- Changing the Instagram app language on Android
- Changing the Instagram language on an iPhone
- Why you can't change the Instagram language on a computer
- What Instagram language settings change and what they leave alone
- How translated Instagram captions, comments and bios work
- Other Instagram language and translation features
- If you can't find Language and translations in Instagram
- Quick reference: Instagram language settings
- Frequently asked questions
To change Instagram language, tap your profile picture, tap Menu, then under Your app and media tap Language and translations. Tap Set language and pick the one you want. Instagram's Help Centre says this setting is only in the app, and iPhone users also tap Continue.
A friend switches their phone to a new language, or you borrow a phone that was set up in another country, and suddenly every button on Instagram is unreadable. It catches people running client accounts too, usually after a change of device. The good news is that the language setting takes under a minute to fix once you know where it hides.
I'm following what Instagram's Help Centre says, step by step. It's a short, clear process, so the rest of this page covers the things around it: what changes, what doesn't, and how translations work for other people's posts.
Changing the Instagram app language on Android
- Open the Instagram app and tap Profile, or your profile picture in the bottom right.
- Tap Menu in the top right.
- Below Your app and media, tap Language and translations.
- Tap Set language.
- Tap the language you'd like to use.
Instagram's help page for this is short, and that's the whole route. If the screen is already in a language you can't read, follow the position of each item rather than the words: Menu is the top right icon, and Language and translations sits in the group of settings about the app itself.
Changing the Instagram language on an iPhone
The first four steps are the same as on Android. The difference is at the end, where Instagram's help page says to tap Continue and follow the on-screen instructions after you tap Set language.
- Tap your profile picture in the bottom right.
- Tap Menu in the top right.
- Under Your app and media, tap Language and translations.
- Tap Set language.
- Tap Continue and follow the on-screen instructions.
People often expect an iPhone to show a language list right away. According to the Help Centre it sends you onward through its own screens instead, so don't be surprised when the page looks different from the Android route.
Why you can't change the Instagram language on a computer
Instagram's help page says this feature is only available on the Instagram app. I couldn't find an equivalent set of steps for the browser version in the pages I read, so I won't invent one. If you mostly use Instagram on a laptop, the practical advice is to set the language in the app on your phone, then check how it looks when you next log in on the computer.
What Instagram language settings change and what they leave alone
Your language setting controls the words in the app itself, such as menus, buttons and labels. It doesn't rewrite what other people post. A caption written in Spanish stays Spanish unless you ask for a translation, and your own posts stay in whatever language you wrote them.
That's worth remembering if you manage a business account. Changing the language on your phone for a day won't change how your posts appear to followers. It only changes what you see.
How translated Instagram captions, comments and bios work
Instagram's help page on translations says captions and comments on posts in feed, and the bio on a profile, are translated automatically based on the language they're written in and the language settings of the person viewing them. If your language is available as a translation, you can tap See Translation below the text.
- Captions on posts in your feed can be translated.
- Comments can be translated.
- The bio on someone's profile can be translated.
The wording matters. The translation depends on the language settings of the person reading, which is why your language setting does double duty. Set it to the language you read comfortably, and the See Translation option should offer to convert other people's text into it, provided your language is one of the available translations.
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If you write bios in other languages, this is useful to know. My article on writing an Instagram bio that gets follows covers the writing side, and the translation tool means a reader in another country may see your bio in their own language. Writing it plainly gives a translation the best chance of making sense.
Other Instagram language and translation features
The Help Centre links to a few related articles from its translation page. They cover translating your voice on Reels, watching translated reels in other languages and managing closed captions for your reels. I haven't walked through those pages here, because each has its own steps, so look at them directly if you make video content for an international audience.
If you're writing in a language with a different script, my list of Hindi Instagram bio quotes shows one example of bios built for a non-English audience.
If you can't find Language and translations in Instagram
- Check you're in the Instagram app, not a browser. The help page says the setting is only in the app.
- Update the app, because menu names can change between versions.
- Scroll the Menu screen. Language and translations sits below Your app and media, so it can be further down than you expect.
- Look for a similar label if the wording is slightly different on your version.
- If the setting is missing altogether, use the Help Centre or report a problem from inside the app.
Quick reference: Instagram language settings
| Device | What to tap after Set language |
|---|---|
| Android | Tap the language you'd like to use |
| iPhone | Tap Continue and follow the on-screen instructions |
| Computer | Not available; the help page says the app only |
If you want the full set, start at the Instagram Help: 81 Guides to Followers, Hashtags, Money, Accounts and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change the language on Instagram?
Tap your profile picture, tap Menu, tap Language and translations under Your app and media, then tap Set language and choose your language.
Can I change Instagram language on my computer?
Instagram's help page says this setting is only available on the Instagram app, so set it on your phone.
Will changing my language change how my posts look to followers?
No. The setting changes what you see in the app. Your posts stay in the language you wrote them in.
How do I translate a caption or comment on Instagram?
If your language is available as a translation, tap See Translation below the text. Instagram bases translations on the language the text is written in and the language settings of the person viewing it.
Why is Instagram in the wrong language after an update?
The help pages don't name a cause. Check the Set language option in the app, and use the Help Centre if it keeps switching back.
