How can I change the language setting on my Mac? Even with everything I see set to English, when I install new software, it installs in Italian...
Macbook Pro
Select ▹ System Preferences ▹ Language & Text ▹ Language.
That's my point - I've tried that. In language there are several languages listed, all of which I use, but English is first and yet everytime I install new software the instalation is in Italian...
So you install new software, any software, and the user interface is Italian, even if English is selected in the preference pane? Selecting another language has no effect? What about old software?
Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ If you’re running Mac OS X 10.7 or later, open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the page that opens.
Drag or copy — do not type — the following line into the Terminal window, then press return:
defaults read -g AppleLocale
Post any lines of output that appear below what you entered — the text, please, not a screenshot.
Thanks, that's exactly right. Normally nce the software's installed it will be in English but I just loaded X-Plane and everything's in Italian. Old software, once installed, is in English.
The MacBook Pro was bought in the U.S.
This is what appeared after I did what you suggested:
en_IE
According to the documentation, X-Plane has its own language setting. Have you tried changing it?
Everything on screen with that is in Italian so I can't find how to change it. I downloaded their manual but couldn't find anything about languages there either.
Anyway, even if I do sort X Plane, the problem still persists: everytime I try to install new software I'm presented with Italian dialog boxes(?)...
When you log in, is the login screen in Italian?
I'm not sure what you mean - when I turn on the computer and enter my password everything's in English. It's only when I try to install software that stuff (like legal agreements and locations where the software is to be installed) appears in Italian. Normally that's as bad as it gets but when XPlane was installed, all its menus etc. appeared in Italian and I can't see how I can change that.
The problem is about more than XPlane though. I've changed every preference I can find to ensure it's in English...
Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a diagnostic test. It won’t solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account. Enable guest logins and log in as Guest. For instructions, launch the System Preferences application, select Help from the menu bar, and enter “Set up a guest account” (without the quotes) in the search box.
While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your personal files or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.
Test while logged in as Guest. Same problem(s)?
After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.
Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault in Mac OS X 10.7 or later, then you can’t enable the Guest account. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing.
I appreciate your help. I won't get a chance to try what you've suggested until tomorrow.
I did that. I installed XPlane on the Guest account and there was no problem - everything in English.
I then un-installed it on my own account and re-installed it and again it was in Italian...
Can you post a picture of the menu. I can guide you in changing the default language if the option is available.
To set your preferred language, go back into the System Preferences > Language & Text. Click on the Language tab.
On the left side in the list of languages, drag and drop (in your case) Italian to the top of the list. Log out and log back in, or restart for the change to take effect.
That's my point - I've tried that. In language there are several languages listed, all of which I use, but English is first and yet everytime I install new software the instalation is in Italian...
He already has English at the top of the list.
Oh, DUH!!! I read it as he was trying to set Italian as the default. 😊
How can I change the language setting on my Mac?
