Change Your Chromebook Language in Settings
To change your Chromebook's language, open Settings from the system menu in the bottom right corner, then select Languages and input from the left sidebar. Click Languages to see the list of available languages. Find the language you want, click the three-dot menu next to it, and select Display Chromebook in this language. Your Chromebook will ask you to sign out and sign back in — do that, and the entire interface will appear in your chosen language.
The process takes about two minutes and works the same way on all Chromebooks, whether you own it or use a school or work device. You do not need a password or administrator permission to change the language for your own account.
Key Takeaways
- Open Settings from the system menu, then go to Languages and input to find the language list.
- Click the three-dot menu next to your chosen language and select Display Chromebook in this language.
- Sign out and sign back in to see the change take effect across the entire interface.
- If your language is not in the main list, scroll down or search for it by typing the first letter.
- You can switch back to English or any other language at any time using the same method.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by clicking the system menu in the bottom right corner of your screen — it shows the time, battery, and Wi-Fi signal. A panel will slide out from the right side. Look for the gear icon labeled Settings and click it.
Once Settings opens, you will see a sidebar on the left with several options. Click Languages and input. The main panel will show you language options. Under the Languages section, you will see a list of languages already installed on your device, with English usually at the top.
Scroll down to find the language you want to use. If you do not see it when ready, you can type the first letter of the language name to jump to it — for example, typing "S" will jump to Spanish. Once you find it, hover over the language name and a three-dot menu will appear on the right side of that row. Click the three dots and select Display Chromebook in this language.
A dialog box will appear asking you to sign out. Click Sign out. Your Chromebook will return to the login screen. Sign back in with your password. When you log in, the entire Chromebook interface — menus, buttons, settings, and all system text — will be in your new language.
What Happens If Your Language Is Not Listed
If you scroll through the entire Languages list and do not see your language, it means that language is not installed on your Chromebook. The list of available languages depends on your Chromebook model and when it was manufactured, but most devices support 50 or more languages.
You cannot add a new language to your Chromebook the way you would on a Windows or Mac computer. Your options are to choose from the languages already available, or to contact your device administrator if this is a school or work Chromebook — they may be able to push a language update to your device. If this is your personal Chromebook and the language you need is not available, you may want to check the Chromebook manufacturer's support page to see if a system update would add it.
Changing the Keyboard Language Separately
Your Chromebook's display language (the language of menus and buttons) is separate from your keyboard language (the language and layout you type in). You can change the display language to English but type in Spanish, or vice versa.
To add or change your keyboard language, go back to Settings > Languages and input, then look for the Input methods section below Languages. Click Add input method and select the keyboard layout you want — for example, Spanish (Spain) or French (Canada). Once you add it, a language icon will appear in the system menu, and you can click it to switch between keyboard layouts while you type. This is useful if you need to type in multiple languages during the day.
Switching Back to English or Another Language
Changing your language again is exactly the same process. Open Settings > Languages and input, find the language you want to switch to, click the three-dot menu, and select Display Chromebook in this language. Sign out and sign back in. There is no limit to how many times you can switch languages.
If you are switching back to English, it will be at the top of the Languages list. If you are switching to a different language, scroll or search for it the same way you did the first time.
Troubleshooting Language Changes That Did Not Work
If you signed out and signed back in but the language did not change, the most common reason is that you did not fully sign out. Make sure you saw the login screen before signing back in. If you only locked your screen (by pressing Ctrl + Alt + L), the language change will not take effect.
If the language changed but some parts of the screen are still in English, that is normal — some apps and websites may not be translated into every language. The Chromebook system itself should be fully translated, but third-party apps and websites display in whatever language they were designed for. If you are using a school or work Chromebook and the language option you want is grayed out or missing, contact your device administrator — they may have restricted language changes on your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing the language affect my files or passwords?
No. Changing the display language only changes how menus and buttons appear. Your files, passwords, and all your data stay exactly the same. You can switch languages as many times as you want without losing anything.
Can I use two languages at the same time?
The display language can only be one at a time, but you can add multiple keyboard layouts under Input methods. This lets you type in different languages by switching between them with the language icon in the system menu, while the menus stay in one language.
What if I forget which language I switched to?
Even if you cannot read the menus, you can still change the language back. Open Settings (the gear icon in the bottom right), click the option that looks like it might be Languages (usually the fourth or fifth option down), scroll to find English, and click the three-dot menu next to it. The process is the same regardless of what language the menus are in.
Does changing the language on my Chromebook change it on other devices?
No. Language settings are specific to each device. If you sign into your Google account on a different Chromebook, that device will have its own language setting. You would need to change the language on that device separately.
Can a school or work administrator prevent me from changing the language?
Yes, if this is a managed Chromebook, your administrator may have locked the language settings. If the Languages option is grayed out or missing, contact your school or workplace IT support — they control which settings you can change on a managed device.