If I want Windows 10 in foreign language, is it true that I have to set that language as default when I first turn on machine?

[modeonoff]

Hi, a sales at Microsoft store told me that if I buy the laptop in North America but want to install Japanese OS so that I can type and read in Japanese as well as use Japanese version of software, I should make that selection the first time I turn on the machine. If I do it later on, there will be issues. Is that really true?

 

[asoroka]

I would not think that is true.

Just go to Control panel, Region Settings and add a new Language.
You will need to install a language pack.

I could be wrong as its been a while since I did this.

 

[justin.m.beauvais]

Well, you can change the language and region settings, but most of the interface remains in English. For the full interface in another language you pretty much have to install as that language. I'm not sure I've ever seen the option to change the language of the UI in Windows. So, the Microsoft person might be right.

 

[asoroka]

I have just done it on my machine.

Install the language pack and make that your primary language.

 

[modeonoff]

I have just done it on my machine.

Install the language pack and make that your primary language.

Thanks. Will there be a problem if I set Japanese language as the primary language but the keyboard is still English? I don't know about Windows but on the Mac, some key placements are different.

Alternatively, should I set everything as English now. Then, try to replace the English keyboard with a Japanese one. Then, set Japanese as the primary language?

I used Windows when I was in Japan over 10 years ago. I have Japanese version of some software programs that I want to use on my new machine.

 

[asoroka]

Yes the keyboard will be your issue.

It will be more natural to have a Japanese keyboard, but not impossible. You will have to learn the keystrokes on the USA keyboard to produce your characters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qquFkpWO_5A

And if you want menus in Japanese, move Japanese language to have a higher priority.

 

[smorizio]

with new laptops and desktop now they have a restore partion on them. if changing from us english to japanees does not work 100 percent you can rest the laptop when it was new in a few min and then select jap not english.

 

[modeonoff]

Yes the keyboard will be your issue.

It will be more natural to have a Japanese keyboard, but not impossible. You will have to learn the keystrokes on the USA keyboard to produce your characters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qquFkpWO_5A

And if you want menus in Japanese, move Japanese language to have a higher priority.

Thanks. I have not turned on the laptop yet. So, once it is on, I guess it will ask me to do some settings. At that time, install Japanese language pack and set it as primary/highest priority language. I don't know if Windows10 will ask me whether I am using English or Japanese keyboard. Will it? If being asked, just choose English before I buy a Japanese keyboard and use it to replace the original English keyboard. Am I right?

 

[asoroka]

Yes you need to set the keyboard to match your layout.

I am not sure what the Japanese overlay on a US keyboard looks like.

I would install both English and Japanese.

 

[modeonoff]

I made some mistakes in user names so I restored the entire system back to factory settings in order to create one Admin account and one user account. Surprisingly, when Windows was re-installed/set up, it seems that it installed the Japanese version of the OS. UI are also in Japanese. So that is even better!

I can get the English verion of Adobe Creative Cloud for free by entering my school's email address and password. Do you know if all UI will automatically be changed to Japanese even I install the English version? Is it better to download Adobe Creative Cloud from Adobe Japanese site? Not sure if my school's email address and password will work.

 

[asoroka]

Only if the program has been coded for multi-language and the language pack is on your system.

So you may need to download an additional language pack.

I am only guessing as I don't use this software.