Chinese characters on the first screen after switch on

Anonymous
2024-01-09T12:53:49+00:00

The screen before I put my PIN in (I don't know if that is the lock screen or called something else) has suddenly started to use Chinese traditional language. I have checked and updated the region in control panel and copied the settings to lock screen and even ticked the new use box, as suggested by other solutions. I've rebooted several times but it still comes back as Chinese. When I click on the area that (I assume is saying) I want more information on the screen, it opens up MSN page with Chinese stories and information. How do I change the settings to show English text again?

Why has this happened? I have not changed any settings in my system prior to now.

I also can't get a screenshot because as soon as I touch a key the PIN request screen comes up replacing the screen with the Chinese characters in it.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Input and language

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-01-31T06:00:07+00:00

    Same here.

    This must be Microsoft's solution to the EU digital act!

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-01-24T07:13:37+00:00

    I have this problem now as well. (24/01/24) I really feel uncomfortable having a part of Windows changing to Chinese, maybe MS messed up and pushed a China only part to the whole world.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-01-14T11:07:39+00:00

    UPDATE: worked only for a day

    A variation of NickyCD's solution worked for me, my windows control panel had separate items for Clock and Region. I didn't touch anything under Clock.

    Press WIN R and write Control.

    Click on Region

    Under tab formats see the first item format:

    This currently has your language selected. Click on it and in the list that appears scroll to the top and select Match Windows display language (recommended).

    Click on OK then restart your PC.

    The result for me was no text appearing on the startup screen which is fine for me.

    But if you want text, back in Region, select the tab Administrative

    Then under Welcome screen and new user accounts click on Copy settings. (Not tested by me, but by NickyCD)

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-01-13T16:57:42+00:00

    All I did was go to "Lock Screen Settings" and under the 1st Tab "Personalize your Lock Screen" by default it would be "Windows Spotlight" what I did was I changed it to "Picture" and that'll remove all the stuff, it'll just remain blank and just show the time alone. I didn't like this so I changed it back to "Windows Spotlight" and that seemed to sort out the problem.

    Prior to doing this I had changed my time and date settings etc. and restarted but that did not help. So that's what I did and it worked.

    Unfortunately - reverting back to Windows Spotlight again after setting the welcome screen to picture did not work for me!

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-01-13T00:06:44+00:00

    This also happened to me, but none of the changes reccommended by Shawn Z resloved the issue?

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