YouTube lets you change the interface language in your account settings, and the process takes less than a minute
The language YouTube shows you — menus, buttons, notifications — is separate from the language of the videos themselves. When you change your interface language, you're only changing what you see on the site or app, not the content creators upload. YouTube detects your location and browser settings to guess a starting language, but you can override that choice at any time.
Where you change this setting depends on whether you're on a computer, phone, or tablet, and whether you're signed in. If you're signed in, the change sticks to your account across all devices. If you're not signed in, YouTube remembers your choice only on that specific browser.
Key Takeaways
- Changing your interface language on YouTube takes about one minute and requires you to be signed into your account for the change to follow you across devices.
- YouTube stores your language preference in your account settings, not in your browser, so the change persists even if you clear your cookies or use a different device.
- The language you choose for the interface does not affect the language of videos in your recommendations or search results — only the menus and buttons change.
- If you change your language and then want to change it back, the process is identical and you can do it from any device where you're signed in.
How to change the language on a computer
Sign into your YouTube account and look for your profile picture in the top right corner of the page. Click on it to open a small menu. Select "Settings" from that menu — it's usually near the bottom of the list.
Once you're in Settings, look for the left sidebar. Click on "Language" in that sidebar. YouTube will show you a dropdown menu with all available languages. Find the language you want and click on it. YouTube saves your choice when ready; you don't need to click a separate "Save" button.
If you don't see "Language" in the sidebar, scroll down — the option may be below the fold. Some accounts also have a "Location" setting just above or below Language; these are separate choices and both affect what YouTube recommends to you, but only Language changes the interface itself.
How to change the 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. On Android phones, tap "General" and then "Language." On iPhones and iPads, tap "Language" directly — there is no "General" folder.
A list of languages will appear. Tap the one you want. The app updates when ready and you'll see the interface in your new language the next time you navigate to a new screen or close and reopen the app.
If you cannot find the Language option, make sure you are signed into your YouTube account. YouTube does not store language preferences for users who are not signed in on mobile apps the way it does on the web.
What happens when you change your language
Changing your interface language affects only the words YouTube uses for buttons, menus, notifications, and labels. The videos themselves do not change — if a creator uploaded in English, you'll still see English captions and hear English audio. Your recommendations and search results also do not change based on interface language alone.
However, YouTube may use your language choice as one signal (along with your location and watch history) to decide what to recommend. If you change your interface language to Spanish but live in the United States and watch mostly English content, YouTube will not suddenly flood your feed with Spanish videos. The algorithm weighs many factors.
Your language choice is stored in your account, not your browser. If you sign out and sign back in on a different computer, or use a different phone, you'll see the same language you selected. If you're not signed in, YouTube uses your browser language and location to guess what language to show you.
Changing back to your original language
The process to change back is identical to the process to change forward. Go to Settings, find Language, and select a different option. There's no "undo" button and no waiting period — the change takes effect when ready.
If you've forgotten which language you're currently using and the interface is in a language you don't read, look for the profile picture icon in the top right corner. The menu that opens uses the same layout in every language, so you can navigate by position: Settings is usually the third or fourth item from the top. Once in Settings, Language is usually one of the first options in the sidebar.
Why YouTube might show you a different language than you set
If you set your interface language to English but YouTube is showing you something else, the most common reason is that you're not signed in. YouTube forgets your language choice when you sign out on that device. Sign back in and your preference will return.
Another reason is that you may have changed your browser's language settings, and you're viewing YouTube in a private or incognito window where your account isn't signed in. Private browsing windows don't store your account login, so YouTube defaults to your browser language instead.
A third possibility is that you changed the language on one device but are now using a different device where you haven't signed in yet. Your language preference is tied to your account, not to a specific computer or phone. Sign into your account on the new device and your language choice will appear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does changing my interface language affect what videos YouTube recommends to me?
Interface language alone does not determine your recommendations. YouTube uses your watch history, location, and search behavior as the main signals. However, if you change your interface language and your account location is set to a different country, YouTube may interpret that as a signal that you're interested in content from that region.
Can I set different languages for different devices?
No. Your language preference is stored in your YouTube account, not on individual devices. If you sign into the same account on multiple devices, they will all show the same language. If you want different devices to show different languages, you would need to use different YouTube accounts.
What if I change my language and the captions on videos change too?
Changing your interface language should not change video captions. If captions switched languages, you likely changed a different setting. Check your video player settings — there's usually a "CC" button or a gear icon where you can choose which caption language to display. That's separate from your interface language.
Will YouTube remember my language choice if I clear my browser cookies?
Yes, as long as you're signed into your account. Your language preference is stored on YouTube's servers tied to your account, not in your browser cookies. Clearing cookies will not affect it. If you're not signed in, clearing cookies will reset your language back to YouTube's default for your location.
Can I change the language of videos themselves, or only the interface?
You can only change the interface language through Settings. To change the language of a video's audio or captions, use the player controls on that specific video — look for the gear icon or CC button in the video player itself. That choice applies only to that video, not to your whole account.