outlook appears in a foreign language

Hello,

The category for this question is Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Settings, so the issue is related to the web version of Outlook.

If this is not the correct category for your situation, please let me know.

If Outlook.com suddenly appears in a foreign language after restarting, it is usually caused by the Microsoft account display language or the browser’s language priority changing.

1. Check Microsoft account language

Sign in at

https://account.microsoft.com/profile

Open Language & region

Set your preferred Display language

Refresh Outlook.com

2. Check browser language priority

Outlook.com follows the browser’s language order.

In Edge/Chrome, move your preferred language to the top of the list.

After updating these settings, Outlook.com should return to the correct language.

Change the display language back to the desired language in Windows and Outlook, then restart Outlook.

For Windows 10/11 (system language):

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Time & language > Language & region.
3. Under Windows display language, select the preferred language (for example, English).
4. Sign out and sign back in, or restart the laptop.

If the issue is only in Office/Outlook desktop apps:

1. Close Outlook and all Office apps.
2. Open the Start menu.
3. Go to All apps > Microsoft Office Tools (or Microsoft Office 2016 Tools, depending on version) > Office Language Preferences.
4. In the Display Language list, select the preferred language and choose Set as Default.
5. Do the same in the Help Language list if needed.
6. Select OK, then restart Outlook.

If text in documents or messages is still treated as another language (for example, spellcheck marks correct words as wrong), select all content and explicitly set the proofing language:

1. In Word or Outlook message editor, press Ctrl+A to select all text.
2. Go to Tools (or Review tab) > Language.
3. Choose the correct language and ensure Detect language automatically is not checked.

References:

• Office displays in English instead of Chinese or Serbian
• The default language - English - keeps switching to Portuguese even after RE-setting default to English - Microsoft Q&A
• change language - Microsoft Q&A