To change the words in YouTube’s menus, change its display or app language. To change a video’s spoken audio, translated title, or description, use YouTube’s separate preferred-language setting—or choose an audio track for that video. Location is a different setting that affects regional recommendations, charts, and news, not interface translation.
Which YouTube language setting should you change?
| Setting | What it changes | What it does not guarantee |
|---|---|---|
| Display language or app language | YouTube’s interface text; where available, some metadata such as channel names and video titles, plus Voice Search language. | A dub or translation for every video. |
| Location | Videos shown in recommendations, charts, and news for a region. | Translation of the interface. |
| Preferred languages | Available translated audio, titles, and descriptions. | A change to search results or video recommendations. |
| Video audio track | The spoken audio for one video when another track is offered. | A global change to YouTube’s interface language. |
| Captions | On-screen text when captions are available, with separate appearance controls. | Alternate spoken audio or captions for every video and language. |
YouTube documents these as separate controls in its language and location settings help, preferred-language help, and caption help.
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Change the display language on your device
Computer
- Select your profile picture in YouTube.
- Select Display Language.
- Choose the language you want.
The display-language preference is saved in the browser. YouTube says that clearing browser cache and cookies means you need to set the language again. The setting applies across the site, but localized metadata appears only when a localized version is available.
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- Tap your profile picture.
- Tap Settings, then Languages.
- Tap App Language and choose a language.
YouTube app on Android
- Tap your profile picture.
- Tap Settings, then Languages.
- Tap App language and choose a language.
These paths reflect YouTube’s current help instructions; labels can shift as the app changes.
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Mobile browser
The YouTube mobile site follows your device language by default. To override it, open the account menu and go to Settings > Account > Language, then choose a language. Location is a separate control in the same settings area.
Smart TV, streaming device, or game console
YouTube apps on these devices follow the device’s language and location by default. To set YouTube directly, open the app’s Settings and choose Language. Change Location separately only if you want to change regional recommendations, charts, or news. Some supported devices also offer a separate search-keyboard language setting. Menu availability can vary by device and app version.
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Change the language of video audio, titles, and descriptions
Changing the interface language does not force every video’s audio, title, or description into that language. To set your preferences for translations that are available:
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On the web
Open your profile picture, then go to Settings > Playback & Performance > Language. Add or edit your preferred languages.
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On iPhone or iPad
Tap your profile picture, then go to Settings > Languages > Preferred languages.
This preference applies to available translated audio, titles, and descriptions; it is not the same as the app language or location, and it does not change search results or recommendations. If a video’s original audio is in one of your preferred languages, YouTube says it will use the original audio rather than translate it.
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Choose another audio track for one video
When a video has alternate audio, open it and select player Settings > Audio track, then choose an available language. This choice affects that video, and the option appears only when an additional track is offered. YouTube also notes that translated titles and descriptions may be searchable in those languages.
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Turn captions on or adjust their appearance
If the player shows a CC control, select it to turn captions on or off. Captions are separate from spoken audio tracks and are available only when provided for that video and language. YouTube’s caption appearance options include font, color, opacity, size, background, window, and character-edge style; see its caption settings instructions.
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If YouTube still appears in the wrong language
- On a computer: Recheck Display Language in the profile menu. If you cleared cache and cookies, set it again.
- In the mobile app: Check App Language, not just Preferred languages; they control different things.
- On a TV or console: Check both YouTube’s Language setting and the device language. The app may follow the device by default.
- If only a video is in another language: Review preferred languages, then check the player’s Audio track menu. A track or translation may not be available for that video.
- If captions are missing: Look for the CC control. Captions are not guaranteed for every video or language.
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