Change Your YouTube App Language in Settings

Open the YouTube app on your phone or tablet and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu that appears. Scroll down and tap General, then look for the option labeled Language. Tap it to see a list of available languages, select the one you want, and the app will switch when ready.

The language you choose affects menus, buttons, video titles, and descriptions throughout the app. Subtitles and captions on videos are separate — changing the app language does not automatically change what language subtitles appear in. If you want subtitles in a different language, you adjust those on a per-video basis while the video is playing.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to your profile picture, tap Settings, then General, then Language to find the full list of supported languages.
  • The app language change takes effect when ready and affects all menus and interface text.
  • Changing the app language does not change the language of video subtitles or captions — those are set separately for each video.
  • On a tablet or computer, the Settings menu is in the same location but may have slightly different spacing or layout.
  • If you do not see your preferred language in the list, YouTube may not yet support it, and you can use the app in English or another available option.

Finding the Language Menu on Different Devices

The steps are the same whether you use an iPhone, iPad, or Android phone. Tap your profile picture in the top right corner of the home screen. If you are signed out, you will see a Sign in button instead — sign in first, then tap the profile picture. The menu that drops down always includes Settings near the top.

On some older versions of the YouTube app, the Settings option may appear as a gear icon instead of text. If you tap the gear icon and do not see a Language option, make sure your app is up to date. Open your device's app store (Google Play Store for Android, App Store for iPhone), search for YouTube, and tap Update if one is available.

What Languages YouTube Supports

YouTube offers the app interface in over 75 languages, including Spanish, French, German, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, Hindi, and many others. The exact list changes as YouTube adds support for new languages. When you open the Language menu in Settings, you see only the languages your version of the app currently supports.

If you do not see your language in the list, it may not be supported yet. In that case, you can use the app in English or choose another language you understand. YouTube's support page lists all currently supported languages if you want to check before opening the app.

Changing Subtitle and Caption Languages Separately

The app language and subtitle language are independent. You might have the app in English but want subtitles in Spanish, or vice versa. To change subtitles on a specific video, start playing the video and tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the video player. Tap Captions and select the language you want. Not all videos have subtitles in all languages — availability depends on what the creator or YouTube has provided.

If a video has no captions in your preferred language, YouTube sometimes offers auto-generated captions in other languages. These are created automatically and may contain errors. You can turn them on or off the same way you select manual captions, by tapping the three-dot menu and choosing Captions.

Resetting to Your Device's Default Language

If you want YouTube to use the same language as the rest of your phone or tablet, you can set it to match your device language. In YouTube Settings under General, look for the Language option. Some versions of the app include a choice that says System language or Device language — select that option and YouTube will automatically use whatever language your phone is set to.

If your device language changes later, YouTube will change with it. This is useful if you travel or share your device with someone who uses a different language, because you only have to change your device settings once.

Troubleshooting Language Changes That Do Not Stick

If you change the language but the app reverts to the previous one, force-close the app completely and reopen it. On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the app switcher, find YouTube, and swipe it up to close it. On Android, go to Settings on your device, find Apps or process Manager, select YouTube, and tap Force Stop. Then open YouTube again.

If the language still does not change, check that you are signed into the correct account. YouTube stores language preferences per account, so if you have multiple accounts on your device, each one may have a different language setting. Tap your profile picture and make sure you are on the account where you want to change the language. If you still have trouble, uninstall the YouTube app and reinstall it from your device's app store.

Using YouTube on a Web Browser Instead

If you prefer to use YouTube on a computer or tablet browser rather than the app, the language change works the same way. Click your profile picture in the top right corner of the YouTube home page, select Language from the menu, and choose from the list. The change takes effect when ready in that browser.

Browser language settings are separate from app settings. If you use both the YouTube app and the website, you may need to change the language in both places if you want them to match. The website remembers your choice even if you clear your browser cookies, as long as you are signed into your YouTube account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing the YouTube app language change the language of videos I watch?

No. Changing the app language only changes the menus, buttons, and interface text. The videos themselves play in their original language. If you want to watch a video in a different language, you need to find a video that was uploaded in that language or look for one with subtitles in the language you want.

Can I have the app in one language and subtitles in another?

Yes. The app language and subtitle language are completely separate. You can have the app menus in English and watch videos with Spanish subtitles, or any other combination. Change the app language in Settings and the subtitle language by tapping the three-dot menu on each video.

What if my language is not in the list?

YouTube does not yet support every language. If yours is not available, choose the language you understand best from the list. You can also check YouTube's support page to see if your language is planned for future updates. Using English is always an option if you are familiar with it.

Will changing the language affect my watch history or recommendations?

No. Your watch history, subscriptions, playlists, and recommendations stay the same. Only the text you see on screen changes. YouTube's recommendation system is based on what you watch, not what language the app is in.

Do I have to change the language every time I open the app?

No. YouTube remembers your language choice and keeps the app in that language every time you open it, as long as you are signed into the same account. If you sign out and back in, or use a different account, that account may have a different language setting.