Change Your Facebook Language in Settings

To change the language Facebook displays to you, go to the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner on mobile, or the downward arrow in the top right on desktop. Tap or click "Settings & Privacy," then "Settings." Scroll down to find "Language and Region" and tap or click it. Select your preferred language from the list. Facebook will switch when ready — your feed, buttons, and menus will all appear in the new language within seconds.

The language you choose affects only your own account. Other people viewing your profile or your posts will see them in their own selected language, not yours. If you change your mind, you can switch back the same way at any time. There is no limit to how many times you can change it.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings & Privacy from the menu, then go to Settings and find Language and Region to pick a new language.
  • Your language choice changes only what you see on your screen, not what other people see when they look at your profile.
  • The change takes effect when ready across all of Facebook's interface on that device.
  • You can switch languages back and forth as often as you want with no restrictions or penalties.
  • If you use Facebook on multiple devices, each device has its own language setting that you must change separately.

Finding the Language Menu on Mobile

On iPhone or Android, tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) at the bottom right of your screen. This opens a menu with options like "Friends," "Videos," and "Marketplace." Scroll all the way down until you see "Settings & Privacy" — it is near the bottom. Tap it, then tap "Settings" from the submenu that appears.

Once you are in Settings, scroll down past "Account," "Notifications," and other sections until you reach "Language and Region." The exact position varies slightly depending on your phone's operating system and Facebook version, but it is always in the Settings menu. Tap "Language and Region," and you will see a list of available languages. Tap the one you want, and Facebook switches when ready.

Finding the Language Menu on Desktop

On a computer, look for the downward-pointing arrow or question mark icon in the top right corner of Facebook, next to your profile picture. Click it to open a dropdown menu. Click "Settings & Privacy," then click "Settings" from the submenu. You will land on your account settings page.

On the left side of the page, you will see a list of categories. Scroll down until you find "Language and Region" and click it. A list of languages appears on the right side of the screen. Click the language you want, and the change takes effect right away. Your entire Facebook interface — menus, buttons, post labels, everything — will now display in that language.

What Happens When You Change Your Language

When you select a new language, Facebook translates the interface elements you see every day: the "Like" button becomes "Me gusta" or "J'aime" or the equivalent in your chosen language, the "Comment" button changes, menu labels shift, and notification text appears in your new language. Posts and comments written by other people are not automatically translated — they remain in whatever language the person who wrote them used.

If you want Facebook to translate a post written in another language, you can tap or click "See Translation" below that post, and Facebook will show you a version in your selected language. This is a separate feature from changing your interface language. Your own posts and comments will still appear to others in the language you wrote them, regardless of what language your interface is set to.

Changing Language on Multiple Devices

If you use Facebook on your phone, tablet, and computer, each device stores its own language setting. Changing the language on your phone does not change it on your computer or tablet. You must go through the Settings menu on each device separately and select your preferred language for each one.

This is useful if you want to use Facebook in English on your work computer but Spanish on your personal phone. It also means you should not be surprised if you pick up a different device and see Facebook in a language you did not choose — it is straightforward set to whatever you selected the last time you changed it on that device. If you share a device with someone else, they may have set the language to something other than what you expect.

Troubleshooting Language Changes That Do Not Stick

If you change your language but Facebook keeps reverting to a different one, clear your browser cache and cookies, then try again. On mobile, this means going to your phone's Settings app, finding the Facebook app, and clearing its cache (not your entire phone's cache). On desktop, clear your browser's cache through the browser settings, then log out of Facebook and log back in.

If the problem continues, try using Facebook in a different browser or on a different device to see if the language change sticks there. If it does, the issue is specific to that browser or device. If it does not stick anywhere, your account may have a technical issue — in that case, you can report the problem through Facebook's Help Center by clicking the question mark icon and selecting "Report a Problem."

Languages Available on Facebook

Facebook supports over 100 languages, including major languages like Spanish, French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Korean. It also includes many regional and minority languages. The exact list available to you may vary slightly depending on your location and device, but the most widely spoken languages are always included.

If you do not see your language in the list, it may not yet be fully translated on Facebook, or it may be listed under a different name than you expect. For example, some languages have regional variants — you might see "Spanish (Spain)" and "Spanish (Mexico)" as separate options. If you are looking for a specific language and cannot find it, scroll through the entire list carefully, as the names are alphabetical and sometimes differ from what you might guess.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my language affect my friends' experience on Facebook?

No. Your language setting changes only what you see on your screen. Your friends will continue to see Facebook in whatever language they have chosen for their own accounts. Your posts, comments, and profile will appear to them in the language you wrote them in, not translated to match their language setting.

Can I set different languages for different parts of Facebook?

No. The language setting applies to your entire Facebook experience — the interface, menus, notifications, and all visible text. You cannot set your feed to one language and your messages to another. However, you can use the "See Translation" feature on individual posts to view them in a different language without changing your overall setting.

What if I accidentally change my language to one I do not understand?

You can still change it back. Go to the menu (three lines on mobile, arrow on desktop), look for the icon that looks like a gear or the words that look like settings, and tap or click it. Then look for the option that mentions language — it is usually one of the first few items in the settings menu. Tap or click it and select your correct language. If you cannot read the labels, look for the flag icons next to language names, which can help you identify the right one.

Do I need to change my language if I want to read posts in other languages?

No. You can read posts in any language without changing your Facebook language setting. If a post is in a language different from your interface language, Facebook will usually offer a "See Translation" option below the post. Click or tap it to see a translated version. Your interface language and the languages you read are separate choices.