How to change system language on Linux

Many modern Linux distributions rely on locale settings to manage language and regional preferences. By customizing locale parameters, users can display system menus, messages, and application output in languages other than the default. The process typically involves installing the appropriate language packages and updating configuration files to apply these settings system-wide.

Certain distributions, such as Ubuntu and Debian, provide specialized commands like dpkg-reconfigure for locale management. Meanwhile, systemd-based systems can leverage localectl to streamline the process. Both approaches modify environment variables and generate necessary data for consistent translation across the operating system.

Understanding how to edit these locale options from the command line is useful for remote administration or headless servers. It also offers a uniform approach for scripting language configurations in large deployments. Familiarity with fundamental directories like /etc/locale.gen or /etc/default/locale and commands such as locale-gen ensures reliable and repeatable localization steps.

1. Check available locales.

   # localectl list-locales
   en_US.utf8
   en_GB.utf8
   fr_FR.utf8

2. Choose a suitable locale from the list based on language and region requirements.
3. Set the default system locale.

   # localectl set-locale LANG=en_US.UTF-8

4. Confirm the change to ensure the LANG variable is updated.

   # localectl status
      System Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8
          VC Keymap: us
         X11 Layout: us

5. Log out or reboot the system to finalize the locale changes.