Using multiple languages

Watch a video about how to use Magnifier. (To view captions in your language, tap or click the Closed captioning button Closed Captioning button.)

By adding multiple languages, you can:

  • Choose the language that you want to see most often in Windows and in the apps you use.

  • Switch between the languages you use to type.

For Windows 8 and Windows RT, you'll be able to add and type in the languages that were in Windows 7. You might also be able to download a language pack in more than a 100 different languages.

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Add languages

First, you have to add the languages you want to use to your language list. You'll have to download and install a language pack if you want the language to be your PC's display language. If a language pack is available, you'll see Available for download next to the language in the language list.

To add languages

  1. Tap or click to open Language.

  2. Tap or click Add a language.

  3. Browse or use the search box to look for the language you want.

  4. Double-tap or double-click a language to add it to your list.

To download and install language packs

  1. Tap or click to open Language.

  2. Tap or click Options next to the language that says Available for download.

  3. In the dialog box, tap or click Download and install.

    If you want to make this your display language, see the section on "Set the Windows display language" later in the topic.

Switch between input methods

When you add a language to your language list, a keyboard is also added so you can type in that language. You can type in any of the languages you've added by quickly switching between keyboard layouts or input method editors (IMEs).

To switch input methods with a standard keyboard

  • Press the Windows logo key‌ Windows logo key +spacebar.

To switch input methods on a touchscreen

  1. On the touch keyboard or in the desktop taskbar, tap or click the abbreviation.

  2. In the input method list, tap or click the language you want to switch to.

Set the Windows display language

If a language can be set as the display language (that's the language you see most often in Windows and in the apps you use), you'll see Windows display language next to the language name.

To set the display language

  1. Tap or click to open Language.

  2. Tap or click the language that you want to set as your display language.

  3. Tap or click Move up until the language is at the top of the list.

  4. Sign out and then sign back in to finish.

Add a keyboard layout for a language

You can add a keyboard layout to a language and switch to using that if you want to use the same layout to type in different languages or don't want to use the default one that Windows provides.

To add a keyboard layout for a language

  1. Tap or click to open Language.

  2. Choose the language that you want to add a keyboard layout to, tap or click Options next to the language name, and then tap or click Add an input method.

  3. Browse the input method list or use the search box to look for the keyboard layout you want to use.

  4. Double-tap or double-click the keyboard layout, and then tap or click Save.

To make a keyboard your default keyboard

To set a keyboard as your default keyboard, follow these steps:

  1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.
    (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Search.)

  2. Enter language, choose Settings, and then tap or click Add a language.

  3. Tap or click Advanced settings.

  4. Under Override for default input method, choose the keyboard layout you'd like to be your default keyboard, and then tap or click Save.

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