How to Change Language in Excel: A Step-by-Step Guide

Excel is a powerful tool used worldwide, and it’s crucial that it speaks your language. Whether you need to switch to a different interface language or adjust the proofing language for a specific document, this guide will walk you through the process step-by-step. Let’s dive in!

Understanding Language Settings in Excel

Before we begin, it’s important to understand the two main types of language settings in Excel:

• Display Language: This changes the language of the Excel interface, including menus, ribbons, dialog boxes, and more.
• Proofing Language: This setting determines the language used for spell check, grammar check, and other proofing tools within your worksheets.

You can set both of these separately, allowing you to work in one language while having your interface in another. Let’s see how it’s done.

Changing the Display Language in Excel

Here’s how to change the language of the Excel interface itself:

1. Open Excel: Launch Microsoft Excel on your computer.
2. Access the Options Menu:
   • For Excel 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365: Click on File in the top left corner, then click on Options at the bottom of the left sidebar.
   • For older versions of Excel (e.g., 2016): Click on File and then click on Options at the bottom.
3. Navigate to Language Settings: In the Excel Options window, click on Language in the left sidebar.
4. Choose Your Display Language: Under the “Office display language” section, you’ll see a list of installed languages.
5. Select a Language:
   • If your desired language is already in the list, select it and click the Set as Preferred button.
   • If your desired language isn’t in the list, click the Add a language… button. Choose the desired language from the list and click Add. Once added, select it and click Set as Preferred.
6. Confirm and Restart: You’ll likely see a message that the language change will take effect after restarting Office. Click OK to close the Options window and restart Excel for the changes to apply.

Changing the Proofing Language in Excel

To set the proofing language for spell check and grammar check:

1. Open Your Worksheet: Launch Excel and open the document you want to work on.
2. Select Cells: Select the cells or range of cells where you want to change the proofing language. If you want to change the proofing language for the entire worksheet, select all cells by clicking on the triangle at the top-left corner of the worksheet.
3. Access the Review Tab: Click on the Review tab in the Excel ribbon.
4. Open the Language Settings: In the “Language” section of the Review tab, click on the Language dropdown menu, and then choose Set Proofing Language….
5. Choose Your Proofing Language: In the “Language” dialog box, select the language you want from the list. You can set a default language by checking the “Detect language automatically” box, however for specific cells and texts, this may still need to be updated manually.
6. Confirm and Apply: Click OK to save the proofing language changes.

Tips and Considerations

• Download Language Packs: If the desired language isn’t available, you may need to download a language pack for Office from the Microsoft website.
• Language per Workbook: Remember that display language settings affect the entire application, whereas proofing language settings can be set per workbook and cell range.
• Keyboard Layouts: Make sure your keyboard layout is set to match the languages you’re using for optimal typing experience.

Conclusion

Changing the language settings in Excel is straightforward once you know where to look. By following these simple steps, you can tailor Excel to your preferred display and proofing language, enhancing your workflow and productivity. Whether you’re working on a global project or simply prefer a different interface language, Excel provides the flexibility you need. Now you can work with comfort and ease in your language of choice!