The interface language of DB2^® is the language that appears in messages, help, and graphical tool interfaces. When installing DB2, you have the option of installing support for one or more languages. If, at some time after installation, you want to change the interface language for DB2 to one of the other installed interface languages, use the steps outlined in this task.

Do not confuse languages supported by a DB2 product with languages supported by the DB2 interface. Languages supported by a DB2 product means the languages in which data can exist. These languages are a superset of languages supported by the DB2 interface.

The DB2 interface language you want to use must be installed on your system. The DB2 product interface languages are selected and installed when you install a DB2 product using the DB2 Setup wizard. If you change the interface language of a DB2 product to a supported interface language that has not been installed, the DB2 product interface language will default to the operating system language first, and if that is not supported, English.

Changing the interface language for a DB2 product on Windows^® requires that you change the default language setting for your Windows operating system.

To change the DB2 product interface language on Windows operating systems:

1. Through the Control Panel, select Regional and Language Options.

2. On the Regional Options tab under Standards and formats, select the appropriate language. On Windows Vista, use the Formats tab for this step.

3. On the Regional Options tab under Location, select the location that corresponds to the appropriate language.

4. On the Advanced tab under Language for non-Unicode programs select the appropriate language. On Windows Vista, on the Administrative tab, under Language for non-unicode programs, click Change system locale and select the appropriate language. You will then be asked to reboot, click Cancel.

5. On the Advanced tab under Default user account settings, check the Apply all settings to the current user account and to the default user profile box. On Windows Vista, on the Administrative tab under reserved accounts, click Copy to reserved accounts and check the accounts that you want to copy the language settings to.

6. You will be asked to reboot before these changes come into effect.

Refer to your operating system help for additional information about changing the default system language.

Parent topic: Supported DB2 interface languages

Related tasks
Displaying topics in your preferred language in the DB2 Information Center

Related reference
Supported territory codes and code pages