- Change the YouTube display language on a computer
- Changing the YouTube app language on Android or iPhone
- Switch the YouTube language on a TV, streaming stick or games console
- YouTube location setting vs YouTube language
- Preferred languages for YouTube audio, titles and descriptions
- Why YouTube emails may arrive in another language
- YouTube language settings for business channels
- If your YouTube language keeps changing back
- Frequently asked questions
To change YouTube language on a computer, click your profile picture, then Display Language, and pick one. In the app, tap your profile picture, then Settings, then Languages, and choose your App Language. On a TV, open Settings and select Language. On a computer the choice is stored in your browser, so clearing cookies resets it.
Maybe YouTube suddenly switched to a language you don't read, or you're learning Spanish and want the menus in Spanish too. Either way, it's a quick fix once you know where YouTube keeps the setting, and that's different on a computer, a phone and a TV. I'll take you through each one using YouTube's own help article, plus the separate location setting that quietly shapes what you're recommended. If you run a business channel, it's worth understanding both, because they affect what your viewers see as well.
Change the YouTube display language on a computer
According to YouTube's help centre, the steps in a web browser are:
- Click your profile picture at the top right.
- Click Display Language (it may show as Language).
- Choose the language you want.
YouTube switches straight away. Its help page notes that some audio, titles and descriptions may still appear in other languages, because creators choose what languages to publish in.
One thing that trips people up: on a computer, YouTube saves your language in your browser. If you clear your cache and cookies, you'll need to set it again. That's often why the language seems to reset itself.
Changing the YouTube app language on Android or iPhone
YouTube's help page lists these steps for the app:
- Tap your profile picture.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Languages.
- Select your App Language.
In the same Languages screen you can choose Preferred languages, which are the languages you'd like to watch videos in. Menus vary by app version and between Android and iPhone, so if you don't see Languages, look under General.
If you're using YouTube in a mobile browser rather than the app, YouTube says the site follows your device's language setting by default.
Switch the YouTube language on a TV, streaming stick or games console
- Open the YouTube app on your TV or device.
- Go to Settings.
- Select Language and choose the one you want.
The same Settings screen has Location, which works the same way. YouTube's help centre says the TV app follows your device's language and location settings by default.
YouTube location setting vs YouTube language
These are separate settings, and they do different jobs. YouTube says the language setting changes things like menus, video details such as channel names and titles where a translation exists, and your Voice Search language. The location setting changes which videos appear in your recommendations, charts and news.
| YouTube setting | What it changes | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Display or app language | Menus, translated titles, Voice Search | Profile picture menu or Settings |
| Preferred languages | The languages you'd like to watch in | Settings, then Languages |
| Location | Recommendations, charts and news | Profile picture menu or Settings, then General |
To change location in the app, YouTube's help page says to tap your profile picture, then Settings, then General, then Location. If YouTube can't detect your country or region, it says the default location is the United States, which explains why some people see American trends.
Preferred languages for YouTube audio, titles and descriptions
Some videos now come with more than one audio track or translated titles. YouTube's help centre explains that your preferred language choice for audio, titles and descriptions is a separate setting from the display language, and that it doesn't change your search results or your recommendations. It only decides which version of a video you're shown first when a creator has added more than one.
That's useful if you speak two languages. You could keep the menus in English but ask YouTube to play videos in Spanish where a Spanish track exists. If a video only has one audio track, you'll hear that one whatever you've chosen.
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Why YouTube emails may arrive in another language
Changed the language on screen but the emails from YouTube still look foreign? According to YouTube's help page, emails default to your country's language. To bring them in line with what you see on YouTube, change the language in your email settings too. It's a small thing, but it explains a lot of confused messages from people who've moved country.
YouTube language settings for business channels
Your own language setting only changes what you see. If you publish for an audience in more than one language, you'll want to look at your channel's translations and the language set on each video instead. My guide to setting up YouTube channel keywords sits in the same area of YouTube Studio and is worth doing while you're there.
If you manage a Facebook Page alongside your channel, the steps there are different. Here's how to change the language on Facebook.
If your YouTube language keeps changing back
- On a computer, check whether you're clearing cookies, or using a private window. Both wipe the saved language.
- Make sure you're signed in to the same account on each device.
- On a TV or in a mobile browser, check the device's own language, since YouTube follows it by default.
- Update the app if the Languages option isn't in Settings.
- If titles are still in another language, that's usually the creator's choice rather than your setting.
For other everyday fixes, my YouTube help guides cover the rest.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change the language on YouTube on my computer?
Click your profile picture, then Display Language, and choose the language you want. It's saved in your browser.
Why does my YouTube language keep resetting?
On a computer, YouTube saves the language in your browser, so clearing cache and cookies resets it. You'll need to choose it again.
How do I change the language in the YouTube app?
Tap your profile picture, then Settings, then Languages, and select your App Language.
Does changing YouTube language change the videos I see?
Not directly. YouTube says the location setting is what changes recommendations, charts and news.
Why are YouTube emails in a different language?
YouTube says emails default to your country's language. Change the language in your email settings to match.
How do I change the language on YouTube on my TV?
Open the YouTube app, go to Settings and select Language. By default, the TV app follows your device's language.
