Change your Google language in three steps

Google's language setting controls what language you see when you visit Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps, and other Google services. You change it through your Google Account settings, not through your browser. The process takes less than a minute and applies across all devices where you sign in with that account.

The language you set is separate from your device's language. Your phone might be set to Spanish, but Google can still show you English if that's what you choose. Similarly, your computer's operating system language doesn't change when you adjust Google's language — only what Google displays to you.

Key Takeaways

  • Google's language setting lives in your Account settings, not in your browser or device settings.
  • Changing your Google language affects all Google services you use — Search, Gmail, Maps, YouTube — across every device where you sign in.
  • You can set a different language for Google than the language your phone or computer uses.
  • If you use multiple Google accounts, each account can have its own language setting.

How to change your language on a computer

Go to myaccount.google.com in your browser and sign in with the Google account you want to change. On the left side of the page, click Personal info. Scroll down until you see Language — it will show your current language as a link.

Click on the language link. A dropdown menu appears with dozens of languages listed. Find the language you want and click it. Google saves your choice when ready — you do not need to click a separate "Save" button. Refresh your Google Search page or Gmail, and you will see the change right away.

How to change your language on a phone or tablet

Open the Google app or Gmail app on your device. Tap your profile picture or initial in the top right corner. Tap Manage your Google Account. Swipe to the Personal info tab. Scroll down to Language and tap it.

A list of languages appears. Tap the one you want. The change takes effect when ready. If you do not see the language you want in the first list, scroll down — the full list is longer than what appears on the first screen.

What happens when you change your language

Every Google service you use will switch to your new language the next time you load it. This includes Google Search results, Gmail labels and menus, Google Maps directions, YouTube interface, Google Drive, and Google Calendar. The change applies to all your devices at once because it is tied to your account, not to any single phone or computer.

If you share a device with someone else and they have their own Google account, their language setting stays separate from yours. When they sign in, they see their own language. When you sign in, you see yours. The device itself does not change — only what each account sees.

If you only want to change one service's language

Some Google services have their own language settings that override your account setting. Gmail, for example, lets you set a different language just for that service. To change Gmail's language specifically, click the gear icon in the top right of Gmail, click See all settings, click the Language tab, and choose a language from the dropdown.

YouTube also has its own language setting. Click your profile picture, click Language, and pick a new one. These individual service settings take priority over your main Google Account language, so if you set Gmail to French but your account to English, Gmail will show French while other Google services show English.

Changing your language back

If you change your language and then cannot find the settings because the menus are now in a language you do not read, go back to myaccount.google.com, click Personal info, and look for the word that looks like a globe or flag icon — that is usually the language setting even if you cannot read the label. Click it and select your preferred language from the list.

Alternatively, you can use the browser's back button or search for "language" in your browser's find function (Ctrl+F on Windows, Command+F on Mac) to locate the setting by position rather than by reading the text.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my Google language change my phone's language?

No. Your Google language and your device language are completely separate. You can have your phone set to Spanish and Google set to English, or any other combination. Changing one does not affect the other.

If I change my language, will it change for everyone using my account?

Yes. Your Google Account language is shared across all devices and all people who sign in with that account. If someone else uses your account on their phone, they will see your chosen language. If you want different people to see different languages, they each need their own Google account.

Can I set different languages for different Google services?

Yes. Your main account language is the default for all services, but Gmail, YouTube, and a few others let you override it with their own language settings. Those individual settings take priority, so you could have Gmail in French and everything else in English if you want.

What if my language is not in the list?

Google supports over 100 languages, but not every language is available. If yours is not listed, the closest related language is usually the best option. You can also check Google's language support page to see the full list of available languages.

Does changing my language affect my search results?

Your language setting affects the language the Google interface appears in, but search results depend on your location and what you search for. If you search in English, you get English results even if your Google language is set to Spanish. The language setting changes menus and labels, not what the internet contains.