How to Change Microsoft Word Back to English

Microsoft Word, a cornerstone of document creation and editing, sometimes presents the frustrating issue of displaying text in a language other than English. This can occur due to various reasons, from accidental language settings changes to software glitches. Fortunately, resolving this problem is usually straightforward. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to change Microsoft Word back to English, covering various scenarios and versions of the software.

Table of Contents

Understanding Language Settings in Word

Before diving into solutions, it’s crucial to understand how language settings work within Microsoft Word. The language settings affect several aspects of the application, including:

Proofing language: This determines the language used for spell check, grammar check, and thesaurus functions.
Display language: This controls the language used for the Word interface, including menus, buttons, and dialog boxes.
Keyboard language: This dictates the language of the characters you type. While not directly part of Word, it interacts with the software.

Incorrectly configured language settings can lead to Word displaying text in an unintended language, even if your operating system is set to English. Properly configuring these settings is the key to resolving the issue.

Changing the Proofing Language

The most common reason for text appearing in a different language is an incorrect proofing language setting. Here’s how to change it back to English:

For Selected Text

If only a portion of your document is affected, you can change the proofing language for the selected text.

Highlight the text that is displaying in the wrong language.
Go to the “Review” tab in the Word ribbon.
In the “Language” group, click on “Language” and then “Set Proofing Language.”
In the “Language” dialog box, scroll through the list and select “English (United States)” or your preferred English dialect.
Ensure the “Do not check spelling or grammar” box is unchecked.
Click “OK.”

This should correct the proofing language for the selected text. Remember to repeat these steps for other sections of the document if necessary.

For the Entire Document

To change the proofing language for the entire document, follow these steps:

Press “Ctrl + A” (or “Command + A” on a Mac) to select the entire document.
Go to the “Review” tab in the Word ribbon.
In the “Language” group, click on “Language” and then “Set Proofing Language.”
In the “Language” dialog box, select “English (United States)” or your preferred English dialect.
Ensure the “Do not check spelling or grammar” box is unchecked.
Click “OK.”

This will apply the selected proofing language to the entire document. This is the most effective way to ensure consistent language settings throughout your work.

Setting the Default Proofing Language

To prevent this issue from recurring, set English as the default proofing language for new documents.

Open a new, blank Word document.
Go to the “Review” tab in the Word ribbon.
In the “Language” group, click on “Language” and then “Set Proofing Language.”
In the “Language” dialog box, select “English (United States)” or your preferred English dialect.
Click on the “Set As Default” button.
Word will ask if you want to change the default template. Click “Yes.”

This will ensure that all new documents you create will default to English as the proofing language. Setting the default proofing language is a proactive step towards preventing future language-related issues.

Changing the Display Language

If the Word interface itself (menus, buttons, etc.) is displaying in a different language, you need to change the display language settings. The process varies slightly depending on your version of Word.

Word 2010 and Later Versions

Click on “File” in the top-left corner of the Word window.
Click on “Options” at the bottom of the menu.
In the “Word Options” dialog box, click on “Language.”
Under the “Choose Display Language” section, you will see a list of installed languages.
Select “English (United States)” or your preferred English dialect from the list.
If English is not listed, you may need to download and install the English language pack for Microsoft Office.
Click the “Set as Default” button next to the English language.
You may need to restart Word or your computer for the changes to take effect.
Under the “Choose Help Language” section, repeat steps 5-7.
Click “OK” to save the changes.

This will change the display language of the Word interface to English. Restarting Word is crucial for the changes to fully implement.

Older Versions of Word

The process for older versions of Word (e.g., Word 2007) is similar, but the menu locations might differ slightly. Look for the “Options” menu under the “Microsoft Office Button” (the round button in the top-left corner) or under the “Tools” menu. The “Language” settings should be accessible from within the “Options” dialog box.

Checking Keyboard Language Settings

While not directly within Word, the keyboard language setting on your operating system can affect the characters you type. If your keyboard is set to a different language, you might be typing characters that appear different or trigger different formatting in Word.

Windows

In the system tray (usually in the bottom-right corner of your screen), look for a language indicator (e.g., “ENG” for English, “ESP” for Spanish).
Click on the language indicator.
A list of installed keyboard languages will appear.
Select “English (United States)” or your preferred English dialect.
If English is not listed, you can add it by going to “Language Preferences” in the Settings app.

macOS

Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen.
Select “System Preferences.”
Click on “Keyboard.”
Click on the “Input Sources” tab.
Ensure that “English (United States)” or your preferred English dialect is listed.
If it’s not listed, click the “+” button to add it.

Ensure your keyboard language is set to English for accurate character input.

Dealing with Corrupted Templates

In rare cases, a corrupted Word template can cause language-related issues. The Normal.dotm template is the default template used for new documents. If this template becomes corrupted, it can affect the language settings of new documents.

Resetting the Normal.dotm Template

Close Microsoft Word.
Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS).
Enable the display of hidden files and folders. (In Windows, go to “View” tab and check “Hidden items”. In macOS, press “Command + Shift + .”)
Navigate to the following folder:
- Windows: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates
- macOS: ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Templates
- Locate the “Normal.dotm” file.
- Rename the file to “Normal.old” or delete it.
- Restart Microsoft Word. Word will automatically create a new, default Normal.dotm template.

This will reset the default template and may resolve language issues caused by a corrupted template. Be cautious when deleting or renaming system files.

Troubleshooting Persistent Issues

If you’ve tried all the above steps and are still experiencing language problems, consider the following:

Check for Office Updates: Ensure you have the latest updates for Microsoft Office. Updates often include bug fixes and improvements that can resolve language-related issues.
Repair Office Installation: Sometimes, the Office installation itself can become corrupted. You can repair the installation through the Control Panel (Windows) or by reinstalling Office.
Reinstall Office: As a last resort, consider uninstalling and reinstalling Microsoft Office. This will ensure a clean installation and can resolve more complex issues.
Check Regional Settings: Your regional settings in Windows or macOS can influence how Word interprets language. Make sure your regional settings are configured to English (United States) or your preferred English dialect.

Summary of Steps to Change Word Back to English

To summarize, changing Microsoft Word back to English involves checking and adjusting several language-related settings:

Proofing Language: Change the proofing language for selected text, the entire document, and set the default proofing language.
Display Language: Change the display language in Word options to English.
Keyboard Language: Ensure your operating system’s keyboard language is set to English.
Reset Normal.dotm: Reset the default Word template to resolve potential corruption issues.
Troubleshooting: Check for updates, repair the installation, or reinstall Office if problems persist.

By systematically addressing these settings, you can effectively change Microsoft Word back to English and ensure a smooth and productive writing experience. Remember to restart Word after making significant changes to language settings.

How do I change the display language of Microsoft Word if it’s not in English?

To change the display language in Microsoft Word (and other Microsoft Office applications), you need to access the Microsoft Office Language Preferences. This is typically found within the “File” menu. Look for an option like “Options” or “Settings,” then navigate to the “Language” section. From there, you can add English to the list of installed languages and set it as your preferred display language. Make sure to move English to the top of the “Display language” list.

After selecting English and moving it to the top, you might need to restart Word or even your computer for the changes to fully take effect. In some cases, you might be prompted to download and install the English language pack if it’s not already present on your system. Once Word restarts, the interface should be displayed in English. If not, double-check your settings to ensure English is indeed the preferred language and that all necessary language packs are installed.

What if English isn’t listed as an available language option in my Microsoft Word settings?

If you don’t see English listed as an available language, you’ll need to download and install the English language pack for your version of Microsoft Office. This can usually be done directly from within the “Language” settings in the “Options” menu (File > Options > Language). Look for a button or link that says something like “Add a language” or “Get more display and help languages from Office.com”.

Clicking that link will typically redirect you to a Microsoft webpage where you can download the appropriate language pack for your version of Office. Follow the instructions provided on the website to download and install the language pack. Once installed, restart Microsoft Word, and you should now see English listed as an available language in the settings. Then, you can set English as your preferred display language as described earlier.

How can I change the proofing language in Microsoft Word to English?

The proofing language in Microsoft Word controls the spell check, grammar check, and thesaurus functionalities. To change it to English, select the text you want to proof in English, then go to the “Review” tab on the ribbon. Within the “Language” group, click on the “Language” button and choose “Set Proofing Language.”

In the “Language” dialog box that appears, scroll through the list of languages and select “English (United States)” or your preferred English dialect. Ensure the “Detect language automatically” box is unchecked if you want to enforce English as the proofing language for the selected text. Click “OK” to apply the changes. This will ensure that Word uses English dictionaries and grammar rules for spell checking and grammar checking.

Will changing the language in Word affect other Office applications like Excel or PowerPoint?

Yes, changing the display language in Microsoft Word through the Office Language Preferences will likely affect other Microsoft Office applications as well, such as Excel and PowerPoint. The display language setting is usually a global setting for the entire Microsoft Office suite.

This means that if you change the display language to English in Word, the interface for Excel and PowerPoint should also switch to English upon restarting those applications. However, the proofing language might need to be set independently in each application if you’re working with multiple languages. So, while the menus and buttons will likely be in English across all Office apps, the spell check language might still need adjustment on a per-document or per-application basis.

What if I accidentally installed the wrong language pack and now my Word is in a language I don’t understand?

If you’ve accidentally installed the wrong language pack and can’t navigate the menus, try to remember the general location of the “Options” menu. Usually, it’s located under the “File” menu (which is usually the first option on the top left). Then, look for an icon or a word that resembles “Options” or “Settings” in the foreign language.

Once you find the “Options” menu, navigate to the “Language” section (again, look for icons or words related to “Language”). From there, you should be able to add English to the list of installed languages and set it as your preferred display language. If needed, use online translation tools to help you identify the correct menu options and settings. Restart Word after making the changes.

Why is the spell checker still using the wrong language even after I’ve changed the proofing language?

One reason the spell checker might still be using the wrong language is that the “Detect language automatically” option is enabled in the “Language” settings. This feature can override your manual language settings if it incorrectly identifies the language of your text. To prevent this, select the text, go to “Review” > “Language” > “Set Proofing Language,” and uncheck the “Detect language automatically” box.

Another possibility is that you have different sections of your document set to different proofing languages. To check this, select all of the text in your document (Ctrl+A), then go to “Review” > “Language” > “Set Proofing Language,” and ensure that “English (United States)” or your preferred English dialect is selected and that the “Detect language automatically” box is unchecked. Click “OK” to apply the changes to the entire document.

Is it possible to have different languages for different parts of a Word document?

Yes, it is entirely possible and often necessary to have different languages for different parts of a Word document. This is particularly useful when you’re quoting text from another language or writing a document that contains sections in multiple languages.

To achieve this, simply select the specific text that is in a different language, then go to “Review” > “Language” > “Set Proofing Language” and choose the correct language for that particular section. Word will then use the appropriate dictionary and grammar rules for that selected text, without affecting the language settings for the rest of the document. This allows you to maintain correct spelling and grammar checking across your entire document, regardless of the languages used.