Easy Way to Change the Language in SOLIDWORKS

Did you know that you can change the language in SOLIDWORKS without needing to change the language of your system? It's possible and relatively simple. 

Changing the Language in an Existing SOLIDWORKS Installation 

The easiest way to change the language in an existing SOLIDWORKS installation is by tricking SOLIDWORKS into thinking the new language is English. There must be a full installation file set for the wanted language. Follow the instructions below to modify your SOLIDWORKS installation to install the full-file set for the desired language. 

1. Open the Control Panel 
1. Windows Start Button > type 'Control Panel'
2. Select 'Programs' or 'Programs and Features', and choose 'Uninstall a Program'
3. Find the version of SOLIDWORKS to modify, right-click on it and select 'Change'
4. As long as you have recently rebooted your computer, you can select 'Ok' on the pop-up that says “A Windows reboot is pending from a previous installation…” (this is a known bug in the Installation Manager)
   
   
   
   
5. Choose 'Modify your installation' and select 'Next' until you get to the Product Selection page of the installation 
6. Expand 'SOLIDWORKS Languages' (by selecting the arrow next to it) and check the box next to the language you would like
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Select 'Next' then 'Modify' on the last page.   
8. Once it successfully installed, open File Explorer and navigate to:  
   
   
   
   
9. Rename the English folder to “english.old” and the wanted language folder to “English”.  
   
   
   
   
10. Launch SOLIDWORKS and it will run in the wanted language.  
    
    
    

Installing Language in Brand New SOLIDWORKS Installation 

To install SOLIDWORKS with the specific language right off the bat, select the desired language(s) in the “Product Selection” page of the installation, then follow steps 6 - 10 as discussed above.  

I hope you found this article helpful. Learn more about SOLIDWORKS in the tips and tricks below.

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