Multilingual User Interface
| Multilingual User Interface | |
|---|---|
The Windows 7 Start menu in English (left) and Japanese (right), localized using MUI | |
| Other names | MUI |
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Initial release | February 17, 2000 |
| Written in | C++ |
| Included with | Microsoft Windows, Windows Phone |
| Predecessor | Static localization |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | Microsoft Learn - Multilingual User Interface |
The Multilingual User Interface (MUI) is a dynamic localization framework used in Microsoft Windows, Windows Phone, and compatible programs; it allows language files to be modular and separate from application logic. It is designed to simplify the development and deployment of localized software.
MUI has a number of advantages compared to traditional static localization. Software that uses MUI can do the following:
- Store language resources in dedicated files instead of hardcoding them into program binaries, making it possible to update localizations and code dynamically without recompilation.
- Automatically select a language from Windows' language preferences, instead of asking the user at runtime.
- Use the Win32 API to load resources from MUI language files.
The MUI framework, API, and its localization files (called Language Packs, or LPs) were introduced in Windows 2000; these were significantly expanded on with Windows Vista, which allowed developers to use MUI in their software. Language Interface Packs (LIPs) were added in Windows 7 to supplement Language Packs. LIPs were replaced by Local Experience Packs (LXPs) in Windows 10 build 1809.