How to Change Language on YouTube: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

YouTube has become a global phenomenon, with over 2 billion monthly logged-in users worldwide watching over a billion hours of videos daily. This meteoric rise has seen YouTube transition from just another video sharing platform to an extensive library of multimedia content catering to almost every language and culture.

As a result, learning how to tweak your language settings on YouTube can lead to discovering content tailored specifically for your preferences. Whether you want to brush up on your foreign language skills or make YouTube easier to navigate in your native tongue, changing the interface language is a breeze.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore everything you need to know to change your preferred language on YouTube across various devices and platforms.

Understanding YouTube‘s Language Settings

But before we jump into the step-by-step instructions, let‘s first build some background on how languages work on YouTube.

Available Language Options

YouTube supports over 80 languages for its platform interface and menus. So whether your native language is English, Mandarin, Swahili or even Mongolian, you can enjoy YouTube in the tongue most comfortable for you.

Some of the most widely available languages on YouTube include:

• English
• Spanish
• Portuguese
• French
• German
• Russian
• Korean
• Japanese
• Mandarin Chinese
• Hindi

However, this list does not encapsulate all the languages offered on YouTube. The company is consistently updating translations and adding support for more languages.

So don‘t worry if you don‘t see your native language featured above. There‘s a good chance YouTube already supports it.

What Changing the Language Settings Actually Does

It is important to understand exactly what switches when you change the language settings on YouTube.

Modifying the interface language affects the following elements:

• Menus and buttons captions
• Search and browsing options
• Account and notification labels
• Localized regional content

However, changing the interface language does not translate or edit video titles, metadata, subtitles, or comments to match your updated settings.

The titles, descriptions, subtitles, and comments remain in the original language inputted by the video uploader. The only elements that change are the YouTube environment to make navigating the actual website/app easier.

So while altering the language settings won‘t suddenly make Japanese videos display in English, it will allow English speakers to comprehend the platform menus and settings in their native language.

Changing Languages on YouTube Website

The YouTube website has over 1.9 billion logged-in monthly users, making it the platform‘s most popular access point.

Whether you want to update language settings on a desktop or mobile browser, the process is straightforward.

For Computer

Here are the steps to change language settings on the YouTube website when accessing it through a laptop or desktop computer:

1. Launch your preferred internet browser and go to the YouTube website (youtube.com).
2. Click on the profile icon on the top right corner of the screen. This will be your account‘s profile picture.
3. From the dropdown menu that appears, click on the Settings option. This will be represented by a gear icon.
4. Under the Languages and Location subheading, select Languages.
5. Your current interface language will be highlighted. Click on the dropdown menu beside it to view available languages.
6. Choose your desired language. For example, if you are most comfortable with Spanish, select Español.
7. The page will reload with the updated language settings applied automatically.

And you‘re done! The YouTube interface elements like menus and buttons should now display in your chosen language.

You can follow the same steps to revert back to another language if you want to switch things up again. It‘s a dynamic setting, so feel free to change it to match your evolving preferences.

One limitation is that the accounts of kids younger than 13 years old cannot change language due to COPPA compliance. Their settings are managed by a connected parent account instead.

For Mobile Web Browser

If you typically access YouTube through your smartphone or tablet‘s mobile browser, the language change process is mostly similar with a minor menu alteration.

Here is how to update language on YouTube‘s mobile website:

1. Open YouTube in your mobile browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox etc).
2. Tap your profile picture on the top right screen corner to open the dropdown menu.
3. Select the settings icon from the menu. This looks like three dotted lines representing a hamburger menu icon.
4. Choose the Languages option.
5. Tap on your current interface language to view available alternatives.
6. Select your desired language from the list to switch settings.
7. The changes apply immediately. Confirm by checking unlabeled buttons now displaying in the chosen language.

And that‘s all! Though mobile browsers have condensed menus, the overall process remains easy breezy.

Changing Language on YouTube Mobile Apps

Besides accessing YouTube via browsers, billions also use the official mobile apps for Android and iOS.

Luckily, updating language settings in the YouTube app is also straightforward for both smartphone operating systems.

For Android Devices

Here is how to change the interface language in the YouTube app for Android:

1. Launch the YouTube app on your Android phone or tablet.
2. Tap on your profile picture on the top right corner of the screen.
3. Select Settings from the menu options.
4. Under General settings, choose Language.
5. Tap on your currently set interface language.
6. Browse through the list of available languages.
7. Select your preferred language. If unsure, you can tap View All to see every supported option.
8. Hit the back button once. The app will now reload reflecting the updated language.

These simple steps make enjoying YouTube in your favorite language easy whether using an Android phone from Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola or any other manufacturer.

For iPhones and iPads

Since Apple products use iOS instead of Android, the path to update language settings is slightly different.

Follow these instructions to change language on iPhones and iPads:

1. Launch the YouTube app on your iOS device.
2. Select your profile icon in the top right corner to open settings.
3. Choose the Settings option.
4. Scroll down and tap on Language and Location.
5. Under the Languages section, tap Language .
6. Select your desired interface language from the list.
7. Confirm changes by reloading the home page – menus and buttons should display properly in your updated language.

And enjoy! The process remains conveniently simple for iOS just like other platforms.

Tweaking Captions and Comments Language Settings

Besides changing the interface language, YouTube also allows customizing subtitles and comments language depending on video uploads and your preferences.

Let‘s explore how you can tailor these additional language settings when watching videos:

Selecting Subtitle Languages

1. Start playing a YouTube video which shows the CC (closed captions) box.
2. Click on the CC icon in the corner of the video player if subtitles are not enabled by default.
3. Select the gear icon next to the CC box to open language options.
4. Under the subtitles section, click on the currently set language.
5. Choose your preferred subtitle language from the list.
6. If subtitles are missing for your language, the machine-translated version can provide context.

So if you come across a Korean music video or Hindi vlog with no native subtitles available, you can leverage auto-translations to follow along. The machine translation may not be wholly accurate but can convey the general sentiment.

Do note that subtitle language options depend entirely on the uploader. So some videos may not have captions enabled at all or offer limited translated versions.

Translating Video Comments

Unlike subtitles or metadata, manually translating video comments across thousands of videos is not viable.

However, utilizing browser extensions and web apps that instantly translate text can help bridge that gap.

Here is one way to leverage tools to translate YouTube comments:

1. On a video with comments in another language, highlight the desired text.
2. Right-click to copy the highlighted text.
3. Paste it into the translation tool of choice like Google Translate.
4. The output box will display the machine translated version.

Browser extensions like Translate One also let you instantly translate highlighted text without copy-pasting.

Do note results vary across tools based on factors like text length, language complexity etc. But it‘s a handy method to quickly discern the essence of foreign comments.

Changing Back to Original YouTube Language

As engaging as exploring YouTube in different languages can be, you may eventually want to revert settings to the original default language.

The good news is that switching back is equal simple, regardless of platform. Just repeat the instructions above but choose your starting language instead.

For most English-speaking users, that would the English versions like English (United States) or English (United Kingdom).

And luxury of the digital world – you can toggle between languages forever.

So try settings like Deutsch for a bit before comfortably returning back to English. Mix and match to retain familiarity while dabbling in fun foreign language content!

Troubleshooting YouTube Language Setting Changes

In very rare cases, you may change the language settings on YouTube but not see reflected changes.

This usually occurs when there are issues with logging into the proper account itself.

Here are some troubleshooting tips if your updated language choice is not appearing correctly:

• Log out of YouTube and log back in to refresh data.
• If logged in with multiple Google accounts, ensure you pick the right profile.
• Clear cache/cookies and try altering languages again.
• Double check language is updated under account settings.
• Test site on alternate browsers or devices to isolate irregularities.

For mobile apps, also ensure you have the latest version downloaded. An outdated app with caching issues could prevent registering language changes.

In most cases with a proper login plus site/app refresh, your newly selected language should display without hiccups. But above steps can help diagnose gremlins.

Customizing Regional Settings for Localized Content

Beyond interface languages, changing YouTube‘s regional settings can also help serve more locally relevant content.

As YouTube usage increases globally, uploading more locally resonant videos tailored to individual countries allows better reflecting domestic cultures and trends.

You may have a set language but still want the most popular or recommended videos to better match your region.

Here‘s how regional YouTube settings allows access to localized home country content:

1. After changing languages, also update the Region filter.
2. Trending videos will skew toward popularity locally versus global hits.
3. Search will prioritize matching local language videos from home country/city creators.
4. Recommendations also adapt to niche localized content in chosen language/region settings.

So someone in Lisbon is less likely to come across Korean pop music or Indian cricket highlights with Portuguese language plus Portugal region settings.

The combined language + regional filters help YouTube serve content for specific user tastes and geo-cultural nuances even within same tongues.

This allows Spanish speakers choose between Latin America and European preferences more easily!

Final Thoughts

Changing languages on YouTube serves as a gateway to expand your digital content horizons. The platform makes it convenient to toggle language settings irrespective of device or medium of access.

Whether aiming to increase accessibility in native tongues or learn new languages through immersive YouTube videos, adjusting interface languages is a cakewalk. Dabbling between various languages immerses yourself into fresh creative cultures and perspectives.

Master regional customization also ensures your homepage highlights locally resonant viral content instead of random global hits alone.

So don‘t be afraid to switch languages and engage with YouTube differently. Continue finding captivating videos worldwide while leaning into languages both familiar and foreign!