A complete guide for Windows 10 and Windows 11 — change the language shown before sign-in, apply the correct keyboard layout, and fix cases where the lock screen uses a different language than your desktop.
The Windows lock screen language is the language used before you sign in. It can affect the welcome screen, date and time format, sign-in prompts, accessibility buttons, shutdown options, and the default keyboard layout available when entering your password or PIN.
In many cases, changing the normal Windows display language is not enough. Your desktop can be in English, Spanish, German, or another language, while the lock screen still shows the old language. This happens because the sign-in screen uses settings from system accounts, not only from your personal user profile.
| Area | What It Controls | Where It Is Configured |
|---|---|---|
| Display language | Windows interface text, menus, buttons, dialogs | Settings → Time & Language |
| Regional format | Date, time, calendar, number, and currency format | Language & Region / Region |
| Input language | Keyboard language used when typing | Preferred languages / Keyboard settings |
| Welcome screen settings | Language shown before any user signs in | Control Panel → Region → Administrative |
Before copying language settings to the lock screen, make sure your current user account already uses the correct display language, region, and keyboard layout. Otherwise, Windows will simply copy the wrong settings to the welcome screen.
In Windows 11, most language options are located in the modern Settings app, while the final step for the sign-in screen is still performed through the classic Region dialog.
Add a language.Next.Language pack is selected. If you want the entire interface in this language, also select Set as my Windows display language.Country or region to the correct location.Regional format to the language or country format you want to see on the lock screen.After your current account looks correct, copy the language settings to the Windows welcome screen. This is the step that actually changes the lock screen language.
intl.cpl, and press Enter.Administrative tab.Copy settings.Welcome screen and system accounts.New user accounts if you want future accounts to use the same language settings.OK, approve the administrator prompt if shown, and restart Windows.Windows 10 uses a slightly different Settings layout, but the method is almost the same: set the correct language for your account, then copy it to the welcome screen.
Add a language if the needed language is not installed.intl.cpl, and press Enter.Administrative tab.Copy settings.Welcome screen and system accounts.New user accounts only if you want new Windows accounts to inherit these settings.OK and restart the computer.The Copy settings button is the most important part of the process. It tells Windows to use your current language and regional configuration for the environment that appears before sign-in.
| Checkbox | Recommended? | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome screen and system accounts | Yes | Changes the language and format used on the lock screen, sign-in screen, and system-level prompts. |
| New user accounts | Optional | Applies the same language, region, and keyboard settings to accounts created later. |
Sometimes the lock screen language is correct, but the keyboard layout on the sign-in screen is wrong. This can make passwords difficult to type, especially if your password contains symbols such as @, #, :, ;, or quotation marks.
intl.cpl and copy settings to Welcome screen and system accounts.If several layouts are available on the sign-in screen, use the language icon near the password field or press one of the standard shortcuts:
The system locale is different from the Windows display language. It mainly affects non-Unicode programs and how they display characters from older applications. In most cases, you do not need to change it just to update the lock screen language.
If you still need to change it, open intl.cpl, go to the Administrative tab, click Change system locale, select the required language, and restart Windows.
Some lock screen and system account language settings do not refresh immediately. After copying settings, restart Windows completely, then check the sign-in screen again.
If Windows shows only a keyboard layout but no language pack, the interface may not switch. Open language options and confirm that the Language pack is installed.
Open intl.cpl again and click Copy settings. The dialog shows the values for the current user, welcome screen, and new user accounts. If the current user still shows the old language, fix your personal language settings first.
If the wrong keyboard layout appears first on the lock screen, remove unnecessary layouts from your language settings, then copy the settings to system accounts again.
On managed computers, language settings may be controlled by an organization policy. If the language resets after restart, contact the system administrator or check Group Policy settings.
The lock screen may use language settings stored for system accounts, while your desktop uses your personal user profile. Copy your current language settings to the welcome screen to make them match.
Selecting Welcome screen and system accounts changes the pre-login environment. Selecting New user accounts also changes defaults for accounts created later. Existing user profiles keep their own language settings unless changed separately.
Yes. Add the required keyboard layout to your current account, make it the default if needed, and then copy the settings to the welcome screen and system accounts.
No. For normal language and keyboard layout changes, the built-in Windows Settings and Region dialog are enough. Registry editing is unnecessary and can cause sign-in problems if done incorrectly.
Yes. You can change the lock screen language in both Windows 10 and Windows 11 without reinstalling the operating system.
To change the language on the Windows lock screen, configure the desired display language, regional format, and keyboard layout for your current account first. Then open intl.cpl, go to the Administrative tab, and copy the settings to the Welcome screen and system accounts.
This method works in both Windows 10 and Windows 11 and is the safest way to make the sign-in screen match your preferred Windows language.