Change which language you use

Change which language you use

You can use your desktop and applications in any of dozens of languages, provided you have the proper language packs installed on your computer

• Open the Activitiesoverview and start typing Region & Language.
• Click on Region & Language to open the panel.
• Click Language.
• Select your desired language. The initial list only shows a small subset of the supported languages.Some translations may be incomplete, and certain applications may not support your language at all. Any untranslated text will appear in the language in which the software was originally developed, usually American English.
• Respond to the prompt, Your session needs to be restarted for these changes to take effect by clicking Restart Now, or click X to restart later.

There are some special folders in your home folder where applications can store things like music, pictures, and documents. These folders use standard names according to your language. When you log back in, you will be asked if you want to rename these folders to the standard names for your selected language. If you plan to use the new language all the time, you should update the folder names.

Change the system language

When you change your language, you only change it for your account after you log in. You can also change the system language, the language used in places like the login screen.

• Open the Activities overview and start typing Region & Language.
• Click on Region & Language to open the panel.
• Click the Login Screen button.
• Click Language. Administrative privileges are required. Enter your password, or the password for the requested administrator account.
• Select your desired language. The initial list only shows a small subset of the supported languages.Some translations may be incomplete, and certain applications may not support your language at all. Any untranslated text will appear in the language in which the software was originally developed, usually American English.