Change Language and Region Settings on Mac - Easy Guide
Customizing Language and Regional Settings on Your Mac
If you desire to operate your Mac with a different language, or if you reside in a different geographical region, adjustments can be made within OS X. These changes will alter the display to reflect your preferred language, currency, date format, and other regional preferences.
The language and region settings in OS X offer considerable utility. Even without intending to switch languages, modifications to regional formats are possible and can be quite beneficial. Let's explore the process of configuring these settings.
Accessing Language & Region Preferences
Begin by opening the "Language & Region" pane within the System Preferences application.
This preference pane allows control over the language used in menus and dialog boxes, as well as the formatting of dates, times, and monetary values.
Adding a Language
To incorporate a new language, click the "+" symbol located at the bottom of the preferred languages list.
A selection window will then appear, enabling you to choose your desired language.
Upon selecting a second language, a dialog box will prompt you to designate your primary language.
Should you choose not to specify a preferred language immediately, you can rearrange the languages by clicking and dragging them into your desired order.
Changing your preferred language typically requires a system restart. For instance, selecting French will result in all interface elements appearing in French after rebooting.
Modifying the Region
Now, let's consider altering the region settings.
Changing the region to Greece, for example, automatically adjusts the timezone and currency, as indicated in the accompanying text.
Conversely, selecting a region in Africa will adjust the date format and currency, often utilizing a 24-hour time format.
Advanced Regional Options
Access the advanced options by clicking the "Advanced" button in the lower-right corner of the Language & Region preference pane. These options allow for granular control over regional settings without a complete region change.
For instance, you might wish to modify the date format to day/month/year without altering the overall region.
To achieve this, simply drag the day component in front of the month component within the advanced settings. Confirm your changes by clicking the "OK" button.
Alternatively, you can utilize the arrow buttons next to each element to make adjustments.
As an example, to switch from the full month name to a shortened format, click the arrow next to "January" and select your preferred style, such as "Jan" or "J".
Remember to click "OK" to save your modifications.
If you encounter any issues or are dissatisfied with the changes, the "Restore Defaults" button in the lower-left corner will revert the settings to their original state.
With these adjustments, you can easily configure your Mac to display currency in yen, utilize date formats common in England, or operate the system in Russian, as needed.