Want to use Gmail in your (or a new) language? Changed the language on Google but Gmail is still the same? Find out here how to change the interface language settings for Gmail.
First, the Heatmaker
The pressure cooker was invented before petrol, and the phaeton before the piston. So, quite naturally, the car was invented before its motor—with a steam engine.
Like all steam engines, the ones in cars needed a stoker to heat the steamy waters. “To heat,” in Old French, is chaufer, and the one who does the heating is the chauffeur.
With that hot bit of information out of the way, let’s chaufer Gmail’s engines and learn about its languages—in languages perhaps:
How to Change the Language for Gmail
In a Desktop Browser
Time needed: 3 minutes
To change the language used for the user interface in Gmail:
- Click the Settings gear icon near Gmail’s top right corner.
- Select See all settings.
- Go to the General tab.
Gmail shortcut: To go to the General settings no matter the current Gmail interface language, open https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#settings/general.
- Choose the language you want to use for the Gmail interface under Gmail display language:.
Everything in foreign characters: The Gmail language settings are the topmost drop-down menu on the first settings tab.
- Click Save Changes at the screen’s bottom.
Which button: The button to save changes is on the left.
Using the Mobile Gmail Web Interface
Gmail’s mobile web interface does not have separate language settings. It uses the setting from Gmail desktop.
To set the Gmail web interface language on a mobile device:
- Open Gmail desktop in a mobile browser.
- Set the language as above.
Using the Gmail App for iPhone
The Gmail app for iOS uses the iPhone’s language settings. The web interface language is ignored.
To configure the interface language for the Gmail iOS app:
Using the Gmail App for Android
On Android, the Gmail app uses the system language for its interface. The app will ignore the language settings for both Google and the Gmail web interface.
To pick the language for the Gmail Android app:
How to Change the Language for Gmail: FAQ
Will changing the Gmail language also change the language on Google or Google Docs?
No.
You can change the language for the Google interface (on search, Docs, Sheets, etc.) separately.
(How to change the language for Gmail tested in a desktop browser; updated March 2024)