Where to find the language settings in Word
Open Word and go to File in the top left corner. Click Options at the bottom of the menu. In the Options window, select Language from the list on the left side. You will see three sections: Office Language Preferences, Authoring Languages, and Display Language.
The section you need depends on what you want to change. If you want Word itself to appear in a different language — the menus, buttons, and help text — that is the Display Language section. If you want to change the language that Word uses to check your spelling and grammar as you type, that is the Authoring Languages section.
Key Takeaways
- Display Language changes what language Word's menus and buttons appear in, found under File > Options > Language.
- Authoring Languages sets which language Word uses for spell-check and grammar suggestions while you write.
- You can set different authoring languages for different documents, or change the default for all new documents.
- Some language packs must be downloaded from Microsoft before you can use them in Word.
- If a language does not appear in your list, your version of Office may not support it, or you may need to install it from Windows Settings.
Changing the display language for Word's menus and buttons
In the Display Language section, you will see a dropdown menu. Click it to see which languages are available on your computer. Select the language you want, then click Set as Preferred. Word will ask you to restart the program for the change to take effect.
If the language you want does not appear in the dropdown, it may not be installed on your computer. You can install additional display languages through Windows Settings. Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region, click Add a Language, and choose the one you need. Once Windows installs it, it will appear in Word's display language list.
Keep in mind that changing the display language affects only Word. Your other Microsoft Office programs — Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook — will still show in their original language unless you change them separately through their own Options menus.
Setting the authoring language for spell-check and grammar
The Authoring Languages section controls which language Word uses when it checks your spelling and grammar. Click Set as Default next to the language you want to use for all new documents you create going forward.
If you want to change the language for a document you are already working on, you do not need to go back to Options. Instead, select all the text in your document with Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac), then go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language. Choose your language and click OK. Word will now check spelling and grammar in that language for the entire document.
You can also set different languages for different parts of the same document. Select only the text you want to change, then go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language and choose a different language. This is useful if you are writing a document that mixes English and Spanish, for example.
Installing language packs you do not see in the list
Some languages require you to read and install a language pack before Word can use them. If you do not see a language in either the Display Language or Authoring Languages list, check whether it is available through Microsoft.
Go to File > Options > Language and look for a link that says Get More Office Languages or similar. This will take you to the Microsoft Office Language Packs page, where you can read the language you need. After you read and install it, restart Word and the language will appear in your lists.
Alternatively, you can install languages through Windows Settings. Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region > Add a Language, find the language you want, and let Windows install it. This makes the language available to all programs on your computer, not just Word.
Changing the language for a single document without changing your defaults
If you only want to change the language for one document and keep your default settings the same, select all the text with Ctrl+A. Then go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, choose the language you want, and click OK. This changes only that document.
When you create a new document or open an existing one, it will go back to using your default language. The change you made applies only to the document you were working on. This approach is faster if you occasionally write in a different language but do not want to change your permanent settings.
Troubleshooting when your language does not appear
If a language you need is not showing up anywhere, the first step is to check whether your version of Office supports it. Some languages are available only in certain editions of Office 365 or Office 2021. Check the Microsoft Office system requirements page to see which languages your version includes.
If your version should support the language, try installing it through Windows Settings first. Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region > Add a Language, search for the language, and install it. Then restart Word and check whether it appears in your language lists.
If it still does not appear, your Office installation may need to be repaired. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & Features, find Microsoft Office in the list, click it, and select Modify. Choose Quick Repair first. If that does not work, try Online Repair, which takes longer but fixes more problems. Restart Word after the repair completes.
Switching between languages while you work
You do not have to change your default language to write in a different one occasionally. If you have multiple languages installed, you can switch between them while typing. On Windows, press Windows Key + Space to cycle through your installed input languages. On Mac, go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Input Sources and enable the languages you want, then use Control + Space to switch.
When you switch your input language, your keyboard layout changes to match — so if you switch to Spanish, your keyboard will produce Spanish characters. Word will also use the spell-checker for that language. This is faster than changing the document language if you are only typing a few words or sentences in another language.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing the display language affect my documents?
No. Changing the display language only changes what language Word's menus and buttons appear in. Your documents themselves stay exactly the same. The text you have written will not change, and the document will open in the same language on any other computer.
Can I have Word show menus in one language and check spelling in another?
Yes. The display language and the authoring language are separate settings. You can have Word's menus in English while it checks your spelling in French, or any other combination. Change them independently in File > Options > Language.
What happens if I set a language that is not installed on my computer?
Word will not let you set a language that is not installed. If you try to select one that is not available, you will see a message telling you to install it first. Go to Windows Settings or the Microsoft Office Language Packs page to read it before you can use it in Word.
Do I need to change the language in Excel and PowerPoint separately?
Yes. Each Office program has its own language settings. Changing the language in Word does not affect Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook. You will need to go to File > Options > Language in each program to change its display or authoring language.
Can I write a document that uses two languages at once?
Yes. Select the text in the first language, go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language, and choose that language. Then select the text in the second language and set its proofing language separately. Word will check spelling and grammar correctly for each section.