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To change the language of Word’s menus, use the setting that controls the app’s interface: Office display-language preferences on Windows, your operating system’s language on Mac and mobile, or the hosting service’s language settings in Word for the web. These controls are separate from the language Word uses for writing and spell-checking.
Before you start: identify which language you want to change
Microsoft describes three separate language settings in Office: display, authoring or editing, and proofing. Display language changes menus, buttons, and other controls. Authoring language applies to composing content and can affect text direction and layout. Proofing language controls language-specific spelling and grammar tools. Changing one does not necessarily change the others.
Change Word’s menu language on Windows
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Open Word and select File > Options > Language.
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Under Office display language, select the language you want and choose Set as Preferred.
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If the language is not listed, choose Add a Language, follow the prompts, then return to the display-language list and set it as preferred.
The display-language preference changes Office’s interface, including ribbons, buttons, and dialog boxes. Adding a language only for authoring does not necessarily change the menus. Language availability depends on your Office language version and installed resources; Microsoft’s language-preference guidance explains the options, including the Office Language Accessory Pack for supported display and proofing resources.
Change Word’s menu language on Mac
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Open System Settings > General > Language & Region.
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Move the language you want to use to the top of the preferred-language list.
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Restart Office so it can use the updated system language.
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Office for Mac derives its interface language from the primary macOS language. Microsoft’s instructions may show the older name System Preferences for this area. Word’s editing language is separate; set it in Word for Mac using Tools > Language. Microsoft says Office for Mac includes its available languages and does not require an additional language download for this interface setting.
Change Word’s menu language on iPhone, iPad, or Android
Word’s interface on iOS and Android follows the language set on the device. Open the device’s settings and change its language there; the exact path depends on the device and operating-system version. Proofing language is a separate Word setting, with distinct procedures for iPhone, iPad, and Android in Microsoft’s Office language instructions.
Change Word for the web’s menu language
Word for the web generally follows the language preference of the service hosting the document, such as OneDrive or SharePoint. Check that service’s language settings. For a personal Microsoft account, Microsoft also points to the preferred display-language setting in the account profile. The web app’s proofing language is separate: select Review > Editor > Set Proofing Language. Microsoft’s cross-platform instructions cover these settings.
If Word still shows the old language
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Windows: Return to File > Options > Language and confirm the language is under Office display language and set as preferred. An authoring-language selection alone may not change the interface.
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Mac or mobile: Check the operating system’s preferred-language order or device language. Office uses that setting for its interface.
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Word for the web: Check the host service’s language preference and, for a personal account, the Microsoft account profile’s display-language setting.
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Spell-checking is still in the wrong language: Change the authoring or proofing language rather than the display language. In Word for the web, select existing text before changing proofing language if the change should apply to that text; a change made without a selection applies from that point forward.
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Available languages and exact labels can differ by Word version, operating system, and installed language resources. For proofing-language details, see Microsoft’s spelling and grammar setup instructions.
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