YouTube's language settings are in your account menu, not in your browser or network settings
If you arrived here from a networking article, you may have thought your internet connection controls what language YouTube shows you. It does not. YouTube displays in whatever language you set in your account, regardless of your network setup. The language menu is in your YouTube account settings, and changing it takes about 30 seconds.
YouTube offers over 100 languages. The language you choose affects the menus, buttons, and labels on the site — not the captions or audio of videos themselves, which depend on what the video creator uploaded. If you share a device with other people, each person's YouTube account will show their own chosen language when they sign in.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube language settings live in your account menu under "Settings," not in your browser or network configuration.
- Changing the language affects only the YouTube interface — menus and buttons — not video captions or audio tracks.
- The language you set applies only to your account, so other users on the same device will see their own language when they sign in.
- If you are signed out of YouTube, the site will show in your browser's default language until you sign in and set your preference.
How to change your YouTube language on a computer
Open YouTube in your web browser and sign in to your account. Look for your profile picture or initial in the top right corner of the screen and click it. A dropdown menu will appear with several options.
Click on "Settings" in that menu. You will land on your account settings page. On the left side, you should see a menu with options like "General," "Playback and performance," and others. Click "Language" in that left menu. A list of available languages will appear. Find the language you want and click it. YouTube will refresh and show the interface in your new language immediately.
How to change your YouTube language on a phone or tablet
Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Tap "Settings" from the menu that appears. Scroll down and tap "General." Tap "Language" and select the language you want from the list. The app will update right away.
If you are using YouTube in a mobile web browser instead of the app, the steps are the same as on a computer — tap your profile picture, go to Settings, find Language, and choose from the list.
What to do if you cannot find the Language option
If you are signed out of YouTube, you will not see a Settings option in the menu. Sign in to your account first, then follow the steps above. YouTube will remember your language choice the next time you sign in on any device.
If you are signed in but do not see a Language option, try refreshing the page or closing and reopening the YouTube app. On a computer, you can also try clearing your browser cache, though this is rarely necessary. If the Language option still does not appear, your account may have a permissions issue — try signing out completely, closing your browser, and signing back in.
How to change YouTube's language without signing in
If you do not have a YouTube account or prefer not to sign in, you can change the language through your web browser settings. YouTube will detect your browser's language preference and display in that language. To change this, go to your browser's settings and change the language there. The next time you visit YouTube without signing in, it will show in your browser's language.
This method is temporary and applies only to that browser on that device. If you use a different browser or device, YouTube will show in whatever language that browser or device is set to. For a permanent, account-wide change that follows you everywhere you sign in, use the account settings method described above.
Why YouTube might be showing in the wrong language
YouTube defaults to your browser's language when you first visit without signing in. If your browser is set to a language you do not use, YouTube will match it. Check your browser settings and change the language there, or sign in to your YouTube account and set the language in your account settings.
If you share a device with someone else, they may have changed the account language when they signed in. Each person's account has its own language setting, so when you sign in, YouTube will show in whatever language you set for your account. If a family member changed a shared account's language, sign in and change it back through Settings.
Changing the language for video captions and audio
The YouTube interface language is separate from video captions and audio. If you want to watch a video with captions or audio in a different language, that depends on what the video creator uploaded. Open any video and look for the "CC" button (for captions) in the bottom right of the player. Click it to see what caption languages are available for that specific video. Click the three-dot menu in the video player and select "Audio" to see what audio tracks the creator provided.
You cannot change what languages a creator uploaded — you can only choose from what they made available. If a video does not have captions or audio in your language, that option is not available for that video.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my YouTube language affect other people using the same device?
No. Each YouTube account has its own language setting. When someone else signs into their account on the same device, YouTube will show in whatever language they set for their account. If they sign out, YouTube will show in your language again.
Can I set different languages for different devices?
Yes. Your YouTube account language setting is tied to your account, not your device. If you sign in on a phone and set the language to Spanish, then sign in on a computer and set it to French, each device will show in the language you chose for that device. When you sign in on the phone again, it will show in Spanish.
What happens if I change my browser language but do not sign into YouTube?
YouTube will display in your browser's language. Once you sign in to your YouTube account, it will switch to whatever language you set in your account settings, regardless of your browser language.
Does changing the YouTube language change the language of videos I watch?
No. Changing the YouTube interface language affects only the menus and buttons. The video itself, its captions, and its audio depend entirely on what the creator uploaded. You choose captions and audio language separately for each video using the CC and audio buttons in the video player.
Can I use YouTube in multiple languages at the same time?
No. Your account can only be set to one language at a time. If you need to use YouTube in multiple languages, you can create separate accounts, each set to a different language, and switch between them by signing out and signing in.