Change Your Facebook Language in Three Steps

You can change the language Facebook displays to you by opening your settings menu, finding the language option, and selecting a new language from the list. The change takes effect when ready across your entire account — your feed, menus, buttons, and messages all switch to the language you choose. You do not need to log out and back in.

Facebook supports over 100 languages. If you speak multiple languages or moved to a country where you want to use a different language, this setting lets you switch without affecting anyone else's account or your friends' experience of your posts.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Facebook settings from the menu icon (three horizontal lines on mobile, the downward arrow on desktop), then select Settings and Privacy, then Settings.
  • Scroll down to find Language and Region, click or tap it, and choose your preferred language from the dropdown menu.
  • The language change applies only to your account and takes effect when ready without requiring you to log out.
  • If you cannot find your language in the main list, Facebook may offer it under a regional variant — for example, Portuguese (Brazil) or Spanish (Mexico).

Steps for Desktop

On a desktop computer, start by clicking the downward arrow in the top right corner of Facebook (next to your profile picture). A menu will drop down. Click Settings and Privacy, then click Settings.

On the left side of the page, you will see a list of categories. Scroll down until you find Language and Region. Click it. You will see a section labeled Language with a dropdown menu showing your current language. Click the dropdown, scroll through the list of languages, and click the one you want.

Facebook will refresh the page and display everything in your new language. The change is permanent until you change it again.

Steps for Mobile (iPhone and Android)

On your phone, open Facebook and tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap Settings and Privacy, then tap Settings.

Scroll down the settings page until you see Language and Region. Tap it. You will see Language with your current language listed. Tap the language option, and a list of available languages will appear. Tap the language you want to use.

Your phone will return to the main Facebook screen, and all text will now display in your chosen language. The change takes effect when ready.

What Happens When You Change Your Language

When you change your language setting, only your view of Facebook changes. Your friends will not see any difference. Your posts, comments, and messages remain in whatever language you wrote them — changing your language setting does not translate your old content or automatically translate what you type going forward.

If you post in English but your language setting is Spanish, your friends will still see your post in English. The language setting controls only the interface — the buttons, menu labels, and system messages that Facebook itself displays.

If you use Facebook in a language that reads right-to-left (such as Arabic or Hebrew), the entire layout of the page will flip to accommodate that direction.

If Your Language Is Not in the Main List

Facebook offers many languages in regional variants. If you are looking for a specific version of a language, look for it listed with a country or region in parentheses. For example, you might see Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Spanish (Spain), and Spanish (Mexico) as separate options.

If you still cannot find your language, it may not be available on Facebook yet. You can report this through Facebook's Help Center, but in the meantime, you may want to use English or another language you understand.

Changing Your Language Back

If you change your language and then realize you chose the wrong one, or if you want to switch back to your original language, follow the same steps. Open Settings and Privacy, go to Settings, find Language and Region, and select a different language from the dropdown. There is no limit to how many times you can change your language setting.

If you cannot read the menu in your current language, look for the word that appears in the same position as "Language and Region" did before — it will be in your new language, but it will be in the same spot on the page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my language affect my friends' accounts?

No. Your language setting is personal to your account only. Your friends will see Facebook in whatever language they have set for themselves, regardless of what language you use.

Can I use Facebook in two languages at the same time?

Facebook does not offer a split-language option. You can only set one language at a time. If you need to switch between languages frequently, you can change your setting each time, but you cannot display both languages simultaneously.

What if I change my language and cannot find a button I need?

Look for the button in the same location as before — the layout does not change, only the text. If you are completely lost, you can return to Settings and Region and switch back to a language you understand, then try again.

Does changing my language translate my old posts?

No. Your posts, comments, and messages stay in the language you originally wrote them. Changing your language setting only changes the labels and menus Facebook shows you, not the content you or your friends have posted.