Introduction: Why You Should Master VSCode's Language Settings

Hello! As someone who went from zero programming knowledge to launching websites, I quickly learned a valuable lesson: your development environment matters. A lot.

While using tools in your native language can be comfortable, most programming tutorials, documentation, and community discussions happen in English. Furthermore, you might install an extension that accidentally changes your display language, leaving you confused.

Knowing how to control VSCode's display language—specifically, how to set it or revert it to English—is a fundamental skill. It ensures consistency and puts you back in control when things go wrong.

This guide will show you exactly how to set Visual Studio Code to English. We'll also cover some essential extensions for English-based coding and how to find language packs for other languages.

The Quick Answer: How to Set VSCode to English

For those in a hurry, here’s how to force VSCode to use English. This is useful if you've accidentally changed it to another language.

1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P).
2. Type Configure Display Language and press Enter.
3. In the locale.json file that opens, set the locale to "en".
4. Restart VSCode.

Let's walk through these steps in more detail.

Step-by-Step Guide to Configuring the Display Language

By default, VSCode uses English. However, if your operating system is in another language or you've installed a language pack, it might have switched automatically. Here’s how to take manual control.

Step 1: Open the Command Palette

The Command Palette is your central tool for running commands in VSCode. Open it using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (Mac).

Step 2: Find the "Configure Display Language" Command

In the input box that appears, start typing Configure Display Language. Select it from the list once it appears.

Step 3: Edit the locale.json File

This command opens a configuration file named locale.json. This file tells VSCode which language to use for its user interface.

To set the language to English, make sure the file contains the following code. If the file already contains a different locale (like "ja" or "es"), simply change it to "en".

{
    "locale": "en"
}

Note: If this file is empty or doesn't exist, VSCode defaults to English. Creating this file and explicitly setting the locale to "en" is the surest way to override any other language settings.

Step 4: Restart VSCode

After saving the locale.json file, you must restart VSCode for the changes to take effect. Close the application completely and open it again.

Your VSCode interface should now be reliably back in English!

Recommended Settings & Extensions for English Development

With your environment set to English, let's make it even better. Here are some essential settings and extensions I highly recommend.

Setting 1: Prevent Garbled Text with Auto Guess Encoding

Have you ever opened a file from someone else (especially a .csv or an old text file) and seen a mess of strange symbols? This is a character encoding issue. This setting tells VSCode to automatically detect the correct encoding.

1. Open your settings.json file. You can find it by opening the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) and searching for Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON).

2. Add the following line to your settings.json file. If you have other settings, add a comma after the previous line.

{
    "editor.fontSize": 16,
    "files.autoGuessEncoding": true
}

Extension 1: Catch Typos Everywhere with "Code Spell Checker"

Typos in variable names, functions, and comments are a common source of bugs and confusion. The Code Spell Checker extension is an absolute lifesaver. It underlines misspelled words directly in your code, just like a word processor.

1. Go to the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X).

2. Search for Code Spell Checker and install it. It supports multiple languages and can be customized to recognize specific technical terms.

Looking for Another Language?

If you landed here but want to set VSCode to a different language, you've come to the right place! The process is nearly identical. You just need to find the right language pack and use a different locale code.

In the Extensions view, search for the language you want, for example, "Spanish Language Pack" or "Portuguese Language Pack." Then, in your locale.json file, use the appropriate code (e.g., "es" for Spanish, "pt-br" for Brazilian Portuguese).

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Development Environment

Setting up your environment is the first step in a smooth programming journey. By ensuring your VSCode is in English, you align yourself with the global development community, making it easier to learn and troubleshoot.

I hope this guide helps you feel more confident and in control of your tools. A comfortable environment lets you focus on what really matters: building great things.

What's Next?

Now that your VSCode setup is solid, why not learn how to integrate it with Git and GitHub? Version control is an essential skill for every developer. Check out our guide below.

• Beginner's Guide to Using Git and GitHub in VSCode