How to Change the Language in Outlook

Outlook is used by hundreds of millions of people across dozens of countries, so Microsoft has built language customization deep into the application. But "changing the language" in Outlook actually means different things depending on what you're trying to change — and which version of Outlook you're using. Getting the right result requires understanding exactly where language settings live and how they interact with each other.

What "Language" Actually Controls in Outlook

Before diving into steps, it's worth knowing that Outlook manages language in several distinct layers:

• Display language — the language used for menus, buttons, and the Outlook interface itself
• Editing language — the language used for spell-check, grammar check, and autocorrect
• Proofing tools — language-specific dictionaries that run in the background as you type
• Regional format settings — how dates, times, and numbers are displayed

Changing one doesn't automatically change the others. Someone who switches the display to French may still have spell-check running in English, for example. Knowing which layer you need to adjust saves a lot of confusion.

Changing the Language in Outlook for Windows (Desktop App)

Display Language

In the classic desktop version of Outlook (part of Microsoft 365 or standalone Office), the display language is controlled at the Office level, not within Outlook alone.

1. Open any Office app (Word, Excel, or Outlook itself)
2. Go to File → Options → Language
3. Under Office Display Language, select your preferred language from the list
4. If your language isn't listed, click Add a Language to install it
5. Set it as the preferred display language and restart Outlook

Note: Installing a new language pack may require an internet connection and a moment to download. Some languages are bundled with Windows; others are downloaded separately through Microsoft.

Editing and Proofing Language

The editing language can be set independently:

1. In Outlook, go to File → Options → Language
2. Under Office Authoring Languages and Proofing, add or select your language
3. You can set a different language as preferred for proofing without changing the display language

This is particularly useful for bilingual users who prefer the interface in one language but write emails in another.

Changing the Language in Outlook on the Web (OWA) 🌐

Outlook on the Web has its own language setting, separate from any desktop app:

1. Log in to outlook.live.com or your organization's Outlook web portal
2. Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right corner
3. Select View all Outlook settings
4. Go to General → Language and time
5. Choose your preferred language from the dropdown
6. Save your changes — the page will reload in the new language

Changes here affect the web interface only. They do not carry over to the desktop app or the mobile app automatically.

Changing the Language in Outlook on Mobile (iOS and Android)

The Outlook mobile app follows the system language of your device. There's no in-app language selector within Outlook for iOS or Android.

To change the language:

• iOS: Go to Settings → General → Language & Region and change the device or app-specific language
• Android: Go to Settings → General Management → Language and add or reorder your preferred language

Some Android versions and manufacturers allow per-app language settings. If your device supports it, you can set Outlook to a different language than the rest of your phone without changing system-wide settings.

Why Your Language Change Might Not Stick

A few common reasons language settings don't apply as expected:

Corporate and managed accounts are a notable variable here. If your Outlook is provided through an employer, your IT department may have locked down display language settings through group policies. In that case, changes made through Options may not save, or the setting may simply not be available.

The Variables That Affect Your Experience

How straightforward this process is depends on several factors:

• Which version of Outlook you're using — Microsoft 365, Outlook 2019/2021, the new Outlook for Windows (currently rolling out as a replacement), Outlook.com, or the mobile app each handle language differently
• Whether your account is personal or managed — organizational accounts may have restrictions
• Your Windows or macOS language settings — some Office language packs depend on the OS having the relevant language installed
• Whether you need one language or multiple — power users who write in more than one language need to configure both display and proofing layers deliberately

The new Outlook for Windows (the version Microsoft is gradually transitioning users toward) more closely mirrors the Outlook on the Web experience, including how language settings are accessed. If you've recently updated and the steps above don't match what you're seeing, that's likely why — the settings path in the new version is closer to the OWA flow than the classic desktop path. 🖥️

Proofing Language vs. Display Language: A Common Confusion

Many users change the display language and assume spell-check will follow. It often doesn't. If you're writing emails and seeing red underlines on correctly spelled words in your language, the proofing/authoring language is still set to the previous one.

Fix this by going back into File → Options → Language and making sure both the display language and the authoring language are updated. For the editing language change to apply to existing emails mid-draft, you may also need to select the email text and manually set the proofing language under Review → Language → Set Proofing Language. 🔤

The right approach for your situation really depends on which version you're running, whether your account is personal or managed, and whether you need to change the interface, the spell-checker, or both — because in Outlook, those are meaningfully different settings with different paths to change them.