Checking the language in Windows 7 primarily involves examining your display language settings, which also allows you to see and modify input methods and regional formats.
1. Checking Your Display Language
The display language determines the language used for menus, dialog boxes, help topics, and other items in Windows.
To check and potentially change your display language:
- Click the Start button (usually located in the bottom-left corner of your screen).
- In the Start Search box, type
Change display language. - From the search results, click on Change display language.
- In the window that appears, you will see a drop-down list under "Display language." The currently selected language in this list is your active display language.
- If you wish to change it, simply select the desired language from the drop-down list, and then click OK. You might be prompted to restart your computer for the changes to take full effect.
For more detailed information on managing display languages, you can refer to guides like this one on How-To Geek about changing Windows 7 display language.
2. Checking Input Languages and Keyboard Layouts
Input languages define the keyboard layouts and input methods available for typing text. You can have multiple input languages installed, allowing you to switch between them as needed.
To check and manage input languages:
- Click Start, then open Control Panel.
- Navigate to Clock, Language, and Region, then click on Region and Language.
- In the "Region and Language" window, go to the Keyboards and Languages tab.
- Click the Change keyboards... button.
- In the "Text Services and Input Languages" dialog box, you'll see a list of installed input languages and their associated keyboard layouts under the General tab. The language at the top of the list is usually your default.
3. Checking Regional Formats
Regional formats dictate how dates, times, numbers, and currency are displayed in Windows and various applications. While not a "language" in the same sense as display or input, it's an important aspect of localization.
To check your regional format settings:
- Click Start, then open Control Panel.
- Navigate to Clock, Language, and Region, then click on Region and Language.
- In the "Region and Language" window, go to the Formats tab.
- Here, you can see your current Format setting (e.g., English (United States), German (Germany)), which determines the display style for numbers, currency, time, and dates.
Summary of Language Settings Locations
For quick reference, here's a summary of where to find different language-related settings in Windows 7:
| Setting Type | How to Access | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Display Language | Start Menu Search: Type Change display language |
Controls the language of Windows menus, dialogs, and system messages. |
| Input Language | Control Panel > Region and Language > Keyboards and Languages tab > Change keyboards... | Manages keyboard layouts and input methods for typing in different languages. |
| Regional Format | Control Panel > Region and Language > Formats tab | Dictates how dates, times, numbers, and currency are displayed. |
By checking these different settings, you can gain a complete understanding of the language configurations on your Windows 7 system.
