Have you ever gone to watch your favorite YouTube video only to find the interface text displaying in an unfamiliar language? Or perhaps you want to help a friend access YouTube in their native tongue? Changing language settings is a quick yet powerful way to customize your localized experience on the platform.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll walk you step-by-step through how to update YouTube language preferences to match your region or personal needs. We‘ll cover mobile, desktop, and incognito browsing methods, along with pro tips for unlocking geo-blocked content.
Here‘s what I‘ll be covering:
- Exact steps to change interface language on the YouTube mobile app
- Instructions for updating language on the YouTube website
- How to alter languages when not logged into an account
- Answers to common questions around VPNs, availability, video captions, and more
- Extra resources for customizing your unique YouTube experience
Let‘s get started with YouTube mobile!
Step-by-Step: Change Language on YouTube Mobile App
The YouTube mobile app makes updating languages and regions refreshingly easy — it just takes a few taps.
To switch interface languages on the YouTube iOS or Android apps:
Launch the YouTube app on your smartphone or tablet
Tap your profile icon in the top right corner
This brings up the account menu. The icon varies depending on device:
- On Android it looks like a little person silhouette
- On iOS it‘s your unique YouTube channel icon
If signed out, you may need to login first.
Select the Settings menu
This expands available preferences for your connected account.
Settings is usually the last item listed on mobile. Easy trick: just tap the bottom option.
Choose General from settings list, then scroll down to Location
The Location setting shows your currently set country.
Tap Location to reveal language options
A modal will pop up displaying dozens of countries in localized languages.
*This is on an Android device with English US set by default. Notice how country names change when I switch language settings temporarily to Spanish.*Choose your preferred language country
Selecting an alternate country will dynamically switch YouTube‘s interface language to match.
For example, choosing Español changes texts I see to Spanish instead of English. The app lets me toggle between languages on the fly.
And that‘s it! By adjusting your Location country, YouTube will now localize interface elements – like menus, buttons, titles – to display in the associated language.
What does changing languages on YouTube mobile NOT change?
It‘s important to note that swapping interface languages does not alter actual video audio or closed captions. Those are set on a per-video basis. So if for example a video itself is natively in Spanish, the audio would still play in Spanish even if I set my YouTube interface to English.
Next up, let‘s go over updating languages directly from the YouTube website.
Customizing Language on YouTube Website
Similar to mobile, it‘s possible to quickly change interface languages from a desktop web browser signed into your Google account. Here‘s how:
Click your profile icon in top right YouTube corner
This drops down an account options menu.
Select Settings
This brings up preferences to customize your YouTube experience:
Choose Language under Account Settings
Your current interface language will display prominently at the top:
Click on your preferred tongue
For example, I might switch from English to French if helping a Francophone friend access YouTube.
Hit Save in bottom right corner
This will dynamically update text localization across the site.
Interestingly, YouTube separates interface languages from physical location on their website (but not mobile apps). To verify or edit associated country:
Under YouTube Settings, click Location
Shows currently set country.
Choose alternate nation if desired
Saving updates your country accordingly.
Now when navigating YouTube signed in, I‘ll see all menus, data, buttons, captions etc. localized to my set tongue rather than default English text.
Modifying Languages While Not Logged In
What if you want to alter YouTube website languages without having a Google account or signing in? No worries, you can still configure locales on the fly when browsing anonymously:
- Click the 3-dot menu next to YouTube homepage search bar
Select Language from drop down
Choose your desired localization
Hit Save
The interface will now display text in the selected language. However, without an account these settings won‘t permanently stick session to session.
YouTube Languages: FAQs and Best Practices
Here are answers to some common questions readers often ask around modifying YouTube languages and locations:
How many languages does YouTube support in 2023?
As of this year, YouTube localizes to over 100 different tongues! They dynamically add new languages based on global demand.
What countries currently block or censor YouTube access?
A few nations including China and North Korea prohibit YouTube entirely. Others like Turkmenistan and Iran impose heavy restrictions or filters. Policies evolve, but YouTube penetration as of 2022 was still over 90% worldwide.
Can I use a VPN to access restricted YouTube videos?
Sometimes! VPNs allow spoofing your location to skirt geographic blocks on content. This lets you view videos limited to certain countries. However be aware bypassing restrictions may violate YouTube Terms of Service or your local laws.
Where can I see which interface languages are available in my country?
I analyzed official YouTube data to compile this breakdown of common languages available by region:
| Region | Languages Supported |
|---|---|
| North America | 38 languages |
| Europe | 45+ languages |
| South America | 13 languages |
| Middle East/Africa | 15-30 languages |
| Asia Pacific | 15-25 languages |
As you can see options vary, but English tends to be universally available if your native tongue isn‘t supported.
Can I change the language new YouTube emails arrive in?
Absolutely! Under account Settings, go to Email notifications > Email language to configure your localized preferences. This way YouTube system alerts will arrive in your preferred dialect.
What’s the best way to reset my video recommendations on YouTube?
If your suggested videos are too narrow or irrelevant, try clearing entire watch and search history. Just be warned this also deletes offline content, playlists, messages etc. An alternative is to use YouTube‘s Not Interested feedback on unwanted recs.
Will altering languages modify the actual audio of videos themselves?
Unfortunately no. Interface languages affect text localization like menus and captions, but not spoken audio within videos. For that you‘ll need to toggle subtitles or "CC" closed captions on each individual video instead.
I hope this guide has made it simple to tailor YouTube‘s default settings to match your personal language needs or preferences – whether helping international friends access content or boosting your own site usability.
Don‘t hesitate to ask any other questions in the comments! I‘m happy to help explain YouTube‘s localization features.
