YouTube lets you change the language of the interface, captions, and recommended videos in your account settings or browser preferences
YouTube's language setting controls what language you see menus, buttons, and labels in — not what language videos are uploaded in. You can change this in your account settings in about 30 seconds. If you want captions in a different language, that's a separate setting that depends on whether the video creator added subtitles in that language.
The language you choose also affects what videos YouTube recommends to you. If you switch to Spanish, you'll see more Spanish-language content in your feed. This can be useful if you're learning a language, but it's worth knowing it changes your recommendations.
Key Takeaways
- Change your YouTube interface language by going to your account settings, clicking "Language," and selecting from the dropdown menu.
- Captions only appear in languages the video creator added — YouTube cannot automatically translate captions, though it can auto-generate them in some languages.
- Your language choice affects what videos YouTube recommends, so switching languages will change your homepage feed.
- If you use YouTube in a web browser, you can also change the language through your browser's language settings, which may override your YouTube account setting.
Changing the language in your YouTube account settings
Sign in to YouTube and click your profile picture in the top right corner. Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu. On the left side, click "Language" (it may appear as "Language and region" depending on your device). A dropdown menu will show you all available languages. Click the one you want, and YouTube will reload in that language immediately.
This change applies to every device where you're signed into that account. If you sign out or use YouTube without signing in, you'll see the language your device or browser is set to instead.
Finding captions in a specific language
Captions are only available in languages the video creator chose to add. YouTube cannot automatically translate captions — it can only auto-generate them in a limited set of languages like English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and a few others. Auto-generated captions are usually less accurate than captions a creator added by hand.
To see what caption options exist for a video, click the CC button (closed captions) in the video player's bottom right corner. A menu will show you every language available for that specific video. If the language you want isn't listed, the creator didn't add captions in that language, and auto-generated captions may not be available either.
Some creators add captions in multiple languages. Others add none at all. This is entirely up to the person who uploaded the video.
Changing language on mobile devices
On the YouTube app for iPhone or Android, tap your profile picture in the top right. Select "Settings." Tap "General." Choose "Language" and select the language you want. The app will switch immediately.
On mobile, the process is the same whether you're using WiFi or cellular data. The language change syncs across all your devices once YouTube processes the update, usually within a few minutes.
What happens when your device language and YouTube account language don't match
If your phone is set to French but your YouTube account is set to English, YouTube will usually show you the account language (English). However, some parts of the interface may still appear in your device's language, especially if you're using the YouTube app.
If you want to be certain which language appears, change both your device language and your YouTube account language to the same one. This prevents confusion and ensures menus, notifications, and recommendations all appear in the language you expect.
Changing language through your web browser
If you use YouTube in a web browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari, you can also change the language through your browser's settings. In Chrome, click the three-line menu in the top right, go to "Settings," click "Languages," and add or reorder your preferred languages. YouTube may use this setting if your browser language differs from your account language.
Browser language settings can sometimes override your YouTube account setting, so if you change your YouTube language but the interface doesn't change, check your browser's language preferences. Clearing your browser cache can also help if YouTube is stuck showing an old language.
Switching back to your original language
You can change your YouTube language as many times as you want. Go back to Settings > Language and select a different option. There's no limit to how often you can switch, and no setting gets locked in permanently.
If you can't find the Settings option because the interface is in a language you don't read, look for a gear icon or your profile picture in the top right corner — these are the same in every language. Clicking your profile picture will always show you a menu, even if you can't read the words.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can YouTube automatically translate captions for me?
YouTube cannot translate captions that already exist. It can only auto-generate captions in certain languages if the creator didn't add any. If a video has captions in English but you want them in Spanish, you'll need to find a different video where the creator added Spanish captions, or watch without captions.
If I change my language, will my watch history change?
No. Your watch history stays the same. What changes is the language of the menus and buttons, and the videos YouTube recommends to you going forward. Videos you've already watched remain in your history regardless of language.
Why does YouTube keep switching back to English?
This usually happens because your browser language is set to English and is overriding your YouTube account setting. Check your browser's language preferences and make sure they match your YouTube language choice. Clearing your browser cache can also help.
Can I set different languages for different devices?
Your YouTube account language is the same across all devices you sign into. However, you can change your device's language separately, which may affect what YouTube shows you on that specific device. If you want different languages on different devices, you'd need to use separate YouTube accounts.
What if a video doesn't have captions in my language?
You can request captions by clicking the three-dot menu on the video and selecting "Add translations." This lets you suggest captions, though the creator has to review and approve them. You can also look for videos on the same topic that do have captions in your language.