Whether you want to change the system language, add another keyboard language, adjust an app’s language, or modify only the Chrome browser language, ChromeOS gives you granular control over all of it.
In this detailed guide, we’ll walk you through every way you can change the language on a Chromebook. Changing the language is fairly straightforward once you know where ChromeOS keeps its language settings.
How to Change the Language on a Chromebook
There are several common reasons why you might want to change the language on your Chromebook. For example, the device may have been purchased in a different region, or ChromeOS may have defaulted to the wrong language during the initial setup. You might also be learning or working in a second language, or you may need multiple languages for typing and browsing.
The good news is that ChromeOS supports a wide range of languages, and you can switch between them easily without having to reinstall or reset your device.
1. Change the System Language on Chromebook
If you want to change the entire ChromeOS interface, including system menus, Settings, notifications, and system dialogs, you can change the device language. To do that, follow these steps:
1. Click the Quick Settings panel in the bottom-right corner of the screen, then click the gear icon to open Settings.
2. From the left sidebar, click the System Preferences option and select Languages.
3. Under the Device Language section, click the Change button.
4. Search for the language you want, select it, and then click Confirm and restart.
5. After the restart, your device interface will be changed to the preferred language you selected.
2. Change App Languages
Now, if you only want to change the language of a specific application, you can easily do so. However, the option to customize display languages for apps is available only for supported apps. You cannot change the language for every application.
Here’s how you can change the language of a supported app:
1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System Preferences, then select Languages. After that, click on the App languages option.
3. You will see a list of supported apps that allow language selection. Click the three-dot icon next to the app name and select Edit language selection.
4. Search for the language you want, select it, and click Update to apply the change.
5. After that, restart your Chromebook. When you open the app again, you will notice that the interface language has changed to the newly selected language.
3. Change Website Languages
If you want to change only the website language in the Chrome browser and not the entire ChromeOS interface, follow these steps:
1. Open Google Chrome, click the three-dot icon in the top-right corner, and select Settings. Then click Languages to open the language settings. Alternatively, type the following into the address bar and press Enter:
chrome://settings/languages2. Click Manage languages in ChromeOS settings.
3. The language settings window will open. Under the Website languages section, click Add languages.
4. Search for the language you want, select it and click Add.
5. After adding the language, click three dot-icon next to it. You can choose Offer to translate pages in this language (if translation suggestions are enabled), move it to the top to give it higher priority for websites, or remove it if needed.
After completing these steps, websites will either display content in your selected language (if the site supports it) or show a Google Translate pop-up, provided translation suggestions are enabled in your Chrome browser.
4. Change Keyboard Language
If you only want to type in another language without changing the entire system interface, you can simply add and switch input method languages. Here’s how to do it:
1. Click the App Launcher and open Settings.
2. Select Device, then click Keyboard and inputs.
3. Scroll down and click Input settings.
4. Under Input methods, click Add input methods.
5. Choose the language and keyboard layout you want to use, then click Add.
Once added, you can instantly switch between input languages by pressing Ctrl + Space. You can also click the input language icon on the Chromebook shelf and select your preferred input method.
This feature is especially useful if you regularly type in two or more languages.
How to Change Language During Chromebook Setup
If you’re setting up a Chromebook for the first time, you can choose your preferred language directly from the welcome screen.
On the initial setup screen, simply click the Language dropdown and select your preferred language. Then continue with the setup process.
Choosing the correct language at this stage saves time and helps you avoid changing the settings later.
Final Thoughts
Changing the language on a Chromebook is simple once you understand how ChromeOS separates the system language, keyboard input, and browser language. This flexibility makes Chromebooks ideal for multilingual users and international setups.
However, what if the Language option is not appearing? Make sure your Chromebook is updated to the latest version of ChromeOS. Also, remember to restart your Chromebook after changing the language to apply the changes properly.
