---
title: "Configure the default language Server Configuration Option"
description: Find out about the default language option. See how to configure it to specify the default language that SQL Server uses for all newly created logins.
author: rwestMSFT
ms.author: randolphwest
ms.date: "03/02/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.technology: configuration
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords:
  - "default language option"
---
# Configure the default language Server Configuration Option
 [!INCLUDE [SQL Server](../../includes/applies-to-version/sqlserver.md)]

  This topic describes how to configure the **default language** server configuration option in [!INCLUDE[ssnoversion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] by using [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)] or [!INCLUDE[tsql](../../includes/tsql-md.md)]. 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. The **langid** value can be obtained by querying the **sys.syslanguages** compatibility view.  
  
 **In This Topic**  
  
-   **Before you begin:**  
  
     [Recommendations](#Recommendations)  
  
     [Security](#Security)  
  
-   **To configure the default language option, using:**  
  
     [SQL Server Management Studio](#SSMSProcedure)  
  
     [Transact-SQL](#TsqlProcedure)  
  
-   **Follow Up:**  [After you configure the default language option](#FollowUp)  
  
##  <a name="BeforeYouBegin"></a> Before You Begin  
  
###  <a name="Recommendations"></a> 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. Note that you can only set the **default language** option to a language ID defined in [sys.syslanguages](../../relational-databases/system-compatibility-views/sys-syslanguages-transact-sql.md) (0-32). When you are 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**.  
  
###  <a name="Security"></a> Security  
  
####  <a name="Permissions"></a> 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.  
  
##  <a name="SSMSProcedure"></a> Using SQL Server Management Studio  
  
#### To configure the default language option  
  
1.  In Object Explorer, right-click a server and select **Properties**.  
  
2.  Click the **Advanced** tab.  
  
3.  In the **Default language** box, choose the language in which [!INCLUDE[msCoName](../../includes/msconame-md.md)] [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] should display system messages.  
  
     The default language is English.  
  
##  <a name="TsqlProcedure"></a> Using Transact-SQL  
  
#### To configure the default language option  
  
1.  Connect to the [!INCLUDE[ssDE](../../includes/ssde-md.md)].  
  
2.  From the Standard bar, click **New Query**.  
  
3.  Copy and paste the following example into the query window and click **Execute**. This example shows how to use [sp_configure](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-configure-transact-sql.md) to configure the `default language` option to French (`2`).  
  
```sql  
USE AdventureWorks2012 ;  
GO  
EXEC sp_configure 'default language', 2 ;  
GO  
RECONFIGURE ;  
GO  
```  
  
 For more information, see [Server Configuration Options &#40;SQL Server&#41;](../../database-engine/configure-windows/server-configuration-options-sql-server.md).  
  
##  <a name="FollowUp"></a> Follow Up: After you configure the default language option  
 The setting takes effect immediately without restarting the server.  
  
## See Also  
 [CREATE LOGIN &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../t-sql/statements/create-login-transact-sql.md)   
 [ALTER LOGIN &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../t-sql/statements/alter-login-transact-sql.md)   
 [CREATE USER &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../t-sql/statements/create-user-transact-sql.md)   
 [ALTER USER &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../t-sql/statements/alter-user-transact-sql.md)   
 [CREATE DATABASE &#40;SQL Server Transact-SQL&#41;](../../t-sql/statements/create-database-transact-sql.md)   
 [ALTER DATABASE &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../t-sql/statements/alter-database-transact-sql.md)   
 [RECONFIGURE &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../t-sql/language-elements/reconfigure-transact-sql.md)   
 [Server Configuration Options &#40;SQL Server&#41;](../../database-engine/configure-windows/server-configuration-options-sql-server.md)   
 [sp_configure &#40;Transact-SQL&#41;](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-configure-transact-sql.md)