How to Change the Language on WhatsApp (Android and iPhone)

You open WhatsApp and it's suddenly in a language you can't read, or you simply want the app in your first language instead of the one your phone came with. It's a common problem for people who've bought a phone abroad, shared a device or helped a relative set one up. The key thing to know, from WhatsApp's help centre, is that WhatsApp follows your phone's language, so the fix often starts in your phone's settings. Here are the routes for Android and iPhone, and what to check if the language still looks wrong.

How WhatsApp decides which language to show

WhatsApp's help centre says the app is available in over 40 languages on iPhone and up to 60 on Android, and that it follows the language of your phone. Its example is that if you change your phone's language to Spanish, WhatsApp will be in Spanish.

The language setting changes the app's menus, buttons and labels. It doesn't translate your conversations, so messages stay in whatever language people wrote them in.

Change the language on WhatsApp for Android

There are two routes on Android. The first changes WhatsApp from inside the app, if your phone offers it.

Inside WhatsApp

1. Tap the three dots at the top, then Settings, then App Language.
2. Tap the language you want.

WhatsApp's help centre says you can also pick your language on the Welcome screen when you first set up. If you can't see App Language, the help page says the feature might not be supported in your country or region, so use the phone route instead.

Through your phone's settings

1. Open your phone's Settings.
2. Tap System, then Language & region.
3. Tap Add a language, then choose a language and a region.
4. Move it up if prompted, then tap Change.

The wording can differ by phone brand and Android version. If you can't read the menus to follow these steps, look for the icons rather than the words: the gear for Settings and the three dots for the menu look the same in any language.

Change the language on WhatsApp for iPhone

The help centre's iPhone steps change the iPhone's own language, and WhatsApp follows it. It doesn't describe a separate language setting inside WhatsApp on iPhone.

1. Open the iPhone's Settings app.
2. Tap General, then Language & Region.
3. Tap Add Language.
4. Choose a language, and choose which one should be your primary language.

Reopen WhatsApp afterwards so it picks up the change. Keep in mind that changing the primary language changes the rest of your iPhone as well, not just WhatsApp.

Does the language change work in WhatsApp Business?

The help article I read covers WhatsApp in general and doesn't mention the Business app separately, so I can't confirm the steps are identical. WhatsApp's own pages say the app follows your phone's language, so changing your phone's language is the sensible first step. If you're not sure which app you're using, I've explained the difference in my guide to whether WhatsApp Business is a separate app. What your customers read doesn't change, because it's whatever language you write the messages in.

Why WhatsApp shows the wrong language

• Your phone's language changed after an update, reset or restore. WhatsApp follows the phone, so it changed too.
• Another language is set as the main one on your phone. Check which language sits at the top of your phone's language list.
• Someone else changed the setting on a shared or borrowed phone.
• The app hasn't restarted since the change. Close WhatsApp completely and open it again.
• Your language isn't one WhatsApp supports. The help centre links to a list of the languages it's available in.

If WhatsApp is correct but your keyboard types in the wrong alphabet, that's a different setting. I've covered it in my guide to WhatsApp keyboard settings on Android.

Type in one language and keep WhatsApp's menus in another

Your menus and your typing don't have to match. WhatsApp's menus follow your phone's language, but you can add a keyboard for another language in your phone's settings and write messages in it. People often do this to chat with family in a first language while keeping the app in one they find easy to navigate. If you're after a particular script, my guide to typing Malayalam on WhatsApp shows the idea.

Changing WhatsApp language for a customer-facing business

If you serve customers in more than one language, the app setting won't do the job for you. It only changes what you see on your own phone. What your customers read is whatever you write, so it's worth keeping a few short replies ready in each language you use. A simple welcome in the customer's own language shows care.

What to do if you're stuck in a language you can't read

1. On Android, tap the three dots at the top of WhatsApp, then look for Settings. The gear icon is the same in every language.
2. In Settings, look for the entry that mentions App Language. It's the one the help centre names for Android.
3. If it isn't there, change the phone language from the phone's own settings, using the steps above.
4. On iPhone, open the Settings app, then General, then Language & Region.

Take it slowly and don't tap anything that looks like Delete or Log out while you're hunting.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change the language on WhatsApp?

On Android, tap the three dots, then Settings, then App Language and choose one. On iPhone, change the iPhone's language in Settings, then General, then Language & Region. Menus vary by version.

Why is WhatsApp in the wrong language?

WhatsApp's help centre says it follows the language of your phone. If your phone's language changed after an update, reset or restore, WhatsApp changed with it.

Does changing the app language translate my chats?

No. It changes menus and labels only. Messages stay in the language they were written in.

Why can't I see App Language in WhatsApp on Android?

WhatsApp's help centre says the feature might not be supported in your country or region. Change your phone's language instead.

How many languages does WhatsApp support?

WhatsApp's help centre says it's available in over 40 languages on iPhone and up to 60 on Android.