How do I change the language on my Android phone?
Open Settings. On a Pixel or Motorola, tap System, then Language & region, and move the language you want to the top of the list. On a Samsung Galaxy, tap General management, then Language, choose the language, and tap Apply. If it is not listed, add it first. The phone switches straight away.
Changing the language is safe. Your apps, photos, and contacts stay exactly as they are. Only the words on the screen change. If someone set your phone to a language you cannot read, the section below shows the menu names in Spanish so you can find your way back.
Steps to check
Open the language settings
Open the Settings app (the gear icon) and find the language menu for your phone.
- Samsung Tap General management, then Language.
- Pixel Tap System, then Language & region, then Preferred Language.
- Motorola Tap System, then Language & region, then System Languages.
Add the language if it is not already listed
Tap Add a language (or the plus sign) and pick the one you want from the list. Some languages ask you to choose a region too, such as English (United States).
- Samsung Tap Add language. If you do not see the language you want, tap More options (three dots), then All languages.
Make it the main language
The language at the top of the list is the one your phone uses. Move your chosen language to the top. The screen changes to that language right away.
- Samsung Tap the language you want, then tap Apply.
- Pixel Touch and hold the language and drag it to the top of the list.
- Motorola Touch and hold the language and drag it to the first position.
Remove a language you do not need
This step is optional. Removing extra languages keeps your phone from switching to them by mistake.
- Samsung On the Language screen, tap Edit, select the language, and remove it.
- Pixel Tap More (three dots), then Remove, select the language, and confirm.
Still not working?
- If one app is still in the old language, check its App languages setting in the section above. Some apps follow their own setting instead of the phone's.
- If websites and Gmail on the web are still in another language, that comes from your Google Account, not the phone. Google lets you change it at myaccount.google.com/language.
- If the keyboard is still typing in another language, the keyboard has its own language list. Motorola notes that languages you add to the phone's list also become available on the on-screen keyboard. See how to fix your keyboard if it is not appearing at all.
- If you cannot find any of these menus, restart the phone and try again, or use the search bar at the top of Settings.
Why this happens
Android keeps a list of languages in order. The phone shows its menus in whichever language is at the top.
Phones sometimes end up in the wrong language after a setup done by someone else, or a tap on the wrong option. It is easy to put back.
If your phone is stuck in Spanish or another language
Open Settings by tapping the gear icon. The icons stay the same in every language, so look for the gear.
In Spanish, the menus are called: on a Pixel, Ajustes → Sistema → Idioma y región → Idioma preferido. On a Motorola, Ajustes → Sistema → Idioma y región → Idiomas del sistema. On a Samsung Galaxy, Ajustes → Administración general → Idioma.
Find English in the list and move it to the top, or on a Samsung tap it and then the button at the bottom to apply it. If English is not listed, tap the plus sign or the option to add a language, and choose English.
If you can type, the search bar at the top of Settings is another shortcut. Typing the word for language in the current language (for example idioma) finds the menu.
Change the language for just one app
On Android 14 and later, some apps let you pick their own language without changing the whole phone. On a Pixel or Motorola, go to Settings → System → Language & region and look for App languages (on a Pixel it may be under More language settings), then pick the app. On a Samsung Galaxy, App languages is in Settings → General management.
Only apps that support this appear in the list.
Normal vs. not
Usually normal
A few apps, or some websites, stay in a different language after you change the phone's language.
Worth a closer look
The phone keeps switching back to another language on its own after you have changed it. Remove the extra language from the list so it cannot be picked.
Common questions
- Will changing the language delete anything?
- No. Your photos, contacts, messages, and apps stay as they are. Only the words on the screen change.
- Can I have two languages on my phone?
- Yes. You can keep several languages in the list. The phone uses the top one, and you can switch the order whenever you like.
- Does this change the language of my texts?
- No. Messages you receive stay in whatever language they were written in. The setting only changes the phone's menus and buttons.
Related questions
Sources we checked
- Change language or region settings on a Pixel phone or tablet (Pixel Phone Help)
- Change app language on your Android phone (Android Help)
- Change language and input settings on your Galaxy phone or tablet (Samsung Support)
- Use multiple languages (motorola edge 2026) (Motorola Help)
- Change your language on the web (Google Account Help)
Menu names can differ by phone brand and Android version. See our editorial policy for how we check steps.