Hacked of my MSN account... now overlay in Chinese

Question

My email account was hacked. I have now regained control by changing my password via authentication.

My MSN.com overlay remains in Chinese however. I need this returned to an in English format

Roger Lewis

******@msn.com

Answer 1

Hi,

Thank you for sharing your question. I understand how upsetting it is to recover your MSN account after a hack only to find that the MSN.com interface is still showing in Chinese instead of English.

This usually happens because attackers often change the display language or region in your Microsoft account or MSN preferences, and the website continues using those settings even after you successfully reset your password.

The most effective resolution is to sign in to your Microsoft account at account.microsoft.com, check your “Language and region” settings, and update them back to English, then open MSN.com and scroll to the bottom of the page to switch the site language and region back to your preferred setting, which immediately updates the interface. You may also need to clear your browser cookies so that MSN stops loading the previously stored language profile.

May I ask whether the language change appears only on MSN.com or in other Microsoft services as well? Feel free to share more details, and I’ll be glad to help you confirm the account is fully restored and secure.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Best Regards,

Noel

Answer 2

Change the language in two places: the Microsoft account and Outlook/ MSN interface. Also, since the account was hacked, complete the recommended security steps.

1. Secure the account fully
   1. Run a full antivirus/malware scan on every device used to access the account (PC, Mac, phone, tablet). Make sure security software is up to date.
   2. After scans complete, change the Microsoft account password again to a strong, unique password using the normal sign‑in path.
   3. Review account security info and sign‑in activity using the guidance in How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account and the Sign‑in Helper:
      • Start from: How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account
      • Use the Start / Sign-in Helper button there to check for hacked‑account issues and follow the steps it provides.
2. Fix language/region for the Microsoft account
   1. Sign in to the Microsoft account using the Sign‑in Helper if needed: Open the Sign-in Helper for support options or hacked account issues.
   2. Once signed in, go to the Microsoft account profile and ensure the region and language are set to the correct country/English. (The Sign‑in Helper and hacked‑account article guide through accessing account settings.)
3. Fix Outlook.com / MSN interface language
   1. Sign in to Outlook.com / MSN in a browser.
   2. Open Settings (gear icon) → look for language/region settings and switch the display language back to English.
   3. Also check:
      • Mail → Rules for any suspicious rules and delete them.
      • Mail → Forwarding and remove any unknown forwarding addresses.
      • Any automatic replies or connected accounts that might have been added by the attacker.
4. Check security info and two-step verification
   1. In the Microsoft account security settings, verify that phone numbers, backup email addresses, and authentication methods are all yours.
   2. If any phone/email security info is unfamiliar, follow the guidance under I don't recognize the phone/email security info and I need to update backup security info:
      • When prompted for a code to an address/phone that is not recognized, choose I don't have any of these and follow the prompts to update security info.
   3. Do not remove all security info at once, as this can cause a 30‑day restriction.

After these steps, the account should be secure again and the MSN/Outlook overlays should display in English once the language/region settings are corrected.

---

References:

• How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account
• Hello , welcome to Account help & learning
• I can't sign in to my Microsoft account
• Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
• My username and password have stopped working
• My personal hotmail account hacked by hacker with authentication app enabled. - Microsoft Q&A
• Cannot Access Microsoft Account After Hacker Changed Email, Advice Needed - Microsoft Q&A
• hello my email was (Moderator note: PII removed)@icloud.com and now its (Moderator note: PII removed)@jerkoffmail.com can please someone help me and the team change it my username in xbox is (Moderator note: PII removed) please help me team and change it - Microsoft Q&A
• Hacker set up continuous draft ransomware email - Microsoft Q&A
• I need to speak with a real person and it seems impossible. - Microsoft Q&A
• Unblock my Outlook.com account