How to install a new "display language" onto Windows 8.1 Single Language?

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Solution 1

WARNING - some people have found that this method renders their machine unbootable, see discussion in comments. Use at your own risk!


Here how I managed to change "Core Single Language" Windows 8.1 language from Russian to English. Thanks to @mako response.

I've also made the same steps for Windows 10 Single Language.

First of all go and get a language pack you need, links for 8.1 are available here http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/ec4419df-ea0b-4da9-8750-063126debe97/language-pack-not-usable-message-in-windows-81?forum=w8itprogeneral

For Windows 10 you can get ISO with all language packs at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzfuX_e_6iY, links are inside video description. Video itself is not related. You need to download ISO for your particular build, mine was build #10240 x64. You can get build number by running command prompt and looking in the first line for "Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.10240]". I've made these steps after I upgraded from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. As you know, if you changed your display language in 8 or 8.1 for single language version, then after upgrading to 10 you get your original display language, in my case it was Russian. I had to do these steps to set display language to English once again.

Now to the point. (package names/versions are different Windows 10)

Download a CAB file (language pack) for your language. Then rename the file to lp.cab and put it into C:\ drive folder.

Then run a command line (cmd, command prompt) as administrator and run this command there:

dism /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\lp.cab

This will install new language pack into the system. But you can not change language yet. You need to uninstall your old language to apply new one. Run this command now in the same command prompt window:

dism /Online /Get-Packages | findstr /c:"LanguagePack"

This will give you a list of installed language packs, something like this:

Package Identity : Microsoft-Windows-Client-LanguagePack-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~en-US~6.3.9600.16384
Package Identity : Microsoft-Windows-Client-LanguagePack-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~ru-RU~6.3.9600.16384

You need to get a package identity for you current language which needs to be removed. I needed to remove Russian so I get "Microsoft-Windows-Client-LanguagePack-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~ru-RU~6.3.9600.16384" as a package name. ru-RU part is a language name. If you need to remove English than look for a package name with en-US part.

OK, now you need to uninstall unneeded language pack, run this command, change package name to one found earlier:

dism /Online /Remove-Package /PackageName:Microsoft-Windows-Client-LanguagePack-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~ru-RU~6.3.9600.1638

After that it will ask you to restart computer to apply changes, respond Y and after restart you will get a new system language. If you ever need to change it back just make the same procedure for different language pack.

Solution 2

Your solution "egaistek" is perfect but it needs additional steps:

Windows 8 Single language does not support multiple language. so you need to uninstall the old one. and then install the new package.

1-First of all go and get a language pack you need, links are available here http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/ec4419df-ea0b-4da9-8750-063126debe97/language-pack-not-usable-message-in-windows-81?forum=w8itprogeneral

2-Download a CAB file (language pack) for your language. Then rename the file to lp.cab and put it into C:\ drive folder.

3-Then run a command line (cmd, command prompt) as administratior and run this command there: dism /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\lp.cab

This will install new language pack into the system. The installation will take time be patient. But you cannot change language yet. You need to uninstall your old language to apply new one.

  1. Run this command now in the same command prompt window: dism /Online /Get-Packages > c:\file.txt

This part of command “c:\file.txt” will allow you to save the result of command “dism /Online /Get-Packages” to text file , so it will be easy for you to view it, to be clear try to run command with out this part and you understand what I mean .

This will give you a list of installed updates/packages including language packs, you will locate this information in the file stored to c:\file.txt, view the file and Look for something like this:

Package Identity : Microsoft-Windows-Client-LanguagePack-Package~31bf3856ad364e3 5~amd64~en-US~6.3.9600.16384 State : Installed Release Type : Language Pack Install Time : 15.02.2014 15:52

  1. Concentrate in the Time to get a package identity for you current language which needs to be removed. You will found two packages installed your target language and the old language, look for which have old install time.

I need to remove Russian so I get "Microsoft-Windows-Client-LanguagePack-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~ru-RU~6.3.9600.16384" as a package name. ru-RU part is a language name. If you need to remove English than look for a package name with en-US part.

  1. OK, now you need to uninstall unneeded language pack, run this command, change package name to one found earlier: dism /Online /Remove-Package /PackageName:Microsoft-Windows-Client-LanguagePack-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~ru-RU~6.3.9600.1638

Also uninstall process will take time be patient. After that it will ask you to restart computer to apply changes, respond Y and after restart you will get a new system language. If you ever need to change it back just make the same procedure for different language pack.

your solution very useful thanks.

Solution 3

There is a way to change your language to English:

1-Install a program called (Belarc Advisor) its free program use its to show your windows 8 or 8.1 license key write it some where.

2-Go to google.com or bing.com search for windows 8.1 single language iso file there is a lot of them around the internet just download one of them and make sure that the language is English and see if its x86(32bit) or x64(64bit) download one like yours.

3-Burn your ISO file to a DVD or make a bootable USB flash ( search for this rufus_v1.3.4 on internet if you want to make a bootable USB flash with your ISO File)

4-Boot your PC from DVD/USB and install the windows( if asked you to inter the key during installation use the key that you grabbed from step one if it didn't worked then search for a key for windows 8.1 single language on the internet and use it temporarily.

5-After you finished installation of winodws use your key to activate windows( the key that you grabbed form step one with Belarc Advisor) thats it

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Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

  • user267872
    user267872 almost 2 years

    Unfortunately, on my PC was pre installed Windows 8.1 Single Language (BR Portuguese) and I can't change the "display language" from BR-PT to US English because don't have any options; for that obvious reason, indeed. So, please: how can I install a new "display language" onto Windows 8.1 Single Language version?

    • Ramhound
      Ramhound over 10 years
      Your version of Windows does not support adding multiple language packs unless you upgrade it to Windows 8 Professional. Windows 8 Single Language is a limited version of the Windows 8 Core version.
    • user267872
      user267872 over 10 years
      Thank you, Ramhound. I'll need to buy a PRO version, I see... Cheers ;-)
    • magicandre1981
      magicandre1981 over 10 years
      The normal core also supports multiple languages.
    • Ramhound
      Ramhound over 10 years
      @magicandre1981 - Except there is no upgrade path from Windows 8 Single Language to Windows 8 Core considering they are the same level so he would actually pay more overall buying a Windows 8 Core license then if he were to pay to upgrade his license to Windows 8 Professional which would simply be the difference.
    • Ramhound
      Ramhound about 10 years
      @Phil - You can't activate a generic key.
  • Ramhound
    Ramhound over 10 years
    This requires you reinstall the entire operating system. This isn't really a "soltuion" would be easier to simply purchase the upgrade to Windows 8 Professional.
  • Mariam Elosta
    Mariam Elosta over 10 years
    The solution for Mr. egaistek , and I have tested and I add some steps I used to be totally perfect. and It works form me for windows 8 single , so it works for all version.
  • Genius
    Genius about 10 years
    Works perfectly for me from ru-RU to en-US. Thank you a lot!
  • matreshkin
    matreshkin about 10 years
    Thanks, It is really interisting. I faced this tutorial - sergeit.blogspot.ru/2013/11/windows-8-single-language-mui.ht‌​ml . Is it necessary to use bcdedit.exe to employ the new language pack after Add-Package ?
  • arod
    arod about 10 years
    I did this, but after restart Windows doesn't seem to start again. Just a dark screen, and the HD working but effectively doing nothing (I guess, more than 30min have passed)
  • arod
    arod about 10 years
    I have a es-ES Windows 8 single language computer. This instructions didn't work for me (I guess because there was an update to 8.1 in between). But this tutorial worked for me: sergeit.blogspot.com/2013/11/windows-8-single-language-mui.h‌​tml
  • Misha
    Misha over 9 years
    This solution works fine only on a freshly installed Windows. If you have some updates installed, your Windows probably won't start after reboot.
  • D T
    D T over 9 years
    dism /Online /Get-Packages: State only have (Updated and HotFix). Is it HotFix?
  • Tyress
    Tyress about 9 years
    Sorry for commenting on an old post, but the good thing about this answer is if the other two answers mess your OS up, you have a fallback.
  • Ramhound
    Ramhound about 9 years
    I am going to have to issue a downvote because for the third time somebody had reported this solution hosing their windows installation.
  • Ramhound
    Ramhound about 9 years
    I am going to have to issue a downvote because for the third time somebody had reported this solution hosing their windows installation.
  • egaistek
    egaistek almost 9 years
    I also have success changing display language on the latest Windows 10 Single Language build 10240. You need to get a language pack CAB for your particular build. I've found ISO for 10240 build with all language packs CABs at youtube.com/watch?v=kzfuX_e_6iY video description, video is not related. I've made the same steps as described here. Installed en-US language pack CAB and removed ru-RU language pack CAB. After reboot system has english display language. I made this steps after I upgraded from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10.
  • torvin
    torvin almost 9 years
    This indeed has broken my Windows installation. In order to fix it, I've booted to the Recovery mode and added the original language package back (downloading it beforehand) with this command: dism /Image:c:\ /Add-Package /PackagePath:<original lp.cab> and then removed the installed one with similar command (with /Image:c:\ ).
  • Aleksei Petrenko
    Aleksei Petrenko almost 9 years
    This method has broken Windows Update and Windows Defender on my installation
  • Jonathan
    Jonathan over 8 years
    I tried this on pt-BR => en-US - rendered the machine unbootable as well. I added a warning in the beginning of the answer.