Server configuration: default language
Applies to: SQL Server
This article describes how to configure the default language
server configuration option in SQL Server by using SQL Server Management Studio or Transact-SQL. The default language
option specifies the default language for all newly created logins. To set default language, specify the langid
value of the language you want. You can look up the langid
value by querying the sys.syslanguages
compatibility view.
Recommendations
The default language for a login can be overridden by using CREATE LOGIN
or ALTER LOGIN
. The default language for a session is the language for that session's login, unless overridden on a per-session basis by using the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) or OLE DB APIs. You can only set the default language
option to a language ID defined in sys.syslanguages (0-32). When you're using contained databases, a default language can be set for a database by using CREATE DATABASE
or ALTER DATABASE
, and for contained database users by using CREATE USER
or ALTER USER
. Setting default languages in a contained database accepts langid
value, the language name, or a language alias as listed in sys.syslanguages
.
Permissions
Execute permissions on sp_configure
with no parameters or with only the first parameter are granted to all users by default. To execute sp_configure
with both parameters to change a configuration option or to run the RECONFIGURE
statement, a user must be granted the ALTER SETTINGS
server-level permission. The ALTER SETTINGS
permission is implicitly held by the sysadmin and serveradmin fixed server roles.
Use SQL Server Management Studio
In Object Explorer, right-click a server and select Properties.
Select the Advanced tab.
In the
default language
box, choose the language in which Microsoft SQL Server should display system messages.The default language is English.
Use Transact-SQL
Connect to the Database Engine.
From the Standard bar, select New Query.
Copy and paste the following example into the query window and select Execute. This example shows how to use sp_configure to configure the
default language
option to French (2
).USE master; GO EXECUTE sp_configure 'default language', 2; GO RECONFIGURE; GO
For more information, see Server configuration options.
Follow up: After you configure the default language option
The setting takes effect immediately without restarting the server.