How To Check Regional and Language Settings

Certain errors, can often be solved by ensuring that your computer’s regional and language settings are correct.  This process can vary based on which operating system you are using on your computer.

On this guide we will see how to check those settings via operation system of: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8.

Windows XP

1. Click on the “Start” button to open the Windows Start Menu, and left-click on “Control Panel”.
2. Click on “Regional and Language Options”, which will either be its own icon, or behind the category “Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options”.
3. In the “Regional and Language Options” window, ensure that the format is set to “English (United States)”, and click on the “Customize” button as shown below.
   
   
4. In the “Customize Regional Options” window, click on the “Date” tab (see the green square) at the top of the window, then confirm that the short and long date formats are as shown below. If either format is different than shown below, click on it and select the correct format in the drop-down menu.
   
5. Click on “Apply” and then “OK” to save any changes.  You can click on “OK” again to close down the “Regional and Language Options” window.
   

Windows Vista/7

1. Left-click on the ‘Windows’ button to open the Windows Start Menu, and left-click on “Control Panel”.
2. Left-click on the “Clock, Language, and Region” category.
   
3. Left-click on “Region and Language”.
   
4. In the “Region and Language” window, ensure that the format is set to “English (United States)” and click on the “Additional Settings” button.
5. In the “Customize Regional Options” window, click on the “Date” tab (see the green square) at the top of the window, then confirm that the short and long date formats are as shown below. If either format is different than shown below, left-click on it and then select the correct format in the drop-down menu.
   
6. Click on “Apply” and then “OK” to save any changes.  You can click on “OK” again to close down the “Regional and Language Options” window.
   

Windows 8

1. Open the Start screen (shown below).  You can get here by pressing the ‘Windows’ key on your keyboard.
2. Type “control” on your keyboard.  Then click on “Control Panel” in the search results.

    

3. In the Control Panel, click on “Clock, Language, and Region”.
   
   
4. Then click on “Region”.
   
5. In the “Region” window, ensure that the format is set to “English (United States)” and that the short and long date formats are as shown below. If either format is different than as shown below, click on it and select the correct format in the drop-down menu.