Language Better: Paint Tool Sai Change

Here’s a good post-style guide you can use or share to help others change the language in Paint Tool SAI (and SAI 2).

This method is also quite simple and gives you direct control. Here's how to do it:

Make sure your system locale supports non-Unicode programs, or temporarily set your region to Japan/US to let the fonts load properly!

If the language appears as question marks or strange symbols, you may need to change your Windows System Locale to Japanese to allow the app to render the Unicode properly, then apply the English patch. paint tool sai change language

: A toggle to automatically fix character encoding issues. This would prevent the common bug where letters are replaced by "strange symbols" due to language mismatches.

While the language barrier might seem like a small issue, a localized interface is crucial for many users. For beginners, a familiar language reduces the learning curve dramatically, allowing them to focus on developing their artistic skills rather than memorizing menu locations.

only to find the menus are in a language you can't read, or did you accidentally install a version with "enchanting table" gibberish text? Don't panic! You do not have to reinstall the whole program to fix this. Here’s a good post-style guide you can use

| Problem | Solution | |---------|----------| | Text shows as squares/boxes | Your language file uses characters not supported by the default font. Install a Unicode font (like Arial Unicode MS or Noto Sans) and edit language.conf to change the UI font. | | Language doesn't change after replacing file | SAI caches settings. Restart your computer or delete sai.settings (backup first). | | Menus are mixed (part English, part Japanese) | You didn't replace all resource files. In v1, replace both sai.exe.res and sai.exe.ja.res . In v2, ensure all .res files are correct. | | "Language = english" but still Japanese | The english reference in language.conf must match the filename. If your file is sai2.exe.en.res , set Language = en , not english . Check the exact naming. | | Can't save changes to Program Files folder | Run Notepad as Administrator, or copy language.conf to Desktop, edit, then copy back. |

: Unlike Version 1, you often need to download the installer that matches your preferred language from the official site.

This is often the simplest method if you have multiple language files already present in your folder. If the language appears as question marks or

For Paint Tool SAI Version 2 users, language switching is handled through a different mechanism. The sai2.ini file contains a simple parameter that controls the interface language.

While some users attempt to use translation software or resource editors to modify the strings, this is generally not recommended as it can cause software instability or break your license registration.

Portable builds are often modified executables. They violate the SAI EULA unless you inject your own license key. Use only if you own a valid license and are comfortable with patching.

Changing the language depends entirely on which version of the software you are using. Here is how to handle it for both For PaintTool SAI 1 (Ver. 1.x)