Change your Google language in three places

Google lets you set the language for your account, your browser, and individual Google services separately. Most people only need to change their account language — the one that controls what language Google Search, Gmail, and other Google products show you. You do this in your Google Account settings, not in Google Search itself.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're on a computer or phone, and whether you want to change the language for your whole account or just for one service. This guide covers the most common route: changing your account language on a computer, which takes about two minutes.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Google Account language setting controls what language appears in Gmail, Google Drive, Google Search results pages, and most other Google services.
  • To change it on a computer, go to myaccount.google.com, click "Personal info" in the left menu, find "Language," and select a new language from the dropdown.
  • On a phone, open the Google app or Gmail, tap your profile picture, go to "Manage your Google Account," tap "Personal info," and change the language there.
  • Your browser language and your Google account language are separate settings — changing one does not change the other.
  • Some Google services like YouTube have their own language settings that override your account language.

Change your account language on a computer

Open a web browser and go to myaccount.google.com. Sign in with the Google account you want to change. On the left side of the page, you'll see a menu with several options. Click "Personal info" — it's usually near the top.

Scroll down the Personal info page until you see "Language". It will show your current language. Click on it. A dropdown menu will appear with dozens of languages listed. Find and click the language you want. Google will save your choice immediately — you don't need to click a "Save" button.

After you change it, refresh the page or go to another Google service like Gmail or Google Drive. The interface should now appear in your new language. If it doesn't change right away, clear your browser cache or wait a few minutes.

Change your account language on a phone

On an Android phone, open the Gmail app or the Google app. Tap your profile picture in the top right corner. A menu will pop up. Tap "Manage your Google Account".

At the top of the screen, tap the "Personal info" tab. Scroll down until you see "Language". Tap it, then select your new language from the list. The change saves automatically.

On an iPhone, the steps are the same: open Gmail or the Google app, tap your profile picture, tap "Manage your Google Account," go to "Personal info," and change the language. The interface may look slightly different, but the location of the language setting is the same.

Change the language for a single Google service

Some Google services let you set a different language than your account language. YouTube is the most common example. To change YouTube's language, sign in to YouTube, click your profile picture in the top right, click "Language", and select a new one. This change affects only YouTube, not your Gmail or Google Search.

Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Sheets also have their own language settings. In Google Drive, click the gear icon (Settings), scroll to "Language," and pick a new one. In Google Docs or Sheets, go to File > Language and choose from the list. These changes apply only to that service.

If you change your account language but a specific service still shows the old language, that service probably has its own language setting that's overriding your account choice. Look for a language or settings option within that service itself.

The difference between account language and browser language

Your Google account language and your browser language are two separate things. Your browser language is a setting in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge — it controls what language your browser's menus and buttons appear in. Your Google account language controls what language Google services show you.

If you change your browser language to Spanish but your Google account language is English, Google Search will appear in English. If you change your Google account language to Spanish but your browser language is English, your browser's menus will stay in English while Google services appear in Spanish.

Most people only need to change their Google account language. If you want to change your browser language too, the steps vary by browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge each have different menus for this.

What happens when you change your language

When you change your Google account language, the change applies to all Google services you use on any device — as long as you're signed into that account. If you sign into a different Google account, you'll see that account's language instead.

If you use Google on a device where you're not signed in, Google will guess your language based on your location and browser settings. Signing in to your account is the only way to make sure you see your chosen language everywhere.

Changing your language does not change the language of emails people send you, documents other people share with you, or web pages you visit. It only changes the language of Google's own interface — buttons, menus, labels, and help text.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my language affect other people who share my Google account?

Yes. If multiple people sign into the same Google account, they will all see the language you set. Each person should have their own Google account if they want their own language preference. You can create a new account at accounts.google.com.

How do I change the language for Google Search results?

Changing your Google account language changes the language of Google Search's interface — the buttons and menus. To change the language of the actual search results, go to google.com, click "Settings" at the bottom right, click "Languages," and select your preferred language. This is separate from your account language.

What if I can't find the Language option in my account settings?

Make sure you're signed into your Google account and on the Personal info page of myaccount.google.com. Scroll all the way down — Language is usually near the bottom. If it's still not there, try a different browser or clear your browser cache and try again.

Can I set different languages for different devices?

Your Google account language is the same across all devices. However, you can change your browser language on each device separately. If you want different languages on different devices, you would need to use different Google accounts on each one.

Why does YouTube still show in English after I changed my language?

YouTube has its own language setting that overrides your account language. Sign into YouTube, click your profile picture, click "Language," and select your preferred language there. The same applies to Google Maps and some other Google services.