How to Change the Windows Language to Spanish

Change the Language in Windows 10

by | Mar 1, 2024 | Windows Tips and Resources

Learning a new tongue? Trying to explain how something in Windows works in a foreign tongue? It is easy to make Windows and most applications display everything in the language of your choice. Find out here how to change the language in Windows for the entire interface to Spanish or many another language.

First, Walking at Windmills

The land of the Dutch, we know, is filled with windmills: the mills have been used to mill grain, produce electricity, act as anchors in paintings, and claim land from the sea—to put more windmills on it, of course.

Windmills need wind, and so does a curious Dutch word: uitwaaien is an ingenious verb that, as Christopher J. Moore put it in his In Other Words, means “to walk in the wind for fun” (or, more prosaically, “to catch some fresh air”).

Now, do you want to change the Windows interface for fun, school, or business? It’s easy, and—provided the wind is not overly strong—we can do it outside. Let’s… uitwaaien!

How to Change the Windows Language to Spanish (English, Hebrew, Japanese, etc.)

Time needed: 5 minutes

To change the Windows 10 language and have Windows display menus, window titles, help and more in a different tongue:

  1. Click the Start button in Windows.

  2. Select Settings (it sports a gear icon).

    Search: Start typing settings to search for the Settings app.
    Windows keyboard shortcut: You can press Windows I to open Windows Settings directly.

  3. Open the Time & language category.

  4. Now go to Language & region.

    Windows 10: Go to the Language category.

  5. Select the language you want to use for the Windows interface and as a preference for applications, apps, and websites under Windows display language.

    New language: If the language you want to use for Windows is not yet listed, you can usually install it using a language pack. (See below.)
    Note: This will move the language to the top of the list under Preferred languages. If an application or web site, for example, is not available in the first language, Windows will try the second in the list, then the third and so on.
    Change the Windows language to Spanish: To change the language to Spanish, select Español (Estados Unidos), for instance.
    Change windows to Hebrew: For Hebrew as another example, choose עברית.
    “Sorting” the list: You cannot easily re-sort the list. What you can do is remove languages individually and add them back; each addition appears at the bottom.
    Select Spanish as the language for Windows

  6. Log out of Windows.

  7. Log back into Windows.

How to Add a New Language to Windows

To install a language pack for Windows 11 and Windows 10 (Version 20H2 and later):

  1. Open Language options in your Windows Settings. (See above.)
  2. Click Add a language under Preferred languages.
  3. Highlight the language you want to install.
    Search: You can search by the language’s native name or its English translation, often also by country.
    Example: Type español to find regional variations of Spanish (including Español (Estados Unidos) and Español (España)), for instance.
  4. Now click Next.
  5. Check Install language pack.
    Make it the language for the Windows interface: Check Set as my Windows display language to have Windows 10 use the new tongue for its interface.
    Handwriting: Optionally, check Handwriting as well to have Windows 10 recognize handwriting in the language.
  6. Now click Install.

Add a Language to Windows 10 Version 2004

To teach Windows 10 Version 2004 and its interface a new language:

  1. Open Local Experience Packs in the Microsoft Store application.
    Tip: Click Add a Windows display language in Microsoft Store in the language preferences pane.
  2. Pick the desired language.
    Tip: You can also use Microsoft Store search to find your language, of course; use something like <language> local experience pack to search.
  3. Click Get.
  4. Pick the selected language under Preferred language.
  5. Now click Install.

How to Change the Windows Language to Spanish (English, Hebrew, Japanese, etc.): FAQ

Can I change the version of Spanish (or German, Chinese…)?

Yes.

Microsoft typically offers language packs for various regions, dialects, creoles, pidgins, and variants.

Will changing the operating system language change the language on web sites?

Not necessarily. Many a browser has its own language preference settings:

(How to change the language in Windows tested with Windows 11 Version 22H2 and Windows 10 Version 21H1; updated March 2024)

Home » Windows Tips and Resources » How to Change the Windows Language to Spanish