How to change your Mac's system language
Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs), then click General in the sidebar. Look for Language & Region near the top. Click the Preferred Languages dropdown — it shows your current language first. Click the plus sign to add a new language, or drag an existing language to the top to make it your primary one. Your Mac will ask you to restart; when it does, the entire system will be in your chosen language.
If you want to change only the language for one app instead of your whole system, that works differently. Most apps pull their language from your system settings automatically. Some larger apps like Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite have their own language settings buried in Preferences or Settings within the app itself — look under the app menu at the top of your screen, then find Preferences.
Key Takeaways
- System language lives in System Settings under General > Language & Region, and changing it requires a restart.
- You can add multiple languages and reorder them; your Mac will use the top one as default.
- Most apps follow your system language automatically, but some apps like Microsoft Office have their own language menus inside Preferences.
- Changing your language does not affect your files, passwords, or login — only the words you see on screen.
- If you change your mind, the same Language & Region menu lets you switch back in minutes.
Where to find Language & Region on different Mac versions
On newer Macs (Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia), the path is System Settings > General > Language & Region. On older Macs running Big Sur or Monterey, it is System Preferences > Language & Region. The menu looks slightly different but works the same way.
If you cannot find it, use Spotlight search: press Command and Space at the same time, type "language," and click Language & Region when it appears. This shortcut works on any Mac version and saves you from hunting through menus.
What happens when you add a secondary language
When you add a second language to your Preferred Languages list, your Mac does not switch to it automatically — it stays on your top language. The secondary language becomes a fallback: if an app does not have a translation for your primary language, your Mac will show it in the secondary one instead. This is useful if you speak multiple languages and want some apps in one language and others in another.
You can reorder your languages by dragging them up or down in the list. Whichever language sits at the top is the one your Mac uses for the system and for most apps. Removing a language from the list does not delete anything; it just tells your Mac to stop using it.
Changing the language for just your user account
Every user account on your Mac can have its own language setting. If you share your Mac with someone else, you can each use a different language without affecting the other person. When they log in, they see their language; when you log in, you see yours.
To set this up, each person logs into their own account and changes Language & Region independently. The system language is tied to the account, not the machine. This means you can have English on your account and Spanish on your partner's account, and neither one changes the other.
Fixing apps that do not switch languages with your system
Some apps ignore your system language setting. Microsoft Office, Adobe apps, and a few others have their own language preferences. To change them, open the app, click its name in the menu bar at the top of your screen, then look for Preferences or Settings. Search for Language or Regional Settings inside that menu.
If an app still will not change, check the app's support page or help menu — some apps require you to read a separate language pack before they can display in a new language. Older versions of apps sometimes do not support all languages, so updating the app through the App Store or the company's website may be necessary.
What changes and what does not when you switch languages
Changing your Mac's language changes the words you see: menus, buttons, system messages, and most app text will appear in your new language. Your files stay exactly the same — documents, photos, and folders keep their original names and content. Your passwords and login information do not change. Your keyboard layout may change automatically to match your language (so if you switch to French, your keyboard might become AZERTY instead of QWERTY), but you can fix that separately in Keyboard settings if you want to keep your English keyboard layout.
Your email, calendar, and contacts remain untouched. Websites you visit will still be in whatever language they choose, not your system language — your Mac's language setting does not change the internet.
Switching back to your original language
If you change your language and realize you made a mistake, the fix takes less than a minute. Open System Settings > General > Language & Region, drag your original language back to the top of the list, and restart your Mac. Everything goes back to normal when ready. You have not broken anything, and there is no penalty for switching back and forth.
If you cannot read the menu because you do not recognize the language, use Spotlight: press Command-Space, type the first few letters of "language" (they are usually the same across languages), and click the Language & Region icon. The menu inside is usually visual enough that you can find the flag or name of your language and drag it to the top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my language affect my passwords or login?
No. Your password stays the same no matter what language your Mac displays. The login screen will show in your new language, but you type your password exactly as you always have.
Can I use two languages at the same time on my Mac?
You can set multiple languages in your Preferred Languages list, and your Mac will use them as fallbacks if an app does not support your primary language. However, you cannot have half your screen in English and half in Spanish. You can switch between languages by changing which one is at the top of the list and restarting.
What if an app is still in English even after I changed my Mac's language?
Some apps do not follow your system language. Open the app, click its name in the menu bar, find Preferences or Settings, and look for a Language option inside the app itself. If you cannot find one, the app may not support your language, or you may need to update it.
Does changing my language change my keyboard layout?
It often does — your Mac may automatically switch to a keyboard layout that matches your language. If you want to keep your English keyboard layout while using a different system language, go to System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources and make sure your preferred keyboard is listed and selected.
Can different user accounts on my Mac use different languages?
Yes. Each person who logs into the Mac can set their own language in their own account. When you log in, you see your language; when someone else logs in, they see theirs.