How to Change Language on RedNote (Xiaohongshu): A Complete Guide

RedNote — known in China as Xiaohongshu (小红书) — surged in global popularity as millions of users joined the platform looking for a TikTok alternative. But because the app was built primarily for a Chinese-speaking audience, navigating the language settings can feel genuinely confusing, especially if the interface loads entirely in Mandarin.

Here's what you actually need to know about changing the language on RedNote, what controls it, and why the experience varies depending on your setup.

What Controls the Language on RedNote

Unlike apps built for international audiences from day one, RedNote's language behavior is driven by multiple layers — not a single toggle. Understanding these layers is what makes the difference between fixing the issue quickly and going in circles.

The key layers are:

• Your device's system language (iOS or Android OS setting)
• The app's internal language setting (if available in your version)
• Your account region (which affects what content and UI features you see)
• App version (language options differ across versions)

These interact with each other, and changing one without the others may not produce the result you expect.

How to Change the Language Through Your Device Settings

For most users, the fastest working method is adjusting the system language on your phone, because RedNote reads it directly.

On iPhone (iOS)

1. Open Settings
2. Tap General → Language & Region
3. Change your iPhone Language to English (or your preferred language)
4. Restart RedNote

When iOS switches the system language, apps that support multiple languages — including RedNote — typically follow. This is the most reliable trigger for getting the app interface to display in English.

On Android

1. Open Settings
2. Go to General Management (Samsung) or System (stock Android)
3. Tap Language and Input → Language
4. Add or move English to the top of the language list
5. Restart RedNote

Android's language priority list matters here. The app checks top-listed languages first, so positioning English above others is what makes the difference.

How to Change Language Inside the RedNote App

Some versions of RedNote include an in-app language option, though its availability depends on which version you've installed and where you downloaded it from.

To look for it:

1. Open RedNote and tap your profile icon (bottom right)
2. Tap the three-line menu (top right)
3. Go to Settings (设置)
4. Look for 通用 (General) or a language/region option
5. If available, select your preferred language

🌐 This path doesn't always exist. If you don't see a language option in the settings menu, your version of the app may not support it natively — and the system-level method described above becomes your primary option.

Why Some Users See a Partial Translation

Even after switching languages, some users find that RedNote is only partially translated — certain menus appear in English while others remain in Chinese. This is common and worth understanding.

RedNote's internationalization is still a work in progress. The app was designed with Chinese users as the core audience, so:

• Core navigation elements (home, explore, profile, notifications) tend to translate well
• Deeper settings menus may stay in Chinese depending on your app version
• User-generated content (posts, comments, captions) is never translated — that's the content itself, not the interface
• Error messages and pop-ups sometimes pull from a different language file and may lag behind

This partial translation behavior is not a bug you can fix — it reflects the current state of the app's localization effort.

The App Version Variable 📱

Where you downloaded RedNote matters more than most users realize.

If you originally created an Apple ID or Google account in a region set to China, your App Store may have served you the version optimized for that market. Switching to an internationally-registered store account and reinstalling can give you access to a build with more complete English support.

Account Region vs. Display Language

These are two separate things that users frequently conflate.

• Display language controls what language the app's buttons, menus, and interface elements appear in
• Account region influences what content RedNote's algorithm surfaces and which features are available to you

Changing your display language does not change your content feed or algorithm. You can use the app in English while still seeing content from Chinese creators — and vice versa. The two settings operate independently.

When the Language Doesn't Stick

If RedNote keeps reverting to Chinese after you change settings, check:

• Whether automatic language detection is re-overriding your choice
• Whether a background app refresh is resetting the session
• Whether you need to force-close and fully relaunch the app after each change (not just minimize it)
• Whether your phone has a per-app language setting (iOS 16+ supports this under Settings → RedNote → Language)

iOS 16 and later introduced per-app language preferences, which means you can set RedNote specifically to English without changing your entire phone's language. This is worth checking if you're on a newer iPhone.

How straightforward this process ends up being depends on factors that vary from person to person — your phone's OS version, which build of RedNote you installed, where your App Store account is registered, and how complete the localization is in your specific version. The same steps can produce a fully English interface for one user and only a partially translated one for another, and that gap comes down to the specifics of your own setup.