How to Change the Display Language on Windows Server

How to Change the Display Language on Windows Server

Windows Server almost always arrives with English installed. If you or your team prefer working in another language, you need to install the matching language pack and switch the display language. This guide covers Windows Server 2019 and 2022, using Turkish (tr-TR) as the worked example. Substitute your own language tag anywhere it appears.

Method 1: Through Settings (Windows Server 2022)

Step 1: Open Settings

1. Click Start
2. Click the Settings icon
3. Go to Time & Language

Step 2: Add a Language

1. Click Language in the left menu
2. Click Add a language
3. Type the language name in the search box, for example “Turkish”
4. Select Turkish (Türkiye)
5. Click Next

Step 3: Install the Language Pack

Tick the following options:

• ✅ Install language pack
• ✅ Set as my Windows display language
• ✅ Speech recognition (optional)
• ✅ Handwriting (optional)

Click Install and wait for the download to finish.

Step 4: Restart

Once the pack is installed, choose Sign out or Restart to apply the change.

💡 Xeon Enterprise VDS and Ryzen Premium VDS plans support Windows Server 2019 and 2022. You get full administrator access, so language and locale settings are entirely yours to configure.

Method 2: PowerShell

The faster route for anyone comfortable in a shell.

Install the Language Pack

# List the currently installed languages
Get-WinUserLanguageList
 
# Add the Turkish language
$langList = Get-WinUserLanguageList
$langList.Add("tr-TR")
Set-WinUserLanguageList $langList -Force
 
# Download and install the language pack
Install-Language tr-TR -CopyToSettings

Change the System Language

# Set the display language
Set-WinUILanguageOverride -Language tr-TR
 
# Change the system locale
Set-WinSystemLocale -SystemLocale tr-TR
 
# Set the home location
Set-WinHomeLocation -GeoId 235  # Türkiye
 
# Restart
Restart-Computer

Method 3: Offline Language Pack With DISM

Useful on servers with limited internet access:

# After downloading the language pack CAB file
DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\langpack\Microsoft-Windows-Server-Language-Pack_x64_tr-TR.cab
 
# Set it as the default language
DISM /Online /Set-AllIntl:tr-TR
 
# Restart
Restart-Computer

Changing the Keyboard Layout

After switching languages you will usually want a matching keyboard layout, such as Turkish Q or Turkish F.

Through Settings

1. Settings → Time & Language → Language
2. Click Options next to Turkish (Türkiye)
3. Under Keyboards, choose Add a keyboard
4. Pick Turkish Q or Turkish F

Through PowerShell

# Add the Turkish Q keyboard layout
$langList = Get-WinUserLanguageList
$langList[0].InputMethodTips.Clear()
$langList[0].InputMethodTips.Add("041f:0000041f")  # Turkish Q
Set-WinUserLanguageList $langList -Force

Time Zone and Regional Settings

Update the time zone and regional format alongside the language:

# Set the time zone
Set-TimeZone -Id "Turkey Standard Time"
 
# Check the current date and time format
Get-Culture

Through Control Panel

1. Control Panel → Region → Administrative tab
2. Click Change system locale
3. Select Turkish (Türkiye)
4. Click OK and restart

Changing the Login Screen Language

If you want the sign in screen translated too:

1. Control Panel → Region → Administrative tab
2. Click Copy settings
3. Tick both options:
   • ✅ Welcome screen and system accounts
   • ✅ New user accounts
4. Click OK

Common Problems

The Language Pack Will Not Download

• Check the server’s internet connection
• Make sure the Windows Update service is running
• Check your proxy settings

Some Menus Are Still in English

• Confirm you applied the change for all users
• Apply the “Welcome screen” setting described above
• Restart the server

Application Interfaces Have Not Changed

Some applications carry their own language settings. You may need to change the language inside the application itself.

Recommended Plans

Conclusion

Changing the display language on Windows Server takes a handful of steps and one reboot. With full administrator access on every White Bilişim VDS, you can configure the server exactly the way your team works.

👉 Looking for a machine to work on in your own language? See our remote desktop server plans, or Xeon Enterprise VDS and Ryzen Premium VDS for a wider range of hardware.