Windows Language Code Identifier

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File Format
Name Windows Language Code Identifier

A Windows Language Code Identifier (LCID) is a 32-bit code that identifies a language dialect, locale, culture, or something of that nature. It is associated with Microsoft Windows.

It is also known as a Locale ID, and other similar names, which may include the word "Microsoft". (But it is distinct from Language ID; see below.) Note that LCID probably stands for Language Code ID, and not for Locale ID.

Format details

An LCID is the combination of a 16-bit Language ID, and a sort order identifier.

The LCID and Language ID are sometimes conflated. The sort order identifier is usually 0, in which case the LCID and Language ID are numerically equal.

A Language ID is itself the combination of a Primary Language ID and a SubLanguage ID. There is supposedly some sort of correspondence between a Language ID and an IETF language tag.


The Language ID for US English (en-US) is 0x0409, or decimal 1033. The most likely LCID would be 0x00000409.


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