How to Change Language in Outlook: A Comprehensive Guide for All Platforms

Microsoft Outlook is a powerful email client used by millions worldwide for personal and professional communication. Its global user base necessitates support for multiple languages. Whether you’ve accidentally set Outlook to a language you don’t understand, are working in a multilingual environment, or simply prefer a different language for your interface, knowing how to change the language settings is essential. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps to change the language in Outlook across various platforms, including Outlook for Windows, Outlook for Mac, Outlook on the web, and Outlook mobile apps. We’ll cover both display language (the language of the menus and interface) and language settings for composing emails, ensuring you have complete control over your Outlook language experience.

Understanding Outlook’s Language Settings

Before we dive into the specific steps, it’s crucial to understand that Outlook handles language in two primary ways:

• Display Language: This setting controls the language used for menus, buttons, dialog boxes, and other elements of the Outlook interface. Changing the display language makes Outlook appear in your chosen language.
• Compose Language (or Proofing Language): This setting determines the language used for spell checking, grammar checking, and other writing aids when you compose emails. You can have multiple compose languages enabled, and Outlook will often try to detect the language you’re currently typing in automatically.

These two settings can be independent of each other, meaning you can have Outlook’s interface displayed in one language while you compose emails in another. This flexibility is particularly useful for multilingual users.

Changing Display Language in Outlook for Windows

Here’s how to change the display language in the desktop version of Outlook for Windows:

1. Open Outlook: Launch the Outlook application on your Windows computer.
2. Access File Menu: Click on the File tab in the top-left corner of the Outlook window. This will take you to the Outlook backstage view.
3. Navigate to Options: In the File menu, click on Options. This opens the Outlook Options dialog box.
4. Select Language Tab: In the Outlook Options dialog box, select the Language tab from the left-hand menu. You’ll see different sections related to Office language preferences.
5. Change Office Display Language: Under the Choose Display and Help Languages section, locate the “Display Language” area. Here you’ll find a list of languages currently installed on your system.
6. Add a New Language: If your desired language isn’t in the list, click on Add a language…. This opens a dialog box with a comprehensive list of available languages. Choose your language, click Add, and the selected language will be added to the display language list.
7. Set as Preferred: If your desired language is in the list, select it and click on the Set as Preferred button. This moves the chosen language to the top of the list, making it the default display language.
8. Confirm and Restart: After selecting your preferred display language, click OK to close the Options dialog box. Outlook will likely prompt you to restart for the language changes to take full effect. Restart Outlook, and the application should now display in your selected language.

Important Notes for Outlook Windows:

• You may need to download and install a Language Accessory Pack from Microsoft if your desired language is not already installed on your system. The process is normally straightforward and the Outlook prompts will guide you.
• The language setting in Outlook for Windows is closely tied to the language settings of your entire Microsoft Office suite. Changing the display language in Outlook will likely change it in other Office applications like Word and Excel as well.

Changing Display Language in Outlook for Mac

The process for changing the display language in Outlook for Mac is similar to the Windows version but with some differences in the menu layout:

1. Open Outlook: Launch the Outlook application on your Mac.
2. Access Outlook Preferences: Click on Outlook in the menu bar at the top of your screen (next to the Apple logo), then select Preferences… from the dropdown menu. Alternatively, you can press Command + , (comma).
3. Select Language & Region: In the Outlook Preferences window, click on Language & Region. This opens the settings related to language and localization.
4. Preferred Languages: Locate the Preferred Languages section. Here you will see a list of current installed languages. These are the languages available for your Outlook display language.
5. Add Language: If your desired language is not listed, click the + (plus) button at the bottom of the Preferred languages list. This will bring up a dialog window showing you all the available languages that you can install on your system. Select your desired language and click the Add button.
6. Change Order (if Needed): If you have multiple languages in the list, drag your preferred language to the top of the list by clicking and dragging the language name. The language at the top will be the default.
7. Confirm and Restart: After selecting your language and the order is correct, close the Preferences window by clicking on the red close button at the top-left corner. Outlook will prompt you to restart to apply changes. Restart the Outlook application. The menus should now appear in your chosen language.

Important Notes for Outlook on Mac:

• Similar to Windows, you may be prompted to download and install a Language Accessory Pack from Microsoft or to adjust your macOS System Preferences if your language isn’t readily available.
• The language settings in Outlook for Mac usually sync with the overall language settings of macOS. This means changing Outlook’s display language might also affect other applications to some extent.

Changing Display Language in Outlook on the Web (Outlook Web App or OWA)

If you use Outlook through a web browser (Outlook Web App), here’s how to change the display language:

1. Access Outlook on the Web: Open your web browser and go to the Outlook Web App website for your organization (e.g., outlook.office.com). Log in with your Microsoft account or organizational credentials.
2. Open Settings: Click on the Settings icon (a gear or cogwheel) located at the top-right corner of the Outlook window. This will open the Quick settings menu.
3. View All Outlook Settings: At the bottom of the Quick settings menu, click on View all Outlook settings. This will take you to the full settings page.
4. Navigate to Language and Time: In the settings page, select the General tab on the left menu, and click on the Language and time option under General.
5. Select Language: Find the Language dropdown menu. Click on the menu and choose your desired language from the list.
6. Save Changes: After selecting your language, click the Save button (usually located at the bottom of the settings page).
7. Refresh the Page: To apply the changes, refresh the page or close and reopen Outlook in your browser. Outlook should now display in your chosen language.

Important Notes for Outlook Web App:

• The display language in Outlook Web App is specific to your Microsoft account or organizational account. It does not affect your computer’s operating system or other applications.
• If your desired language is not in the menu, contact your IT administrator for organizational account settings, or your Microsoft account settings for personal accounts to see if you can add more languages to your account.

Changing Display Language in Outlook Mobile Apps (iOS and Android)

The Outlook mobile app for iOS and Android does not have its own separate language settings. The app’s language is directly linked to your phone’s operating system language settings. Therefore, to change the language of the Outlook mobile app, you need to modify the language settings of your iOS or Android device.

Changing Language on iOS (iPhone and iPad)

1. Open Settings: On your iPhone or iPad, go to the Settings app.
2. Navigate to General: Scroll down and tap on the General menu option.
3. Select Language & Region: In the General menu tap on Language & Region.
4. Select iPhone/iPad Language: In the Language & Region section, tap on the iPhone/iPad Language (the very top option).
5. Choose Your Language: Select your desired language from the list.
6. Confirm: The device will confirm if you want to change the language, click Done or the affirmative button. Your device’s interface, including the Outlook app, will now change to your selected language after a short processing time.

Changing Language on Android

1. Open Settings: On your Android device, go to the Settings app.
2. Navigate to System or General Management: The location of the language settings varies slightly depending on your Android version and device manufacturer. Generally, you can find it under: System, General Management, or similar menu names.
3. Select Language and Input: Look for options such as Language and Input or Languages & Keyboard. The menu item name will depend on your device’s version of Android.
4. Select Languages: Once you are in the Language and Input settings, select Languages.
5. Add Language: Select the Add a language option. If your language is already listed, drag your language to the top of the list. This sets it as the default system language. If your language is not in the list select the Add language button and search for the language that you need, then select it. Your device, including the Outlook app, will now switch to your chosen language.

Important Notes for Outlook Mobile Apps:

• The language of the Outlook mobile app will be the same as your device’s system language. There’s no separate setting within the app itself.
• If you change your device’s language, this will affect all other apps installed on your phone or tablet, not just the Outlook app.

Changing the Compose Language in Outlook (All Platforms)

Changing the display language changes how you see Outlook, but it does not affect the spell-checking and other grammar checks used as you compose your messages. To manage the compose language (also called proofing language), you need to configure that setting separately.

Managing Compose Language in Outlook for Windows and Mac

1. Open an Email Message: Start composing a new email message by clicking the New Email button, or open an existing message to reply or forward.
2. Locate the Language Settings: In the email message window, look for the Review tab at the top of the window ribbon. This is where you’ll find the proofing tools.
3. Select Language: In the Review Tab, locate the Language section. Then select Language and click on Set Proofing Language.
4. Choose Your Language: A “Language” dialog box will open. Here, you can choose the language you would like to use for spell-checking and other proofing tools.
5. Set Detect Language Automatically (Optional): You can also check the box next to Detect language automatically. If this option is selected, Outlook will attempt to detect the language you are currently typing in and apply the appropriate proofing tools. This can be useful if you frequently switch between different languages while composing.
6. Set as Default: Select a language, then click on the Set As Default button if you want that specific language to be your default for compose emails.
7. Confirm and Apply: Click the OK button to confirm and close the Language dialog window. Your new proofing language is set, and Outlook will apply proofing tools based on the language selected.

Managing Compose Language in Outlook Web App

1. Open an Email Message: Start composing a new email message, or open an existing email message.
2. Locate the Language Settings: At the bottom of the compose email window, look for the three dots (…) to the right of the text editor toolbar and click it. Then click on Show Editor.
3. Select the Language: The editor window will now be visible in the compose window. Click the “ABC” icon. Select a language or select Detect Language Automatically.

Managing Compose Language in Outlook Mobile Apps

Similar to the display language, the compose language settings in Outlook mobile apps largely depend on your device’s keyboard language settings. When you select your keyboard language on your phone or tablet, Outlook will use those keyboard settings for spelling, suggestions, and other proofing tools.

To change the keyboard language on iOS: Go to your iOS Settings, select General, select Keyboard, select Keyboards, then select Add New Keyboard, then select a language keyboard that you need. To switch between keyboards while composing emails in the Outlook App, look for a globe icon, and select it to change keyboards.

To change the keyboard language on Android: Go to Settings, select System (or General Management), select Language and Input (or Languages & Keyboard), select Virtual Keyboard, and select your keyboard and click on Languages then you can select or add a keyboard language. To switch between keyboards while composing emails in the Outlook App, look for a globe icon, and select it to change keyboards.

Conclusion

Changing the language in Microsoft Outlook is straightforward once you understand the differences between display and compose languages and the steps necessary for your specific platform. This detailed guide provided a step-by-step approach for setting your preferred language for Outlook for Windows, Mac, the web, and mobile apps. Whether you need to switch the language for yourself or assist a colleague, this knowledge will help you navigate Outlook efficiently in the language of your choice. By mastering these settings, you can enhance your Outlook experience and streamline your communication process, regardless of the languages you use.