Facebook automatically translates postings that are in other languages into English, as you may have observed. But what if you want your entire Facebook account to be in a different language?
You might want to improve your English if it’s not your first language, if you’ve traveled abroad for a cultural experience, or if you’re learning another language.
Whatever the reason, you can translate Facebook into any of the more than 100 available languages, including oddball dialects like upside-down English and pirate English.
It’s unclear why you would require these additional options, but hey, nobody’s watching.
You have two options for changing your language on Facebook: on the desktop website or in the mobile app. This is how it goes:
How to change the language on your Facebook account using a computer
To change your Facebook language using your computer, go to the “Language Settings” page via this link and jump straight to Step 5 below.
If that isn’t working for you follow the full steps below:
1. log in to your Facebook account at Facebook.com on your computer’s web browser (Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Edge, etc.).
2. Tap the downwards-facing arrow on the Facebook menu bar, it’s in the top right corner of your screen, next to the question mark.
3. This will open a menu. Near the bottom will be a tab that reads “Settings.” Click on it.
4. Select the “Language” option on the left of your screen.
5. You’ll now be on the “Language Settings” page. Here, you can change your Facebook language, set the language that posts will be translated into, and select any languages that you don’t want to be translated — this is a great function if you’re bilingual and want to avoid mis-translations of your friend’s posts. To change the Facebook language, click “Edit” on the right side.
6. Choose your preferred language from the drop-down menu.
7. Click “Save Changes” to confirm your language.
You can also change the language from your News Feed page:
1. Go to your News Feed (it’s the page where all your friend’s posts appear in a feed).
2. Scroll down until you see a box with a handful of languages on the right side of the screen.
3. You can select one of the visible languages listed in this box and then click “Change Language” in the pop-up box. You can also click the + on the right of the box to open a list of all available languages.
4. Select your desired language from this list to make the change.
How to change the language on your Facebook account using a mobile device
You can either visit the Facebook website on your phone or, if you already have it installed, use the Facebook app to change your language.
If you don’t already have the app installed, go to Facebook.com using the web browser on your phone and take the following actions:
1. Log into your Facebook account at Facebook.com. Click the menu button in the top right corner (it’s three horizontal lines).
2. Scroll down to the Help & Settings section and select “Language.”
3. Now scroll down and choose your language from the list. You can also use the search bar to speed up the process.
4. Click on the language you want to use for Facebook and the change will be made.
If you own an iPhone, you can change the language from the Facebook app:
1. Open the Facebook app and make sure you’re signed in.
2. Click the menu icon in the bottom right corner (it’s three horizontal lines).
3. Scroll down and click “Settings & Privacy.” This will open a sub-menu. Select “App Language.”
4. Your Facebook app language will be set to match your phone language (which you can change in your phone’s settings), but you can also manually select your language from the list on this page. Scroll down or use the search bar to find your language and click it to make the change.
If you own an Android, you can also change the language through your Facebook app:
1. Click the menu icon on the top right of the menu bar (it’s the three horizontal lines).
2. Scroll down and open the “Settings & Privacy” sub-menu. Select “Language.”
3. Now choose your language from the list provided. You’ll also have the option to default to your “Device Language,” which can be set in your phone’s settings.
