How to Download Windows 7 Language Pack [64, 32 Bit]
Because the Microsoft Windows operating system is used all over the world, it comes as no surprise that there are several different languages available for it. Something Microsoft decided to introduce back in Windows 2000 was a method of allowing the user to install multiple languages for the interface onto a single operating system. This means that on a single system you can have multiple accounts, each having their own preferred display language for the user interface.
The Multilingual User Interface (MUI) is available for Windows, Microsoft Office and several other applications that provide multilingual support on one system. The advantage of using an MUI package is the core Windows files remain the same and the local language of the installed operating system is unchanged, only things like menus, dialogs and the application API gets changed to the new language. From Windows Vista onward, the MUI was enhanced further and languages no longer need to be integrated into application files and instead MUI applies the language to the chosen application in a way more like a themed skin.
In recent years it’s not uncommon for the price of computers to fluctuate from country to country, and buying a new machine while on vacation or a business trip is very tempting if it means saving some money. The problem with this is the computer will likely be installed with that countries native language and you will want it working in your own language. This is where the MUI language packs come in, but there’s a problem; only Windows 7 and Vista Ultimate and Enterprise versions accept and install the MUI language packs, there is no support for Home Basic, Home Premium and Business/Professional.
There are a couple of ways to install languages in Windows Ultimate and Enterprise. Go to Control Panel -> Regional and Language Options -> Keyboards and Languages tab -> Install/uninstall languages which will ask if you want to install a downloaded language pack or go to Windows Update to get one. Or you can simply double click on a downloaded pack to install it.
As for non supported Windows Vista version users, even if you download and run the chosen MUI language pack, you will get an error saying “The total number of languages allowed this computer has been reached.” when you try to install it. The next button to proceed will be grayed out and preventing you to continue. When Windows 7 users try to run a pack on an unsupported system, nothing will happen and the pack installer will just close quietly.
Thankfully, if you’re not an Ultimate or Enterprise Windows user, you don’t need to worry about formatting the drive, re-installing windows or looking for the Windows installation disc and genuine product key, because there is a way to get around this problem. Simply use a program called Vistalizator.
The sole purpose of Vistalizator is to let you install an additional MUI language pack onto your version of Windows Vista or 7 if it doesn’t officially support it and override the one pack limit. As you can tell from the name, the program was developed for Vista but is now fully updated and compatible with Windows 7 Service Pack 1, including 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
Here is how easily you can change your Windows 7 or Vista language using Vistalizator.
1. You need to download the language pack that you want to install. Although there are separate versions for different Windows service packs, the latest MUI pack is backwards compatible. They’re also downloadable via the Vistalizator help page, but for quickness, here’s the links to the pages on the Vistalizator website.
MUI packages for Windows Vista 32-bit | 64-bit
MUI packages for Windows 7 32-bit | 64-bit
2. Download the Vistalizator program and run its portable executable.
3. Click the Add Language button and browse for the language file that you’ve downloaded earlier and it will automatically extract and verify the file. Multiselect is supported for more than one language.
4. Once Vistalizator has finished processing the file, click the Install language button. There is an option to perform an Express install which is faster but less compatible than the recommended Internal method. Installation will take a few minutes.
5. The program will then ask if you want to switch to the new language after the install is complete. If you choose not to, simply click on the newly installed Language in the window and press Change language at a later time. Restarting your computer is required after every change. Do note that if ever you want to change the language in future, it has to be done through this program, not Control Panel.
June 20, 2019
Windows 7 Basic Home SP1 and full updated
Don’t work:
“The current version of your Windows Update Agent (7.6.7601.24436) is not supported. Make sure you have the latest version of Vistalizator. If this is the case, and you encounter this error, contact the author.”
Unfortunately, the Norwegian language available is not the one which I was looking for (norsk bokmål). Nynorsk is not preferred amongst Norwegians, but I understand that this is not your fault: it is Microsoft’s.
Excelente me funcionó.
Raymond, thanks very much for these tips. I followed them and was able to convert my Windows Vista Home Premium system to Chinese. One problem, however, has popped up since I made all the changes. Windows now keeps telling me that I need to download and install an update called “Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 Language Pack.” Yet when I try to install this update, Windows tells me that I’ve failed. I have never failed to install a Windows update on my computer since I bought it in 2009. Clearly, it seems that the Vistalizator has done something to my machine, but I don’t know what.
Now that I can’t install the language pack update, it simply won’t go away. Not only is there an icon at the bottom right hand corner of my screen telling me to install the language pack update (which inevitably fails to install), there’s an exclamation mark whenever I press my Start button telling me that the machine will need to install updates and shut down. So every time I shut down my machine, this fake installation process that installs nothing just slows everything down.
If you could help, I’d greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
I am looking for a solution to the same issue. Have you been able to either install .NET Framework 3.5 or disable Update’s attempts at installing it? I have Windows Vista Home Premium with Vistalizator installed in order to allow Spanish language pack to run.
Thank You !
from Slovakia
Man, thank you SO VERY MUCH! You rock!
I’d been suffering for over 2 years with this Windows Basic in a language I’m not used to when it comes to computers, with no relief in view… until I found your site.
The only thing is, the “Internal” install didn’t work for me, so I went with the “Express” and the installation went nice and smooth. How glad I am now that my laptop is finally back to good, old English.
Again, thanks a lot. You can be sure that you’ve made a lot of people very happy.
P.S.: I bookmarked your site and will be back here constantly. :<)
Thank you trying to get English on my French installation of Vista Business was proving impossible until I found your page. Very appreciated and only takes a few minutes!
I installed a new language (hebrew) through Vistalizator, but the language does not appear in the language bar, so I cannot select it when for instance I want to enter hebrew characters in a MS Word document. Has anybody any tip to offer?
IT’S A MASTERPIECE ! THANKS RAYMOND ! THANKS FRIEND !
Dík brácho :) “thanks bro”
Dear Friend,
thank you so much,
good job,
Have a nice weekend
Czesław Rolla
from Poland
Many thanks!
You saved my life!
that was very nice
Thank you very very much. Good bless you, you saved me . I wanted to install windows vista ultimate but now I won’t. man, you’re amazing!
Thank you so much Raymond!
Thank you so much Raymond for bringing Vistalizator to my attention again.
I thought it was going to be very hard to sort out my German laptop into English, but with the help of your links to Vistalizator and the language packs it was a piece of cake.
I downloaded them to my desktop and put them on a disk
took less than 10 minutes-thanks again this site rocks.
A VERY big THANK YOU 4 Raymond ;)
Brilliant!
Thanks Raymond, u really saved me.
nice tool ray been looking for this one
thanks :)
Thanks Ray..good post..
good job raymond !!
Thanks Raymond.