Windows 10 and 11 are available in various languages, and you can even install language packs for each language you speak. This feature allows you to use a specific language for display (Settings and File Explorer) while still using a different language for the keyboard, apps, and websites. With millions of worldwide users, Windows OS is one of the most popular desktop and laptop operating systems. Currently, it’s installed on over 900 million devices. See the following related articles: how to add languages to your Personal PC, how to change or add another keyboard language in Windows Server, Local Experience Packs: How to add languages to Windows images using DISM and PowerShell.
As a result of its large user base, it supports the majority of languages. While most users won’t change default display languages, they can install new language packs in Windows (10 & 11). If using multiple languages and facing settings issues, the option to remove a secondary pack might be unavailable. For instance, the upgrade process may unintentionally install a package with the same base language as the display language, resulting in an inability to remove either language.
You need to remove a language but the option is greyed out. Don’t worry; you can use a workaround to swiftly eliminate the unwanted pack using a few PowerShell commands. Let me demonstrate this in the guide. Here, I’m going to show you this in Windows 11. The steps in Windows 10 are the same thing. So feel free to apply the same steps if you’re using Windows 10. Explore these captivating guides that may pique your interest: How to install Zoom video conference software in Linux System, how to manage your Cloud Assets in AWS with CloudQuery, and Charmed Kubernetes: How to install CNF certified Kubernetes in AWS.
How to remove language packs using PowerShell
Most times, the option to remove the language pack gets greyed out. In such cases, the best bet is to use PowerShell for removing it. The following are the steps to take:
Step 1 – Right-click and run PowerShell as an admin by searching for it in the Windows search bar.
When the PowerShell console opens up, type the following Cmdlet to display the list of languages currently installed on your PC:
Get-WinUserLanguageList
From the screenshot above, I have 3 language packs and I have highlighted the one I want to remove. You should also make a note of the language you wish to remove.
Step 2 – Type the following commands (one at a time) to remove the language that you don’t need and press enter.
1. $LangList = Get-WinUserLanguageList
2. $MarkedLang = $LangList | where LanguageTag -eq "LANGUAGETAG"
3. $LangList.Remove($MarkedLang)
4. Set-WinUserLanguageList $LangList -Force
Note: in the second Cmdlet command, ensure to replace "LANGUAGETAG" with the code of the language you want to remove. For example, en-DE, if your primary language is not the German English, and it's the pack you want to delete.Simply rerun the Cmdlet command to verify the removal of the language.
Get-WinUserLanguageList
After you’ve finished the steps, open the Settings app by pressing the Windows key + I and navigate to the "Region & language” page, where the language you couldn’t remove before should now be gone. (If you wish to remove another language if necessary, repeat the steps)
If you want to remove a primary language, keep in mind that you must first set a new language as the new default before the Remove button appears.
I hope you found this blog post helpful. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comment session.