Change Chrome's language in Settings

Chrome displays menus, buttons, and messages in whatever language your computer is set to — but you can change just Chrome without touching your system settings. Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner, then select Settings. On the left side, click Languages. Under "Languages", click Add languages, find the language you want, and click it. Once it appears in your list, click the three dots next to it and select Display Google Chrome in this language. Chrome will ask you to relaunch — click Relaunch and the change takes effect immediately.

If you want to remove a language from your list later, go back to Settings > Languages, find the language, click the three dots next to it, and select Remove. This only removes it from your list; it does not affect your system language or any other program.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome's language setting is separate from your computer's language, so changing it affects only Chrome.
  • You add a language through Settings > Languages, then tell Chrome to display in that language from the same menu.
  • Chrome restarts automatically after you make the change, and the new language appears the next time you open it.
  • Removing a language from Chrome does not change your system settings or affect other programs on your computer.
  • You can keep multiple languages in your list and switch between them by repeating the process with a different language selected.

What happens when you change the language

When you select a new language, Chrome switches every menu, button label, and built-in message to that language the next time you open it. This includes the address bar suggestions, the settings pages themselves, error messages, and the names of Chrome's built-in features. Websites you visit are not affected — they display in whatever language the website owner set up, regardless of what language Chrome is using.

Your bookmarks, passwords, and browsing history stay exactly as they are. Changing the language does not erase anything or reset Chrome to factory settings. If you change your mind, you can switch back to your original language the same way you switched to the new one.

Adding a language that is not in the initial list

When you click Add languages, Chrome shows you a searchable list of every language it supports. If you do not see your language immediately, type the first few letters of its name in the search box. For example, typing "chin" will show you Chinese options, and typing "port" will show Portuguese (both Brazilian and European versions). Click the language you want, and it appears in your languages list right away.

Some languages have regional variants — like Spanish (Spain) versus Spanish (Mexico), or English (US) versus English (UK). Chrome lists these separately so you can pick the exact variant you need. Once you add it, follow the same steps: click the three dots next to it and select Display Google Chrome in this language.

Switching between multiple languages

You can keep as many languages in your list as you want and switch between them without removing any. Each time you want to use a different language, go to Settings > Languages, find the language you want, click the three dots next to it, and select Display Google Chrome in this language. Chrome will relaunch with the new language active. This is useful if you work in multiple languages or share a computer with people who speak different languages.

The language at the top of your list is the one Chrome uses by default. If you want to change which language appears first without actually switching to it, you can drag and drop languages to reorder them — but this does not change which language Chrome displays in. Only clicking Display Google Chrome in this language actually changes what you see.

Checking which language Chrome is currently using

To see what language Chrome is set to right now, open Settings and go to Languages. The language that says Display Google Chrome in this language next to it is your current language. If you do not see that label, it means Chrome is using your system's default language instead of a custom Chrome language.

If you want Chrome to follow your system language automatically instead of using a fixed language, go to Settings > Languages and look for an option that says something like "Use system language" or "Follow system settings" (the exact wording varies by Chrome version). Selecting this option makes Chrome switch languages whenever you change your computer's language.

Troubleshooting language changes that do not work

If you add a language and select it, but Chrome still displays in the old language after restarting, close Chrome completely and open it again. Sometimes the relaunch prompt does not fully restart the program. Close all Chrome windows, wait a few seconds, and open Chrome fresh.

If that does not work, check that you actually clicked Display Google Chrome in this language and not just Add languages. Adding a language only puts it in your list; it does not activate it. You must click the three dots next to the language and select the display option to make Chrome actually use it. If you are still having trouble, try removing the language and adding it again from scratch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing Chrome's language change the language of websites I visit?

No. Websites display in whatever language their owner set up, and your Chrome language setting does not override that. If a website offers multiple languages, you can usually switch languages on the website itself, but that is separate from Chrome's language setting.

Will changing Chrome's language affect my passwords or bookmarks?

No. Your passwords, bookmarks, browsing history, and all saved data remain unchanged. Changing the language only changes the words Chrome uses in its menus and buttons.

Can I use Chrome in one language while my computer is set to a different language?

Yes. Chrome's language is completely separate from your system language. You can have your computer set to English and Chrome set to Spanish, or any other combination. Other programs on your computer will still use your system language.

What if my language is not in Chrome's list?

Chrome supports over 100 languages, but not every language in the world. If yours is not available, you can search the Chrome support page for your specific language to see if there are plans to add it. In the meantime, you can use a language that is similar or switch to English.

Do I need to restart my computer after changing Chrome's language?

No. Chrome will ask you to relaunch the browser itself, but you do not need to restart your computer. Closing and reopening Chrome is all that is required for the language change to take effect.