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Windows 10 Region and Language

Microsoft has never fully understood countries where multiple languages are spoken, but it has worsened with the most recent Windows 10 incarnations.

When you do a fresh install of Windows 10, you get two region / language dependent answers:
  • Let's start with region. Is this right? > Belgium
  • Is this the right keyboard layout? > Belgian (period)
And you end up with a system with French…

Where are all settings located, or say, hidden...

Settings > Time & Language

  • > cog Settings
  • Time & Language
    • v1803 Region & language:
      • Country or region: Belgium
      • Languages
        • Windows display language: English (United States)
        • Preferred languages:
          • English (United States)
          • Nederlands (België)
      • Advanced keyboard settings
        • Override for default input method: Dutch (Belgium) - Belgian (Period)
      • Administrative language settings:
        • Copy settings…
          • Current user:
            • Display language: English (United States)
            • Input language: Dutch (Belgium) - Belgian (Period)
            • Format: Dutch (Belgium)
            • Location: Belgium
          • If the values for the current user are as mentioned above, then check the Welcome screen and system accounts and the New user accounts checkbox.
    • v1809 Region:
      • Region: Belgium
      • Regional format: Dutch (Belgium)
    • v1809 Language:
      • Windows display language: English (United States)
      • Preferred languages:
        • English (Belgium) -- no longer available on 18/05/'19...
        • Nederlands (België)
        • English (United States)
        • Français (Belgique)
      • Administrative language settings
        • Copy settings…
          • Current user:
            • Display language: English (United States)
            • Input language: Dutch (Belgium) - Belgian (Period)
            • Format: Dutch (Belgium)
            • Location: Belgium
          • If the values for the current user are as mentioned above, then check the Welcome screen and system accounts and the New user accounts checkbox.
      • Spelling, typing, & keyboard settings
        • Advanced keyboard settings:
          • Override for default input method: Dutch (Belgium) - Belgian (Period)
          • Language bar options:
            • Advanced Key Settings tab: in the To turn off Caps Lock section, choose the Press the SHIFT key option
            • Advanced Key Settings tab: click on Change Key Sequence…
              • Switch Input Language: Left Alt + Shift → Not Assigned
              • Switch Keyboard Layout: Ctrl + Shift → Not Assigned
    • v1903 & v1909 Region:
      • Region: Belgium
      • Regional format: Dutch (Belgium)
    • v1903 & v1909 Language:
      • Windows display language: English (United States)
      • Preferred languages:
        • English (United States)
        • Nederlands (België)
      • Administrative language settings
        • Copy settings…
          • Current user:
            • Display language: English (United States)
            • Input language: Dutch (Belgium) - Belgian (Period)
            • Format: Dutch (Belgium)
            • Location: Belgium
          • If the values for the current user are as mentioned above, then check the Welcome screen and system accounts and the New user accounts checkbox.
      • Spelling, typing, & keyboard settings
        • Advanced keyboard settings:
          • Override for default input method: Dutch (Belgium) - Belgian (Period)
          • Language bar options:
            • Advanced Key Settings tab: in the To turn off Caps Lock section, choose the Press the SHIFT key option
            • Advanced Key Settings tab: click on Change Key Sequence…
              • Switch Input Language: Left Alt + Shift → Not Assigned
              • Switch Keyboard Layout: Ctrl + Shift → Not Assigned
            • WARNING: even with the key sequences disabled, it remains possible to switch between the preferred languages by pressing + spacebar - you could overcome this by adding an AZERTY keyboard to English (United States) - but I don't do this
    • v20H2 Region:
      • Country or region: Belgium
      • Regional format: Dutch (Belgium)
    • v20H2 Language:
      This screen now first gives an overview of the active languages using five clickable tiles:
      Windows display
      English (United States)
      Apps & websites
      Dutch (Belgium)
      Regional format
      Dutch (Belgium)
      Keyboard
      Dutch (Belgium)
      Speech
      English (United States)
      • click on Windows display: focus moves down on this settings page to Windows display language
        • English (United States)
      • click on Apps & websites: focus moves down on this settings page to Preferred languages
        • Dutch (Belgium) (required for date fields to display the European way, e.g. birthday in the People app - otherwise I'd choose English as primary language for apps & websites)
        • English (United States)
      • click on Regional format: focus redirects to the Region settings page
        • see higher
      • click on Keyboard: focus redirects to the Keyboard settings page
        • Dutch (Belgium) - Belgian (Period)
      • click on Speech: focus redirects to the Speech settings page
        • English (United States)
      • Related settings: Administrative language settings
        • click on the Copy settings... button
          • Current user:
            • Display language: English (United States)
            • Input language: Dutch (Belgium) - Belgian (Period)
            • Format: Dutch (Belgium)
            • Location: Belgium
          • If the values for the current user are as mentioned above, then check the Welcome screen and system accounts and the New user accounts checkbox.
          • Confirm by clicking on the OK button.
      • Related settings: Spelling, typing, & keyboard settings
        • scroll down to and click on Advanced keyboard settings:
          • Override for default input method: Dutch (Belgium) - Belgian (Period)
          • then click on the Language bar options link:
            • Advanced Key Settings tab: in the To turn off Caps Lock section, choose the Press the SHIFT key option
            • Advanced Key Settings tab: click on the Change Key Sequence… button
              • Switch Input Language: Left Alt + Shift → Not Assigned
              • Switch Keyboard Layout: Ctrl + Shift → Not Assigned
            • WARNING: even with the key sequences disabled, it remains possible to switch between the preferred languages by pressing + spacebar - you could overcome this by adding an AZERTY keyboard to English (United States) - but I don't do this

Default System UI Language

Issue the following command in an elevated terminal window:
dism /online /get-intl

Detect Windows setup language

In PowerShell, issue the following command:
[CultureInfo]::InstalledUICulture
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