Help Japanese user change from Japanese to English OS-X

[Mike Schwend]

I have a friend in Japan who is running an iMac in Japan; She has her computer is now set to display Kanji (or Japanese) text in the top menu of her display, as well as throughout the rest of her computer.

Is it possible for me to use Teamviewer (etc.) to set her computer to display English, so I can assist her from my home, here in the USA? (She needs some assistance from me, in setting up some of her apps, such as email.)

I would LIKE to switch my computer to display Japanese on a trial basis, just to insure that:
(1) I could indeed switch MY COMPUTER to the Japanese language
(2) I could INSURE that I'd be able to revert MY COMPUTER back to English, as it now is

I'd like to accomplish this test, just to be very sure that I'd not mess up her computer, and "get it stuck" in displaying the English text from this point, and on. She does speak and read quite fluent English, but I would not want to cause her discomfort or the need to try to return to English without my help! -I do not speak or read Japanese.

Thank you!
-Mike-

 

[SaSaSushi]

In System Preferences > Language & Region hit the plus at the bottom left to add English (U.S.) and then drag it to the top of Preferred languages. Then you will need to log out and in again.

When done, drag Japanese back to the top again. You can do the same in reverse on your machine but be advised that all menus, app names, etc will be in Japanese. It isn't too hard to click on the System Preferences icon and then the blue flag for Language & Region though to reverse the languages.

 

[Mike Schwend]

In System Preferences > Language & Region hit the plus at the bottom left to add English (U.S.) and then drag it to the top of Preferred languages. Then you will need to log out and in again.

When done, drag Japanese back to the top again. You can do the same in reverse on your machine but be advised that all menus, app names, etc will be in Japanese. It isn't too hard to click on the System Preferences icon and then the blue flag for Language & Region though to reverse the languages.

-----

THANK YOU!! I have tried this here, with my MacBook AIR. This works well, thank you!

I am assuming that I could also RESTART the computer to set the Mac to Japanese as a new permanent language mode. -As opposed to logging off, then logging back in again. (To me, this seems simpler, as I am not well skilled in logging in and out, especially, if the login is going to be presented in Japanese!)

And then to revert back to English, I'd set the SYSTEM PREFERENCES / LANGUAGE & REGION to English, then restart again to set the computer to English on a permanent basis. Using the System Preferences is simply CLEARER, as I can see and use the ICONS.

Thank you!! -Mike-

 

[SaSaSushi]

I am assuming that I could also RESTART the computer to set the Mac to Japanese as a new permanent language mode. -As opposed to logging off, then logging back in again. (To me, this seems simpler, as I am not well skilled in logging in and out, especially, if the login is going to be presented in Japanese!)

Logging out and back in or restarting the machine will not make a difference in terms of the default language, Mike. I only recommended logging out because it's faster.

And then to revert back to English, I'd set the SYSTEM PREFERENCES / LANGUAGE & REGION to English, then restart again to set the computer to English on a permanent basis.

Yes, again, you can log out and in or reboot, whichever you prefer. Either way should change the language.

 

[chown33]

You can also create a separate account (System Preferences, Users & Groups pane), set its primary language to Japanese, then login to that account. Every user can have a separate primary language.

Give the Japanese account a distinctive name and picture. Then you can look at the picture to decide which one to login as.

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH25796?locale=en_US&viewlocale=en_US

If you enable fast user switching, you can go back and forth between users readily.

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH25396?locale=en_US