Visual Studio Code uses your system language by default, but you can change it to any of 40+ languages through the Extensions Marketplace or by editing a single settings file

When you open Visual Studio Code, it displays menus, buttons, and error messages in whatever language your computer is set to. If you want the interface in a different language — whether you're working in a non-English environment, learning a new language, or just prefer a different UI language than your system default — you have two straightforward paths: install a language pack extension, or manually change one line in your settings file.

The language you choose in VS Code affects only the editor itself, not the code you write or the repositories you work with on GitHub. Your actual project files, comments, and commits stay exactly as they are.

Key Takeaways

  • The fastest way to change VS Code's language is to install a language pack from the Extensions Marketplace — search for your language name and click Install.
  • After installing a language pack, VS Code will prompt you to restart; click the restart button to apply the change immediately.
  • If you prefer not to use extensions, you can edit the settings.json file directly by adding one line: "locale": "es" (or your language code) and restarting VS Code.
  • Changing VS Code's language does not affect your GitHub repositories, code files, or any work you push to GitHub.
  • VS Code supports over 40 languages including Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and many others.

Installing a language pack through the Extensions Marketplace

Open VS Code and click the Extensions icon on the left sidebar — it looks like four squares. In the search box at the top, type the name of the language you want. For example, type "Spanish" or "French" or "German". The official language packs are published by Microsoft and will appear at the top of the results with a blue checkmark next to the publisher name.

Click the language pack you want, then click the blue Install button. VS Code will download and install the extension. Once installation finishes, a notification will appear asking you to restart VS Code. Click Change Language and Restart in that notification, or manually restart the application. When VS Code reopens, all menus and interface text will be in your chosen language.

If you want to switch back to English or try a different language later, repeat the same process: search for the language, install it, and restart. You can have multiple language packs installed at once and switch between them without uninstalling.

Changing the language by editing settings.json directly

If you prefer to skip the Extensions Marketplace, you can edit VS Code's settings file manually. Open the Command Palette by pressing Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows or Linux, or Cmd+Shift+P on Mac. Type "Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON)" and press Enter. This opens your settings.json file in the editor.

Find or add the line "locale": "en" (or whatever language code is currently there). Replace the language code with the one for your language. Common codes are: es for Spanish, fr for French, de for German, ja for Japanese, zh-cn for Simplified Chinese, pt-br for Brazilian Portuguese, and ru for Russian. Save the file and restart VS Code.

This method works without installing extensions, but VS Code still needs the language pack files on your system. If you set a language code that is not installed, VS Code will fall back to English. The extension method is usually simpler because it handles downloading the language pack automatically.

Finding the correct language code for less common languages

If you are looking for a language that is not one of the major ones, you can find its code by browsing the Extensions Marketplace directly. Search for your language, and when you find the official Microsoft language pack, look at the extension details. The language code is usually listed in the description or in the extension's README section.

Alternatively, you can check the VS Code documentation on the Microsoft website, which maintains a full list of supported languages and their codes. If you cannot find your language in the Marketplace, it may not have an official translation yet, and VS Code will use English as the default.

What changes and what does not change when you switch languages

Changing VS Code's language affects only the user interface: menus, buttons, dialog boxes, and built-in error messages. Your actual code files, variable names, comments, and any text you have written in your project remain unchanged. If you have a Python file with comments in English, those comments stay in English even if you switch VS Code to Spanish.

Your GitHub repositories and commits are also unaffected. The language you use in VS Code does not change how your code appears on GitHub or how it is stored in your repository. If you work in a team where people use different languages in VS Code, everyone sees the same code and the same GitHub history — only their interface looks different.

Switching back to English or changing languages again

To change languages again, repeat the installation process: open Extensions, search for the new language, install it, and restart. You do not need to uninstall the previous language pack first. If you want to go back to English, search for "English" in the Extensions Marketplace, install the English language pack, and restart.

If you edited settings.json directly, you can change the language code to a different one at any time. Open settings.json again, change the "locale" value, save, and restart VS Code. There is no limit to how many times you can switch.

Troubleshooting language changes that do not take effect

If you installed a language pack but VS Code is still showing English after restart, make sure you actually restarted the application. Closing and reopening a window is not always the same as a full restart — try closing VS Code completely and opening it again from scratch.

If you edited settings.json and the language did not change, check that you saved the file. Also verify that the language code you used is correct — a typo like "locale": "sp" instead of "locale": "es" will cause VS Code to fall back to English. If you are still having trouble, you can reset your settings by opening settings.json and removing the "locale" line entirely, then reinstalling the language pack through the Extensions Marketplace.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing VS Code's language affect the code I write or my GitHub repositories?

No. Changing the language only changes the VS Code interface — menus, buttons, and messages. Your code files, comments, variable names, and everything you push to GitHub remain exactly as you wrote them. Your teammates will see the same code regardless of what language they have VS Code set to.

Can I use VS Code in multiple languages at the same time?

You can install multiple language packs, but VS Code displays in only one language at a time. You switch between them by changing the locale setting and restarting. You cannot have the menus in Spanish and the error messages in French simultaneously.

What if my language is not available in the Extensions Marketplace?

Not all languages have official translations yet. If your language is not available, VS Code will use English. You can check the Microsoft VS Code documentation for the full list of supported languages, or you can request a translation through the VS Code GitHub repository.

Do I need to reinstall VS Code to change the language?

No. You can change the language without reinstalling. Just install the language pack extension or edit the settings.json file, then restart VS Code. The change takes effect immediately after restart.

Will changing the language slow down VS Code or affect performance?

No. Language packs are small files that only change how text is displayed. They do not affect VS Code's performance, speed, or ability to run extensions or work with GitHub.