Change your Facebook language in Settings

Open Facebook and 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. Scroll down and tap or click Settings & Privacy, then Settings. Look for Language in the left sidebar on desktop, or scroll down on mobile until you find it.

Tap or click Language. You will see a list of languages Facebook currently displays in. Find the language you want to remove — the one that is not English — and tap or click the X next to it. A confirmation box will appear asking if you want to remove that language. Confirm the removal.

Facebook will then default to English or ask you to choose your preferred language from the remaining options. Select English if prompted. The change takes effect when ready, and your entire Facebook interface — menus, buttons, notifications, and posts — will switch to English within seconds.

Key Takeaways

  • The language setting is in Settings & Privacy > Settings > Language on both mobile and desktop.
  • Remove the unwanted language by clicking the X next to it, then confirm the removal.
  • Facebook will default to English or let you choose English as your primary language.
  • The change happens when ready across your entire account and all devices you use.
  • If you accidentally remove English, you can add it back the same way by selecting it from the available languages list.

What happens if English is not showing as an option

If you do not see English in your language list, it may have been removed or your account may be set to a region where English is not the default. Go back to Language in Settings and look for an Add Language or + button. Tap or click it to see the full list of available languages.

Scroll down to find English and select it. You can choose between English (US), English (UK), or other English variants depending on your location. Once you add English back, you can then remove any other language that is currently active by clicking the X next to it.

Using a web browser instead of the app

If you are using Facebook on a computer, the process is nearly identical but slightly faster. Log in to Facebook.com, click the downward arrow in the top right corner, and select Settings & Privacy > Settings. On the left sidebar, click Language.

You will see all active languages listed. Click the X next to any language that is not English. Confirm the removal when the popup appears. English will remain as your default, or you will be asked to confirm English as your preference. Desktop browsers show the language menu more clearly than mobile, so this route is often faster if you have access to a computer.

Changing language on Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger uses the same language setting as your main Facebook account, so changing it in Settings will affect Messenger automatically. However, if Messenger is showing a different language than your main app, open Messenger, tap your profile picture in the top left, scroll down to Language, and select English from the list.

This secondary setting in Messenger sometimes gets out of sync with your main account language, especially if you use multiple devices or log in from different regions. Adjusting it directly in Messenger will force it to match your preference without affecting your main Facebook settings.

Why your language may have changed

Facebook can switch your language if you log in from a device or location where a different language is the regional default. If you travel internationally or use a shared device, Facebook may detect the new location and change your interface language automatically. Logging back in from your home location or device usually does not reverse this — you have to change it manually in Settings.

Sometimes a Facebook update or a change to your device's system language will also trigger a language shift on your account. If you notice your language changes frequently, check your device's language settings and make sure they match your preference, then lock your Facebook language in Settings to prevent accidental switches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my language affect my friends or the posts I see?

No. Changing your language only changes what you see on your own screen — the menus, buttons, and interface labels. Your friends will not know you changed your language, and the posts you see will not change. The content people post remains the same; only the labels around it switch to English.

What if I want different languages for different parts of Facebook?

Facebook does not allow you to set different languages for different sections. Your language choice applies to your entire account across all devices. If you need to use multiple languages regularly, you would need to change your language setting each time you switch, or use separate accounts for different languages.

Can I set English as my language but keep subtitles in another language?

Video subtitles on Facebook follow your account language setting, so if you change to English, subtitles will default to English as well. You can sometimes change subtitles on individual videos by clicking the subtitle icon while watching, but this does not override your account language for the rest of Facebook.

How long does it take for the language change to show everywhere?

The change is when ready on the device you made it on. If you use Facebook on multiple devices, you may need to refresh the page or close and reopen the app on your other devices for the change to show. Logging out and back in will also force the new language to load across all your devices.