Hey everyone! I'm really struggling to configure language settings for new user accounts in Windows. I've been trying for hours and just can't seem to get it right. Here's what I'm aiming for:
For new user accounts, I want the Display Language to be German, the Input Language to be Swiss German, the Format to be German (Switzerland), and the Location also set to Switzerland.
And for the Welcome Screen, I need the Display Language to be English (US), while keeping the Input Language as Swiss German and the Format and Location the same as before.
I do know about the command to import settings from an XML file: `control intl.cpl,, /f:Language.xml`, but it seems like I always have to reboot after making changes for them to take effect. I'm also wondering if it's truly as complicated as it seems when checking and setting the language in the registry. For instance, I'm looking into the key `hku:\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop\preferreduilanguages`, but I'm unsure what it's supposed to show when I change the language. Can anyone help clarify if I'm missing something or if I really need to reboot twice to apply these changes? It's a bit overwhelming for me!
3 Answers
Definitely requires a reboot! Changing language settings is not a small thing in Windows. Also, if you're comfortable with scripts, I've crafted one that may help automate the setup for new users and the welcome screen. Just be careful and test it out as I haven't personally tried it yet! The key here is to ensure the language packs are correctly set via PowerShell commands, but again, rebooting is a must after making those changes. You don't want a mix of languages popping up when users log in!
Have you heard of the Intl module? It has cmdlets for updating user interface language and regional settings, both for systems and individual users. Just remember that while changes apply quickly, they only take effect for new processes. If a user doesn't log off soon after switching languages, they might run into random bilingual dialogs until they close those apps. So, logging off isn’t strictly necessary, but it helps avoid confusion for sure!
You're right to be confused about the `.DEFAULT` hive! It's a bit of a mystery. To set defaults for new users, you actually need to load the proper user profile hive for the default user. You can do this with commands like `reg load HKLMDefUserHive C:UsersDefaultNTUSER.DAT`. Once you've made your changes there, make sure to unload it when you're done with `reg unload HKLMDefUserHive`. This lets you set the preferences for every new user without creating a hassle.
Absolutely! Just be sure to back things up before running scripts, especially when editing the registry. It can get tricky!