This topic is a how to. Please keep it as clear and simple as possible. Avoid speculative discussions as well as a deep dive into underlying mechanisms or related technologies.

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Introduction

SharePoint 2010 is the first SharePoint version that introduced the Multi Language User Interface (MUI): by downloading and installing the appropriate Language Packs, you can select a different language to displaye the following elements of a site (even the Central Administration site):

• Site title and description;
• SharePoint out-of-the-box menus and actions;
• columns;
• custom columns (list or site);
• navigation bar links;
• managed metadata services.

By the way, remember that MUI is not a translation tool: you cannot use it to translate site contents, such as pages, documents or list items.

Downloading the Language Pack

The first step you have to take is downloading the required Language Packs: the Language packs are available in different languages and allow you to

• create sites in different languages;
• configure the MUI to display the user interface in different languages.

For example, assuming that you're running an English language SharePoint 2010 and that you want to enable display in Italian, you have to download the appropriate Language Pack:

1. go to the Microsoft Download Area web site;
2. type "SharePoint 2010 Language Pack" in the search box and hit ENTER;
3. choose the Language Pack you want to download according to your SharePoint installation (Foundation or Server);
4. in the download page for the choosen Language Pack, choose the language for the Language Pack and start the download.

Enabling the Multi Language User Interface

You enable the multi language user interface in the actual SharePoint installation by following these steps

1. double click the Language Pack file to start the installation process;
2. after the Language Pack installation, rerun the SharePoint Products and Technologies Configuration Wizard, using the default settings;
3. in the "Site Actions" menu, click "Site Settings";
4. in the "Site Administration" group, click "Language Settings" and select the languages you want to use (Italian, in this example);
5. click OK.

To change the site language, click the arrow next to your username and select the "Select Display Language" option.

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See Also

• Plan for multilingual sites (SharePoint Server 2010) (TechNet Library)
• Deploy language packs (SharePoint Server 2010) (TechNet Library)

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Other Languages

This article is also available in the following languages:

Italiano (it-IT)

• SharePoint 2010: come abilitare l'interfaccia utente multilingua (it-IT)