Change YouTube's Language in Your Account Settings

YouTube's language setting controls the words you see on buttons, menus, and labels across the site or app. To change it, sign into your YouTube account, click your profile picture in the top right corner, and select Settings. On the left menu, click Language, then choose your preferred language from the dropdown list. The change takes effect when ready.

This setting applies to every device where you sign into that account. If you use YouTube without signing in, or in a private browsing window, YouTube will use your browser's language setting instead. The language you choose here does not change the language of the videos themselves—only the interface.

Key Takeaways

  • YouTube's language setting is found in Settings > Language and changes the words on buttons and menus, not video content.
  • The change applies to all devices where you sign into your account, but not to private browsing or unsigned sessions.
  • If you watch a video in a language different from your interface language, you can turn on captions in your preferred language.
  • YouTube on mobile apps follows the same language setting as your account, but you can also change your phone's system language to override it.
  • Some languages may not be fully translated, so you might see a mix of your chosen language and English on certain pages.

Change Language on the YouTube Mobile App

On iPhone or Android, open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture in the top right. Select Settings, then tap General. Choose Language and pick your preferred option from the list. The app will refresh and display in your new language.

If the language option does not appear in the app's settings, your phone's system language may be overriding it. On Android, go to Settings > System > Languages and input > Languages and move your preferred language to the top of the list. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Language & Region and change the iPhone Language. This affects all apps on your phone, not just YouTube.

Turn On Captions in a Different Language

If you want to watch a video in another language but understand captions in your own language, YouTube can help. Play any video, click the CC button in the bottom right of the player to turn on captions, then click the settings gear icon. Select Captions, then Auto-translate, and choose your language from the list.

Auto-translate works on videos that already have captions in the original language. If a video has no captions at all, this option will not appear. YouTube's automatic translation of captions is not perfect—technical terms and slang may not translate accurately—but it helps you follow the general meaning.

What to Do If Your Language Is Not Listed

YouTube supports over 100 languages, but not every language is available in every region. If you do not see your language in the dropdown, it may not be supported yet, or it may be listed under a different name. For example, some Chinese dialects appear as "Chinese (Simplified)" or "Chinese (Traditional)" rather than by region.

If your language truly is not available, YouTube will display in English by default. You can still turn on captions in your language for videos that have them, or use your browser's built-in translation tool (most modern browsers offer this) to translate the entire page.

Change Language in Your Web Browser

If you use YouTube in a web browser without signing in, or if you want YouTube to match your browser's language, you can set your browser's language preference. In Chrome, click the three-line menu in the top right, select Settings, click Languages on the left, and add or reorder your preferred languages. YouTube will use the top language on your list.

In Firefox, go to Settings > General > Language and choose your preferred language. In Safari on Mac, go to System Settings > General > Language & Region. These changes affect all websites you visit, not just YouTube, so use them only if you want your entire browser in that language.

Troubleshoot When the Language Does Not Change

If you changed your language setting but YouTube still shows in English, try signing out and signing back in. Sometimes the change does not take effect until you refresh your session. Clear your browser's cache and cookies, or close and reopen the YouTube app completely.

If you are using a work or school account, your administrator may have locked the language setting. Contact your IT department to ask if they can change it for you. If you are using a child account managed by a parent, the parent's settings may override your choice—check the Family Link app or ask the account owner to adjust the settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing YouTube's language change the language of the videos I watch?

No. Changing your language setting only changes the words on buttons, menus, and labels. The videos themselves play in whatever language the creator uploaded them in. To watch a video in a different language, you can turn on captions and auto-translate them to your language.

Can I set different languages for different devices?

Yes. Each device can have its own language setting. If you sign into your YouTube account on multiple devices, you can change the language on each one separately. The last language you set on each device is what will display when you sign in there.

What if I want captions in one language but the interface in another?

You can do both. Set your interface language in Settings > Language, then when you play a video with captions, click CC and choose a different language from the captions dropdown. Your interface stays in your chosen language while the captions appear in the language you selected.

Will changing my YouTube language affect my Google account language?

No. YouTube's language setting is separate from your Google Account language. If you want to change the language for Gmail, Google Drive, and other Google services, go to myaccount.google.com, click Personal info, and change your language there. YouTube will keep whatever language you set for it.

Can I use YouTube in a language my phone does not support?

Yes. YouTube's language setting is independent of your phone's system language. You can set YouTube to any language YouTube supports, even if your phone does not have that language installed. Your phone's system language will stay the same, but YouTube will display in your chosen language.