How to Turn Off Auto Dubbing on YouTube (Viewers and Creators)

Auto dubbing is YouTube's AI translation of a video's speech into your language, and it's switched on by default for a lot of creators. That's handy when you don't speak the original language. It's jarring when you do, and the creator suddenly sounds like a stranger. There's no single off switch for viewers, but there's a setting that stops it for any language you speak. Here's how that works, plus how creators turn it off for their channel.

Switch one video back to the original audio

1. Open the video.
2. In the player, select Settings (the gear icon).
3. Select Audio track.
4. Choose the original language.

You'll know a video has been dubbed because YouTube marks it as auto-dubbed in the video description. If there's no Audio track option in the menu, the video only has one soundtrack.

Stop auto dubbing for languages you speak

This is the fix that sticks. YouTube says that if a video's original audio is in one of your preferred languages, it won't be translated and will play in the original. So if you speak English and Spanish, add both, and Spanish videos stop being dubbed into English.

1. Click your profile picture, then Settings.
2. Click Playback & Performance.
3. Under Language, click add or edit languages.
4. Select every language you're happy to listen in.
5. Click confirm.

This preference covers translated audio, titles and descriptions. It's separate from your app language and location, and YouTube says it doesn't change your search results or recommendations, so adding languages won't flood your feed with foreign-language videos.

What viewers can and can't control

You want to	Possible?	How
Hear the original on one video	Yes	Player Settings, Audio track
Never dub languages you speak	Yes	Add them as preferred languages
Switch auto dubbing off entirely	Not as a single viewer switch	Use preferred languages and Audio track
Stop a channel dubbing its videos	No, that's the creator's setting	Creators use YouTube Studio

For creators: turn off automatic dubbing for your channel

If you're a creator and your viewers are complaining about dubs, the switch is in YouTube Studio:

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. Click Settings, then Channel, then Advanced settings.
3. Untick Allow automatic dubbing.
4. Click Save.

YouTube says automatic dubbing is on by default for eligible creators. Dubs are generated when you upload, and YouTube may also create them for videos you published earlier. If you like the reach but worry about quality, there's a middle option: keep dubbing on and tick Manually review dubs before publishing, so nothing goes live until you've checked it.

Managing dubs on individual videos, such as previewing, publishing or deleting them, is only available in YouTube Studio on a computer, not in the phone app.

Why some videos never get dubbed

YouTube lists reasons a video can't be auto-dubbed. It won't happen if the video is longer than 120 minutes, has little or no speech, is in an unsupported language, has speech too fast to dub well, or contains copyrighted content. So if a channel's videos are inconsistent, that's usually why.

Auto dubbing on the phone app

The one-off fix works the same way on a phone. Tap the video, tap the gear icon for Settings, then choose Audio track and pick the original language. Preferred languages can be set in the app too, and YouTube's help page offers phone and tablet steps alongside the computer ones. Set them once and they apply wherever you're signed in, which saves you repeating the Audio track trick on every device you use.

Telling a dub from the original

Dubbed audio can be surprisingly convincing, so it's easy to miss. Three quick checks: look in the video description for the auto-dubbed label, open Settings in the player to see whether more than one Audio track is listed, and watch the speaker's mouth. YouTube is testing lip sync for dubs on select channels, so mismatched lips won't always give it away for much longer.

Is auto dubbing good or bad?

For viewers who don't speak the language, it opens up videos they'd never have watched. For bilingual viewers, it can feel like an unwanted filter on the creator's real voice. My advice is simple: set your preferred languages once and forget about it. Then auto dubbing only kicks in when you need it.

For creators, I'd keep it on with manual review rather than switching it off entirely, at least for a few videos. The upside is reach in languages you'll never record in yourself. The downside is a dub that misrepresents you, which the review step guards against.

If videos in a different language keep appearing for other reasons, YouTube's playback settings are worth a look too. My guides to changing playback speed on YouTube and turning off Restricted Mode show where the main player and account settings sit.

My verdict

Viewers: use Audio track for a one-off, and add every language you speak in Playback & Performance so it stops for good. Creators: the off switch is in YouTube Studio, Settings, Channel, Advanced settings, but turning on manual review is usually the smarter move.

Frequently asked questions

How do I turn off auto dubbing on YouTube?

In the video player, select Settings, Audio track and choose the original language. Add languages you speak as preferred languages to stop it for good.

Can I disable auto dubbing completely?

There isn't a single viewer switch. Setting your preferred languages stops dubbing for any language you list.

Why are YouTube videos suddenly in my language?

The creator has automatic dubbing on. Dubbed videos are marked auto-dubbed in the description.

How do creators turn off auto dubbing?

In YouTube Studio, go to Settings, Channel, Advanced settings, untick Allow automatic dubbing and save.

Does the preferred language setting change my recommendations?

No. YouTube says it doesn't affect search results or video recommendations.