HP Laptop problem

Question

HP Laptop problem

Lowell Miller 0

How DO I GET RID OF CHINESE CHARACTERS AND GET ENGLISH. LAPTOP WOULDN'T BOOT WENT HOURS WENT HOURS WITH THE SWIRLY THING. I FINALLY HELD DOWN THE POWER BUTTON AND HAVE DONE A F2 AND F11. THE ONLY WAY i COULD GET IT BACK WAS RESET. WHEN IT CAME BACK ONLINE ALL THE VERBAGE WAS I BELIEVE CHINESE. I FOLLOWEDM THE GO TO LANGUAGE BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO READ ALL THOSE CHARACTER I AM LOST. MY APPS AND LOGINS WORK BUT THE MICROSOFT HAS THE CHINESE CHARACTERS. ALSO EDEGE HAS AN ASIAN SITE

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2 answers

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Answer 1

Please note that HP and its diagnostic or support services are provided and managed by a third party, independently of Microsoft. Microsoft is not responsible for the content, availability, or any changes made to HP’s websites, tools, or support procedures.

Hi Lowell Miller,

It sounds like two separate issues may have occurred: a startup failure on the HP laptop and an unexpected change to the Windows and Microsoft Edge language settings.

Since the laptop remained on a spinning screen for several hours and only started again after a forced shutdown, I recommend backing up your important files as soon as possible. If the startup problem happens again, run HP PC Hardware Diagnostics, particularly the UEFI diagnostics if Windows cannot start. This can help determine whether the storage drive, memory, or another hardware component is causing the problem: HP PC Hardware Diagnostics

For the remaining Chinese text, please check both Settings > Time & language > Language & region and the Administrative language settings. Make sure English is selected for the Windows display language, regional format, and system locale. Signing out or restarting the laptop may be required before every part of Windows changes back to English.

Microsoft Edge also has its own language preference. You can follow Microsoft’s official instructions here: Use Microsoft Edge in another language

If only the Recycle Bin icon is missing, right-click the desktop and open Personalize > Themes > Desktop icon settings, then select Recycle Bin and choose Apply.

Please avoid performing another reset for now unless your important files have been backed up. If the laptop freezes or fails to boot again, contact HP Support and provide the laptop model together with any failure ID generated by HP Diagnostics, as that behavior may be related to the device hardware rather than only a Windows language setting. Thank you so much for your understanding.

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Answer 2

Set English as the Windows display language, sign out and back in, and then correct Microsoft Edge’s separate language and startup-page settings.

1. Restore Windows to English

This shortcut avoids navigating menus displayed in Chinese:

Stay connected to the Internet so Windows can download the English language pack.
Press Windows key + R.
Type:
```
   ms-settings:regionlanguage
```
Press Enter. This opens Language & region directly.^1^
At the top, find Windows display language:
- If English (United States) is available, select it.
- If it is absent, under Preferred languages, select Add a language—usually the button containing a +.
- Search for English, select English (United States), and select Next.
- Select Language pack and Set as my Windows display language, then select Install.
Wait for installation to finish.
Select Sign out, then sign back in. Merely restarting may not apply the new display language.^2^
Return to the same page and place English (United States) at the top of Preferred languages. This also influences the language used by Microsoft Store apps and supported websites.

Be aware that changing the display language may also change the keyboard layout. At the sign-in screen, use the language indicator to select the English keyboard before entering the password.

2. If Windows refuses to install English

If Windows displays “Only one language pack allowed” or “Your Windows license supports only one display language”:

Open Settings → System → About.
Under Windows specifications, check Edition.
If it says Windows 11 Home Single Language, that edition cannot install another display language. It must be upgraded to Windows 11 Home or Pro to add English.^3^

3. Change Microsoft Edge to English

Edge has its own language preference:

Open Edge.
Click the address bar, type:
```
   edge://settings/languages
```
Press Enter.
If English is absent, select Add languages, search for English (United States), and add it.
Select the three dots beside English.
Select Display Microsoft Edge in this language and Move to the top.
Select Restart when Edge offers it.

Websites generally receive Edge’s preferred languages in their listed order, so placing English first also helps sites choose English.^4^

4. Remove the unwanted Asian startup page

After Edge’s controls are in English:

Select … → Settings.
Select Start, home, and new tab page.
Under the startup options, choose Open the new tab page, or remove the unwanted site and enter your preferred page.
If the Home button opens that site, under the same section choose New tab page or set another site.^5^

If that page returns, open … → Extensions → Manage extensions and disable any unfamiliar extension that modifies the new-tab page.^6^

5. If Windows remains partly Chinese

First try the lower-risk language-pack repair:

Open ms-settings:regionlanguage.
Beside English (United States), select … → Remove.
Restart.
Reinstall English, set it as the display language, and sign out and back in.^7^

If the interface is still mixed, a Windows repair installation is a possible escalation:

Back up important files.
Download the English Windows 11 ISO from
https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11
Disconnect from the Internet and unplug external devices except the keyboard and mouse.
If necessary, temporarily disable third-party antivirus only while offline; this reduces protection.
In File Explorer, double-click the ISO and run Setup.exe.
Choose Install, then select Keep personal files and apps.
If Keep personal files and apps is unavailable or does not remain selected, cancel Setup rather than continue.
After Setup finishes, re-enable antivirus before reconnecting to the Internet.^8^

The earlier failure to boot is separate from the language setting. If the hours-long spinning screen happens again, avoid another reset until important files are backed up.

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