diff --git a/app/build.gradle.kts b/app/build.gradle.kts
index 0d3fcbd12d..1aea9ac6b2 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import org.gradle.internal.jvm.Jvm
 import org.gradle.internal.os.OperatingSystem
 import org.gradle.nativeplatform.platform.internal.DefaultNativePlatform
+import org.jetbrains.compose.ExperimentalComposeLibrary
 import org.jetbrains.compose.desktop.application.dsl.TargetFormat
 import org.jetbrains.compose.desktop.application.tasks.AbstractJPackageTask
 import org.jetbrains.compose.internal.de.undercouch.gradle.tasks.download.Download
@@ -119,6 +120,8 @@ dependencies {
     implementation(libs.markdown)
     implementation(libs.markdownJVM)
 
+    @OptIn(ExperimentalComposeLibrary::class)
+    testImplementation(compose.uiTest)
     testImplementation(kotlin("test"))
     testImplementation(libs.mockitoKotlin)
     testImplementation(libs.junitJupiter)
diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/ui/theme/Locale.kt b/app/src/processing/app/ui/theme/Locale.kt
index 254c0946c1..d760998185 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/ui/theme/Locale.kt
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/ui/theme/Locale.kt
@@ -1,24 +1,41 @@
 package processing.app.ui.theme
 
-import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
-import androidx.compose.runtime.CompositionLocalProvider
-import androidx.compose.runtime.compositionLocalOf
-import processing.app.LocalPreferences
-import processing.app.Messages
-import processing.app.Platform
-import processing.app.PlatformStart
-import processing.app.watchFile
+import androidx.compose.runtime.*
+import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalLayoutDirection
+import androidx.compose.ui.unit.LayoutDirection
+import processing.app.*
 import java.io.File
 import java.io.InputStream
 import java.util.*
 
-class Locale(language: String = "") : Properties() {
+/**
+ * The Locale class extends the standard Java Properties class
+ * to provide localization capabilities.
+ * It loads localization resources from property files based on the specified language code.
+ * The class also provides a method to change the current locale and update the application accordingly.
+ * Usage:
+ * ```
+ * val locale = Locale("es") { newLocale ->
+ *     // Handle locale change, e.g., update UI or restart application
+ * }
+ * val localizedString = locale["someKey"]
+ * ```
+ */
+class Locale(language: String = "", val setLocale: ((java.util.Locale) -> Unit)? = null) : Properties() {
+    var locale: java.util.Locale = java.util.Locale.getDefault()
+
     init {
-        val locale = java.util.Locale.getDefault()
-        load(ClassLoader.getSystemResourceAsStream("PDE.properties"))
-        load(ClassLoader.getSystemResourceAsStream("PDE_${locale.language}.properties") ?: InputStream.nullInputStream())
-        load(ClassLoader.getSystemResourceAsStream("PDE_${locale.toLanguageTag()}.properties") ?: InputStream.nullInputStream())
-        load(ClassLoader.getSystemResourceAsStream("PDE_${language}.properties") ?: InputStream.nullInputStream())
+        loadResourceUTF8("PDE.properties")
+        loadResourceUTF8("PDE_${locale.language}.properties")
+        loadResourceUTF8("PDE_${locale.toLanguageTag()}.properties")
+        loadResourceUTF8("PDE_${language}.properties")
+    }
+
+    fun loadResourceUTF8(path: String) {
+        val stream = ClassLoader.getSystemResourceAsStream(path)
+        stream?.reader(charset = Charsets.UTF_8)?.use { reader ->
+            load(reader)
+        }
     }
 
     @Deprecated("Use get instead", ReplaceWith("get(key)"))
@@ -28,18 +45,86 @@ class Locale(language: String = "") : Properties() {
         return value
     }
     operator fun get(key: String): String = getProperty(key, key)
+    fun set(locale: java.util.Locale) {
+        setLocale?.invoke(locale)
+    }
 }
-val LocalLocale = compositionLocalOf { Locale() }
+/**
+ * A CompositionLocal to provide access to the Locale instance
+ *     throughout the composable hierarchy. see [LocaleProvider]
+ * Usage:
+ * ```
+ * val locale = LocalLocale.current
+ * val localizedString = locale["someKey"]
+ * ```
+ */
+val LocalLocale = compositionLocalOf<Locale> { error("No Locale Set") }
+
+/**
+ * This composable function sets up a locale provider that manages application localization.
+ * It initializes the locale from a language file, watches for changes to that file, and updates
+ * the locale accordingly. It uses a [Locale] class to handle loading of localized resources.
+ *
+ * Usage:
+ * ```
+ * LocaleProvider {
+ *     // Your app content here
+ * }
+ * ```
+ *
+ * To access the locale:
+ * ```
+ * val locale = LocalLocale.current
+ * val localizedString = locale["someKey"]
+ * ```
+ *
+ * To change the locale:
+ * ```
+ * locale.set(java.util.Locale("es"))
+ * ```
+ * This will update the `language.txt` file and reload the locale.
+ */
 @Composable
 fun LocaleProvider(content: @Composable () -> Unit) {
-    PlatformStart()
+    val preferencesFolderOverride: File? = System.getProperty("processing.app.preferences.folder")?.let { File(it) }
+
+    val settingsFolder = preferencesFolderOverride ?: remember{
+        Platform.init()
+        Platform.getSettingsFolder()
+    }
+    val languageFile = settingsFolder.resolve("language.txt")
+    remember(languageFile){
+        if(languageFile.exists()) return@remember
 
-    val settingsFolder = Platform.getSettingsFolder()
-    val languageFile = File(settingsFolder, "language.txt")
-    watchFile(languageFile)
+        Messages.log("Creating language file at ${languageFile.absolutePath}")
+        settingsFolder.mkdirs()
+        languageFile.writeText(java.util.Locale.getDefault().language)
+    }
+
+    val update = watchFile(languageFile)
+    var code by remember(languageFile, update){ mutableStateOf(languageFile.readText().substring(0, 2)) }
+    remember(code) {
+        val locale = java.util.Locale(code)
+        java.util.Locale.setDefault(locale)
+    }
+
+    fun setLocale(locale: java.util.Locale) {
+        Messages.log("Setting locale to ${locale.language}")
+        languageFile.writeText(locale.language)
+        code = locale.language
+    }
+
+
+    val locale = Locale(code, ::setLocale)
+    remember(code) { Messages.log("Loaded Locale: $code") }
+    val dir = when(locale["locale.direction"]) {
+        "rtl" -> LayoutDirection.Rtl
+        else -> LayoutDirection.Ltr
+    }
 
-    val locale = Locale(languageFile.readText().substring(0, 2))
-    CompositionLocalProvider(LocalLocale provides locale) {
-        content()
+    CompositionLocalProvider(LocalLayoutDirection provides dir) {
+        CompositionLocalProvider(LocalLocale provides locale) {
+            content()
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/test/processing/app/LocaleKtTest.kt b/app/test/processing/app/LocaleKtTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f8ed32164a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/test/processing/app/LocaleKtTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+package processing.app
+
+import androidx.compose.material.Button
+import androidx.compose.material.Text
+import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
+import androidx.compose.ui.platform.testTag
+import androidx.compose.ui.test.ExperimentalTestApi
+import androidx.compose.ui.test.assertTextEquals
+import androidx.compose.ui.test.onNodeWithTag
+import androidx.compose.ui.test.performClick
+import androidx.compose.ui.test.runComposeUiTest
+import processing.app.ui.theme.LocalLocale
+import processing.app.ui.theme.LocaleProvider
+import kotlin.io.path.createTempDirectory
+import kotlin.test.Test
+
+class LocaleKtTest {
+    @OptIn(ExperimentalTestApi::class)
+    @Test
+    fun testLocale() = runComposeUiTest {
+        val tempPreferencesDir = createTempDirectory("preferences")
+
+        System.setProperty("processing.app.preferences.folder", tempPreferencesDir.toFile().absolutePath)
+
+        setContent {
+            LocaleProvider {
+                val locale = LocalLocale.current
+                Text(locale["menu.file.new"], modifier = Modifier.testTag("localisedText"))
+
+                Button(onClick = {
+                    locale.set(java.util.Locale("es"))
+                }, modifier = Modifier.testTag("button")) {
+                    Text("Change")
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Check if usage generates the language file if it doesn't exist
+        val languageFile = tempPreferencesDir.resolve("language.txt").toFile()
+        assert(languageFile.exists())
+
+        // Check if the text is localised
+        onNodeWithTag("localisedText").assertTextEquals("New")
+
+        // Change the locale to Spanish
+        onNodeWithTag("button").performClick()
+        onNodeWithTag("localisedText").assertTextEquals("Nuevo")
+
+        // Check if the preference was saved to file
+        assert(languageFile.readText().substring(0, 2) == "es")
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file