How to Change a Language on YouTube: A Comprehensive Guide

Changing the language on YouTube can dramatically improve your user experience. It’s a simple process that allows you to navigate the platform, understand video titles and descriptions, and even control captioning in your preferred language. To change the language on YouTube, you need to adjust two primary settings: the YouTube website/app language and the caption language. The first controls the language of the user interface (UI), including menus, buttons, and other on-screen text. The second controls the language of the automatically generated or manually added captions for videos. Let’s delve into the specifics of how to do this across various devices.

Changing the YouTube Interface Language

This process affects the language used throughout the YouTube website or app.

On a Computer (Website)

1. Sign into your YouTube Account: Make sure you’re logged in to your Google/YouTube account. This is crucial because the language setting is often tied to your account preferences.
2. Click on Your Profile Icon: In the top-right corner of the screen, you’ll see your profile picture or the default profile icon. Click on it.
3. Select “Language”: A dropdown menu will appear. Look for the option labeled “Language.” It should be represented by a globe icon.
4. Choose Your Preferred Language: A list of available languages will appear. Select the language you want to use on YouTube. The page will automatically refresh, and the interface will now be displayed in your chosen language.

On the YouTube Mobile App (Android/iOS)

1. Open the YouTube App: Launch the YouTube app on your smartphone or tablet.
2. Tap Your Profile Icon: In the top-right corner, tap on your profile picture.
3. Go to “Settings”: Scroll down and select “Settings” from the menu.
4. Tap “General”: Within the settings menu, find and tap on “General.”
5. Select “Language”: In the “General” settings, you’ll see an option for “Language” or “App language.” Tap on it.
6. Choose Your Preferred Language: A list of available languages will appear. Select the language you prefer. The app will likely restart or refresh to apply the new language setting.

On YouTube TV

1. Access the Settings Menu: Navigate to your profile icon (usually in the top right) and select “Settings.”
2. Select “Language”: Find the “Language” option.
3. Choose your preferred Language: Select the language that you want to use and confirm.

Changing the YouTube Caption Language

This setting controls the language of the subtitles or captions displayed on videos. It’s independent of the interface language.

Adjusting Caption Preferences on a Video (Website and App)

1. Start Playing a Video: Select a video and begin playback.
2. Click the “CC” Icon (Subtitles/Closed Captions): Look for the “CC” icon in the video player’s controls. If subtitles are available, clicking this icon will turn them on or off.
3. Access the Settings Icon: Once captions are enabled, click the settings icon (usually a gear or cogwheel) within the video player.
4. Select “Subtitles/CC”: In the settings menu, find the “Subtitles/CC” option.
5. Choose Your Preferred Language: A list of available subtitle languages will appear. Select the language you want to use. If the video has manually created subtitles in that language, they will appear. If only automatically generated subtitles are available, YouTube will attempt to translate the audio into your chosen language.

Setting Default Caption Preferences (Website)

You can set your default caption preferences on the YouTube website, which will apply to all videos you watch.

1. Go to YouTube Settings: Click on your profile icon and select “Settings.”
2. Navigate to “Playback and Performance”: In the left-hand menu, choose “Playback and Performance.”
3. Set Your Preferences: In the Playback and Performance section you can find your caption preferences and default settings.

Important Considerations

• Language Availability: The availability of subtitles depends on whether the video creator has uploaded them or if YouTube’s automatic captioning service supports the language.
• Automatic vs. Manual Captions: Manually created captions are generally more accurate than automatically generated ones. Look for the “Subtitles/CC” icon to confirm captions are available.
• Google Account Sync: Your YouTube language preferences might be linked to your Google account. Changing the language in one Google service (like Gmail) might affect other services (like YouTube).
• Browser Language: In some cases, YouTube might default to the language set in your web browser settings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why is YouTube showing up in the wrong language?

Several factors could be at play. First, check your YouTube account’s language settings. Second, your browser’s language preference may be overriding YouTube’s settings. Finally, your Google account’s language settings could be influencing YouTube. Systematically check each of these settings to resolve the issue.

2. How do I turn off subtitles/closed captions on YouTube?

Simply click the “CC” icon located in the video player’s controls. Clicking it once toggles the captions on, and clicking it again turns them off.

3. Can I change the language of the YouTube Kids app?

Yes, the process is similar to the main YouTube app. Go to settings within the YouTube Kids app and look for the language option. You may need to enter parent control password to access the settings.

4. Does changing the language affect the video recommendations I see?

Yes, it can. YouTube’s algorithm considers your language preferences when suggesting videos. By changing your language, you may start seeing more content in that language.

5. How accurate are the automatically generated subtitles on YouTube?

Accuracy varies depending on factors like audio quality, accents, and background noise. While improving, automatically generated subtitles are not always perfect. Human-created subtitles are always better.

6. Can I download subtitles from YouTube videos?

Directly downloading subtitles from YouTube requires third-party tools or browser extensions. YouTube itself doesn’t offer a built-in download feature. Several websites and browser extensions offer this functionality, but be cautious about downloading software from untrusted sources.

7. I changed the language, but some parts of the interface are still in the old language. Why?

Sometimes, certain elements might take time to update completely. Try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies or restarting the YouTube app. If the issue persists, it could be a temporary glitch.

8. Can I contribute subtitles to YouTube videos?

Yes, YouTube allows viewers to contribute subtitles and translations to videos, provided the video creator has enabled this feature. Look for the “Add subtitles/CC” option below the video.

9. What if my desired language isn’t available in the YouTube settings?

The available languages depend on YouTube’s current support. If your desired language isn’t listed, you can submit feedback to YouTube suggesting they add it. The only other alternative is to try using third-party browser extensions that attempt to translate the entire page, but these are not always reliable.

10. How do I change the voice language for dubbing on YouTube videos?

YouTube does not offer an official real-time dubbing feature where you can choose the voice language. Dubbing, where the original audio is replaced with audio in another language, is done by the video creator and uploaded as a separate audio track.

11. Will changing the language on my TV affect YouTube?

This depends on your TV’s operating system and how the YouTube app is integrated. If the YouTube app is a separate entity, changing the TV’s system language might not affect it directly. You’ll likely need to change the language within the YouTube app itself.

12. I accidentally changed the language to something I don’t understand. How do I revert it?

Look for the globe icon (usually representing “Language”) in the account settings menu. Even if you don’t understand the written words, you should be able to identify the globe icon and navigate to the language selection menu. Remember the steps outlined earlier to guide you. Failing that, search for “language” in your browser’s search function and use the search results to navigate back to the language settings.