How to Change the Language in Android

Changing the language for your Android's icons, menus, and keyboard

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: January 6, 2022 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to change the default language on your Android phone or tablet, as well as how to change your Android keyboard's input language.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Changing the Display Language

1
Open your Android's Settings. Swipe down from the top of the screen, then tap the gear-shaped "Settings" icon
that's in the top-right corner of the drop-down menu.
- You may need to use two fingers to swipe down.
2
Scroll down and tap System. This option is near the bottom of the Settings page. If you're attempting to change the language on a phone that's currently in a language you don't speak, look for the "ⓘ" icon near the bottom of the page; the text to the right of it is the System option.
- On a Samsung Galaxy, you'll scroll down and tap General management, which is next to three grey, horizontal lines with circles on them.
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3
Tap Language & input. It's near the top of the System page, to the right of a globe-shaped icon.
- On a Samsung Galaxy, you'll tap Language and input, which is the top result on the page.
4
Tap Languages. This is the top option on the page.
- On a Samsung Galaxy, you'll tap Language at the top of the page.
5
Tap Add a language. It's below the bottom language listed on this page, to the right of a large ＋ icon.
- On a Samsung Galaxy, you'll tap Add language next to the ＋ icon.
6
Select a language. Scroll down until you find the language you want to switch to, then tap it. Doing so will open the language's page if more than one dialect is available.
- Your language will be written in its own language to make this step easier.
7
Select a region if prompted. Tap the region that pertains to the dialect of the selected language you want to use.
8
Tap Set as default when prompted. This option is in the bottom-right corner of the prompt for most languages, though if your Android's current language reads from right to left you'll find it in the lower-left corner of the prompt.
- On a Samsung Galaxy, you'll tap SET AS DEFAULT.
9
Move the language to the top of the list if necessary. If the option you tapped in the last step didn't reset your Android's language to your selected one, you'll need to move it to the top of the language list by tapping and dragging the icon on the far-right side of the language to the top of the list.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Changing the Input Language

1
Open your Android's Settings. Swipe down from the top of the screen, then tap the gear-shaped "Settings" icon
that's in the top-right corner of the drop-down menu.
- You may need to use two fingers to swipe down.
2
Scroll down and tap System. This option is near the bottom of the Settings page.
- On a Samsung Galaxy, you'll scroll down and tap General management instead.
3
Tap Language & input. It's near the top of the page.
- On a Samsung Galaxy, you'll tap Language and input instead.
4
Tap Virtual keyboard. This option is in the middle of the screen.
- On a Samsung Galaxy, you'll tap On-screen keyboards here instead.
5
Select a keyboard. Tap the keyboard for which you want to change the language.
- This should be your default keyboard. If you don't change the language for your default keyboard, you won't find the language in the keyboard's menu when you go to type.
6
Open the keyboard's language settings. This will vary depending on your keyboard, so look for a Languages or Change input language option.
- For example, if you selected the Samsung keyboard on a Samsung Galaxy, you would tap MANAGE INPUT LANGUAGES here.
7
Enable the language you want to use. Tap the grey switch or checkbox next to the language you want to add to your keyboard, then disable any languages you don't want to use by unchecking them or tapping the colored switches next to them.
- You may have to download the language you want to use by tapping Download or
  to the right of the language before you can apply it.
8
Use your keyboard's new language. Now that your keyboard has the language you selected applied to it, you can switch between languages by doing the following:
- Open an app that lets you type.
- Tap the app's text field to bring up your on-screen keyboard.
- Long-press the "Languages"
  icon in your Android's keyboard.
- Tap the language you want to use in the resulting pop-up menu.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I change my phone into a language that isn't there?

Community Answer

If your device doesn't have the language you are looking for as an option, there won't be a way to change it to that language, as the translation hasn't been programmed into the device.
Question

How do I change an App's language?

Community Answer

Go to keyboard settings, click "input language" and keyboard layout, and choose your language.
Question

How do I change the language to Hebrew?

Community Answer

You would do it the same way that you would change it to English, Spanish, or any other language. (See above.)

Warnings

The settings for third-party keyboards (e.g., keyboards that didn't come installed on your phone) will vary from the default keyboards' settings.

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