How To Change League Client Language: A Quick Guide

For the bigger picture and full context, make sure you read our main guide on How To Change League Of Legends Language In The Game.
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Stuck staring at a League of Legends client in a language you don't understand? Figuring out how to change league client language is simpler than you might think, and can dramatically improve your overall gaming experience. This guide will walk you through the steps, covering both the official methods and a slightly more adventurous (but commonly used) workaround.
At a glance:

Learn the official way to change your Riot Client and in-game language settings.
Discover how to potentially access languages not officially supported in your region.
Understand the risks and considerations of modifying game files.
Get quick answers to common language-change questions.

Changing the Riot Client Language: The Official Route

The easiest and safest way to adjust your language settings is through the Riot Client itself before you even log in. This impacts the language used across the entire Riot ecosystem, not just League.
Here's how:

Open the Riot Client: Launch the client as you normally would, but don't log in yet.
Access Settings: Look for the profile icon in the top right corner – it usually displays a generic avatar. Click on it and select "Settings" from the dropdown menu.
Choose your Language: In the Settings menu, you'll find a clearly labeled "Riot Client Language" option. Click the dropdown and select your preferred language. The changes take effect immediately, so you'll see the client interface update.
It’s that straightforward. This changes the language for everything related to your Riot account accessed through the client: news, announcements, and even the login screen.

Adjusting the In-Game Language in League of Legends

Changing the Riot Client language does not automatically change the in-game language of League of Legends. That requires a separate adjustment.
Here’s the process:

Open the Riot Client (Again): Yes, the process starts the same way. Don't log in.
Open Settings Again: Click on the profile icon in the top right corner and select "Settings."
Navigate to League of Legends Settings: In the left-hand menu, look for "League of Legends." Click on this to access the specific settings for the game.
Select Your Language: You'll see an option to select your preferred in-game language. Choose the desired language from the dropdown menu.
Repair: The Key Step: Crucially, after selecting your language, you must click the "Repair" button. This forces the client to download the necessary language files. Without this step, the change won't take effect.
Keep in mind available language options vary by region. For instance, in the EUW region, you'll typically find English, German, Spanish, French, and Italian readily available.

Unlocking Regional Restrictions: The Unofficial (YAML File) Method

What if you want a language that isn't officially offered in your region? There’s a workaround involving tweaking game files. Be warned: this method isn't officially supported by Riot Games, and while it's generally safe, proceed with caution. Here are a few options, prioritizing natural flow: * Change your League language * Guide to changing LoL language * Change language in League of Legends * How to change LoL language provides a more general overview of language changes.
Important Disclaimer: Modifying game files is done at your own risk. While unlikely, there's a small chance of unforeseen issues. Ensure you understand the steps before proceeding. Riot is unlikely to ban you for this (unless you modify files to gain an unfair gameplay advantage), but it is not encouraged or supported.
Here's how to potentially change to any language:

Log in and then Log Out (Counterintuitive, I know): Log in to the Riot Client as usual. Once you're logged in and the main client window is open, completely close the client. This ensures the configuration files are properly updated.
Find the Configuration File: Navigate to your League of Legends installation folder. Inside, you'll find a "Config" folder. Open it.
Edit the LeagueClientSettings.yaml File: Locate the file named LeagueClientSettings.yaml. Open this file with a plain text editor like Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac).
Locate the locale: Line: Within the file, search (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) for the line that starts with locale:. This line specifies the current language setting.
Replace the Locale Code: Change the text after the colon (:) to the desired language's locale code. Refer to the table below for the correct codes. For example, to change to Japanese, you'd change the line to locale: "ja_JP".
Save the Changes: Save the modified LeagueClientSettings.yaml file.
Create a Shortcut (and Modify It): Locate your League of Legends executable (the application file that launches the game). Create a desktop shortcut to this executable.
Modify the Shortcut's Target: Right-click on the newly created shortcut and select "Properties." In the "Target" field, you'll see the path to the League of Legends executable. After the existing text in the "Target" field, add a space followed by --locale=xxxx, replacing xxxx with the appropriate locale code from the table below. If there's already a --locale command, change that one. For example: "C:\Riot Games\League of Legends\LeagueClient.exe" --locale=ja_JP
Apply the Changes: Click "Apply" and then "OK" to save the changes to the shortcut.
Launch Through the Shortcut: Always launch League of Legends using this modified shortcut. If you launch the game through the standard Riot Client, it will likely revert to your region's default language.
League of Legends Locale Codes:
| Language | Locale |
| ---------------------- | -------- |
| Chinese | zh_CN |
| English (Australian) | en_AU |
| English (Great Britain) | en_GB |
| English (USA) | en_US |
| French | fr_FR |
| German | de_DE |
| Greek | el_GR |
| Hungarian | hu_HU |
| Italian | it_IT |
| Japanese | ja_JP |
| Korean | ko_KR |
| Polish | pl_PL |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | pt_BR |
| Romanian | ro_RO |
| Russian | ru_RU |
| Spanish (Latin America) | es_MX |
| Spanish (Spain) | es_ES |
| Taiwanese | zh_TW |
| Turkish | tr_TR |
Example Case: A player in Europe wanted to experience League of Legends with Japanese voiceovers. They followed the YAML file modification method, setting the locale to ja_JP and launching the game through the modified shortcut. While some initial text still appeared in English (likely due to region-specific elements), the in-game voiceovers were indeed in Japanese, creating the immersive experience they desired.

Practical Playbook: Ensuring a Smooth Language Change

Here's a checklist to minimize hiccups during the language change process:

Back Up the LeagueClientSettings.yaml File (Unofficial Method): Before making any changes to the LeagueClientSettings.yaml file, create a backup copy. This allows you to quickly restore the original settings if something goes wrong.
Double-Check the Locale Code: Ensure you're using the correct locale code for your desired language. A typo can prevent the change from working.
Always Use the Shortcut (Unofficial Method): After modifying the shortcut, make sure you always launch League of Legends using that shortcut. Launching the game through the Riot Client will likely override your changes.
Be Patient: After changing the language, the game might take some time to download the necessary language files. Allow sufficient time for the download to complete before launching a game.
Test in Practice Tool: After changing the language (especially with the unofficial method), launch a practice tool game to verify that the language settings are working correctly.
Revert if Issues Arise: If you encounter any problems after changing the language, such as crashes or graphical glitches, revert to your original language settings.

Quick Answers: Common Questions About Changing Language

Q: Will changing the language affect my ping or connection speed?
A: No, changing the language settings shouldn't affect your ping or connection speed. The language settings only affect the text and audio displayed in the client and game, not the network connection.
Q: Can I change the language back to the original if I don't like the new one?
A: Yes, you can always change the language back to your original settings. Simply follow the same steps outlined above and select your original language. If you used the YAML file method, you can restore the backed-up copy or manually change the locale code back.
Q: Are all languages fully supported with voiceovers?
A: Not necessarily. Some languages may only offer text translations, while others may have full voiceovers. The availability of voiceovers depends on the region and the language. Riot has to record hundreds of hours of voice acting to get VO support into a new language.
Q: Is it against the Terms of Service to modify the LeagueClientSettings.yaml file?
A: While Riot doesn't officially support modifying game files, they generally don't take action against players who do so for cosmetic changes like language settings. However, it's important to only modify the LeagueClientSettings.yaml file for language purposes and avoid any modifications that could provide an unfair gameplay advantage.

Take Action: Tailor Your League Experience

Changing your League of Legends client language can revitalize the game, offering a fresh perspective and even aiding in language learning. Whether you stick to the official methods or venture into the unofficial YAML file modification, remember to proceed with caution and follow the steps carefully.
Here's a quick decision tree to guide your next steps:

Do you want an officially supported language in your region?

Yes: Use the official Riot Client and in-game settings methods.
No: Proceed with the unofficial YAML file modification method (with caution).

Before modifying files, did you back up the LeagueClientSettings.yaml file?

Yes: Great! Continue with the modification.
No: Back up the file now before proceeding!

After changing the language, did you test it in a practice game?

Yes: Awesome! Enjoy your new language setting.
No: Launch a practice game to ensure everything is working correctly.