Change your Google language in three steps

You can change the language Google displays in your account settings. The process takes less than a minute and applies to Google Search, Gmail, Google Drive, and most other Google services you use. Your language choice stays with your account, so it follows you across devices.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are on a computer or phone, but both routes lead to the same settings page. Once you change the language, Google will show menus, buttons, and search results in your chosen language the next time you refresh the page.

Key Takeaways

  • You change your Google language through your account settings, not through your browser or device settings.
  • On a computer, go to myaccount.google.com, click "Language and region" on the left, and select your language from the dropdown menu.
  • On a phone, open the Google app or Gmail, tap your profile picture, go to "Manage your Google Account," then tap the "Language and region" tab.
  • Your language choice syncs across all Google services and devices where you are signed in with that account.
  • If you want Google Search results in a different language than your account language, you can change that separately in Search settings.

Change your language on a computer

Start by going to myaccount.google.com in your browser. Sign in with the Google account you want to change. Once you are on your account page, look for the menu on the left side of the screen.

Click on "Language and region" in that left menu. You will see a section labeled "Language" with a dropdown menu showing your current language. Click the dropdown and scroll through the list to find the language you want. Google lists languages alphabetically, so if you want Spanish, scroll down to the S section. Once you find it, click on it to select it.

Google saves your choice automatically — you do not need to click a "Save" button. Refresh the page or close and reopen Google, and the interface will display in your new language. If you are signed into multiple Google services at once, they will all switch to the new language within a few minutes.

Change your language on an Android or iPhone

Open the Google app or Gmail on your phone. Tap your profile picture in the top right corner — it is usually a circle with your initial or photo inside it. A menu will pop up with several options.

Tap "Manage your Google Account." This opens your account settings in a browser window. At the top, you will see several tabs. Tap the tab labeled "Language and region." You will see the same "Language" dropdown you would see on a computer. Tap it, scroll to find your language, and tap it to select it.

Your phone will save the change right away. Close the settings and go back to Google or Gmail — the language should have switched. If it has not, close the app completely and open it again.

What happens if you change your language by accident

If Google suddenly displays in a language you do not read, you can still find your way back to the language settings. Go to myaccount.google.com (on a computer) or open the Google app and tap your profile picture, then "Manage your Google Account" (on a phone). The settings page layout is the same in every language, so look for the gear icon or the word that looks like it might mean "settings."

On a computer, the "Language and region" option is always in the left menu in the same position, even if the text is in another language. On a phone, the tabs at the top stay in the same order. Tap the second or third tab from the left until you find the language dropdown, then select your language again.

Change Google Search results language separately

Your Google account language and your Google Search results language are two different settings. If you want your account menus in English but your search results in Spanish, you can do that. Go to google.com and scroll to the bottom of the page. Click "Settings" in the bottom right corner.

Click "Search settings" at the top. Look for "Languages" and select the language you want your search results in. This setting only affects what language your search results appear in — it does not change the language of Google's menus and buttons. If you want both to match, change your account language instead.

Troubleshooting: language did not change

If you changed your language but Google still displays in the old language, clear your browser cache. Your browser stores old versions of websites, and sometimes it shows you the cached version instead of the new one. In Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac). Select "All time" and check the box next to "Cookies and other site data," then click "Clear data."

If you are on a phone and the language did not change, make sure you are signed into the same Google account everywhere. Open the Google app, tap your profile picture, and check which email address is shown. If it is not the account you changed the language for, tap "Add another account" and sign in with the correct one. Then try changing the language again with that account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my Google language change my device language?

No. Your Google account language and your device language are separate. Changing your Google language only affects Google services. If you want your entire phone or computer to display in a different language, you need to change your device settings, not your Google settings.

Will changing my language affect my Gmail or Google Drive?

Yes. When you change your Google account language, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, and all other Google services switch to that language. The change applies across all Google services you use with that account.

Can I use Google in multiple languages at the same time?

No. Your account has one language setting. If you need to use Google in two different languages, you can create a second Google account and set each one to a different language, then switch between them by signing out and signing back in.

What if my language is not in the dropdown list?

Google supports over 100 languages. If you do not see your language, scroll through the entire list carefully — it may be listed under a different name than you expect. If it truly is not there, Google may not yet support that language for its interface, though you can still search in that language using the Search settings option.

Does my language choice affect other people who use my computer?

Only if they sign into your Google account. If someone else signs into their own Google account on your computer, they will see Google in their own language. Your language setting only applies when someone is signed in as you.