to English UK but with Germany remaining the Location,--and would the change affect the language of the installed Drivers?
All advice very welcome. Thanks.

 

Hi Mac, welcome to Ten Forums.

An expat myself sharing adopted home country Germany with you, I am in same situation whenever it's time to get new PC. My solution is simple: because I do not like the way PC manufacturers bloat Windows with useless third party software (test this antivirus, free 30 day trial of that fabulous app and so on), I bring the PC home from shop, boot it once to do setup and get Windows activated, and directly after it's activated do a reinstall.

Once activated I download English or one of my native languages Finnish and Swedish Windows 10 ISO image, create a USB install media of it and reboot from that USB install media doing a fresh, clean install of Windows 10 in my selected language without any of this so called bloatware. As Windows 10 licenses are digital based on machine's hardware signature, a once activated Windows 10 will be automatically activated when re-installed with any legal and valid install media. A product key will be asked during the clean install but I select "Do this later" and install without key; once Windows boots to desktop it contacts the activation servers, gets the digital license and activates.

Windows 10 licenses (product keys) are language independent, you can activate German Windows 10 Home once and thereafter clean install whatever other language Windows 10 Home on that same machine using same digital license, or you can buy a boxed version of French Windows 10 PRO when in Paris, come home and use the product key from the box to install Italian Windows 10 PRO.

Drivers work regardless of the OS language. When clean installing, Windows 10 is extremely good to download and install correct drivers. I cannot remember when was the last time that after a clean install I have had to install a missing driver manually.

Only minor issue is physical layout of the keyboard, read this post about using physical keyboard which does not match your selected input language: Solved Using PC with European keyboard with US version of Windows - Windows 10 Forums

The above is my recommendation. That being said, if you decide to keep the German Windows, a UK English language pack when applied turns a user account completely to UK English. Notice that the best of language packs is that they can be applied individually to each user account. I myself have most of my computers set up with four user accounts for myself, one in Finnish, Swedish, English and German. I can select the language I want to use Windows today from sign in screen simply selecting corresponding user account.

Windows display language, the language used by user interface changeable with a language pack has nothing to do with by user selected input language or selected location. You can keep location as Germany, or do like me setting my Finnish user accounts location to Finland, Swedish accounts to Sweden and so on.

Some useful tutorials:

• Windows 10 ISO Download - Windows 10 Forums
• USB Flash Drive - Create to Install Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums
• Windows 10 - Clean Install - Windows 10 Forums
• Microsoft Account - Link to Digital License on Windows 10 PC - Windows 10 Forums

 

Have seen various methods for changing Installed Language to Language of preference--so thought I'd check it out with HP.
This is their version:-
Windows 10 currently has five language options that are available.

1. English
2. French
3. Spanish
4. German
5. Japanese

Regardless of the default language, you can select the language of your choice either when first booting up the PC or later on in the control panel.

Follow these steps.

Interface Language:

Start -> Settings -> Time and Language -> Region and Language -> Add a language (if your preferred language is not displayed) -> Download the language pack (don't know all the word for this, but just download everything) -> go back to Region and Language -> click on the installed language -> Set Default (first button from left to right) -> Log off -> Log on -> should work now

System Language:

Start -> Settings -> Time and Language -> Region and Language ->Additional date, time & regional settings -> now you should be in a window called Clock, Language & Region (the same as in Windows 7,8,etc) -> Change date,time, or number formats -> now a new window will appear called Region -> Administrative -> Copy settings from the "Welcome screen and new accounts" section -> Copy your current settings to "Welcome screen and new accounts" -> Ok -> Restart, and the changes are applied.

 

That's the normal method, as told in this tutorial. My a bit lengthy post was to offer an alternative, completely discard German and reinstall using English install media.

That is of course a viable option only if you want English to be the main language of that computer. You can then install a German language pack for occasional need of German Windows.

 

How do I completely get rid of a installed language as this is what happens in my case under Windows 10 Home x64 with Fall Creators Update:

1) This is what it looks like now:




2) I click on options for the Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong SAR) which shows:




3) As there is nothing to remove, I click on Cancel which brings me back to:




4) I click on Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong SAR) so it is highlighted and then Remove:




5) You would think it was removed but when I refresh the page:



which is also confirmed with:




I noticed that with Start Menu/Settings/Apps/Manage Optional Features, it does show:




All of the Chinese (Hong Kong SAR) * entries have only a Manage button which when clicked opens:



Chinese (Traditional) Supplemental Fonts has a uninstall button and when I click on it, it does uninstall and this is what the page shows afterwards even after closing and opening it again:




From another website, it says one can run lpksetup /u from a admin command prompt which shows this:




I am actually trying to get this done as I am trying to troubleshoot Cortana's search box responding slowly which cam either accept the input or it will take forever before what I type shows up whenever I have NJStar Communicator from NJStar Communicator Version 3.30 | NJStar Software running but without NJStar running, Cortana's search will work fast. NJStar Support is unable to reproduce the problem so not sure if it might be the built-in language support in Windows 10 that might be causing the problem or not. I have already completely resetted Cortana using the instructions here:
SOLVED: Video: How To Hard Reset or Remove Cortana In Windows 10 - Up & Running Technologies Calgary

Thanks for any help in advance!