How to Change Netflix Language (Display, Audio and Subtitles) on TV, Phone and Browser
You open Netflix and the menus are in a language you didn’t choose. Maybe a relative set up the account years ago. Maybe you want Spanish audio to practise for a trip, or Korean dramas with English subtitles. Or your TV just decided to switch to French.
Netflix lets you change all of this, but the language settings are split across a few places, and that’s what trips people up. This guide explains the difference between the three language settings, then walks through the steps for every device.
First, know which language you want to change
“Netflix language” means three separate things.
Display language is the language of the text you see in the app: menus, buttons, titles, descriptions and messages. Netflix explains that this setting controls the text you see on Netflix and also sets the default for audio and subtitles. techradar
Audio language is the spoken language of a show or film, for titles that offer more than one dub.
Subtitle language is the on-screen text that appears while you watch.
If your menus are in the wrong language, change the display language. If a particular film is playing in the wrong language, change the audio or subtitles. Mixing these up is why people often fix the wrong setting and then think Netflix is broken.
Another detail worth knowing: language settings belong to your profile, not the whole account. Netflix lets you edit them per profile, so you can have an English profile and a French one on the same plan without them interfering.
How to change the display language on a TV
This works on smart TVs and streaming devices such as Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and Google TV. Netflix lists these steps for TVs and streaming devices:
- Open the Netflix app and go to the profile selection screen.
- Highlight the profile you want to edit and select the pencil (Edit) icon.
- Select Language.
- Choose your language. The new language saves automatically. netflix
- Select Done.
If your TV is currently in a language you can’t read, rely on the icons. The pencil is the edit button, and the language option has its own symbol. If you recognise the layout, you can usually get there without understanding a word.
How to change the display language on iPhone, iPad or Android
- Open the Netflix app.
- Tap My Netflix in the lower right.
- Tap the profile name at the top, or the menu icon in the upper right, depending on your version.
- Tap Manage Profiles and choose the profile you want to edit.
- Tap Display Language and pick a language.
Again, the change saves on its own. Netflix’s help page notes that the exact route to Manage Profiles differs slightly between app versions, so use whichever of the two options you see.
How to change the display language in a web browser
The browser is often the easiest place to do this, and it works from any computer.
- Go to Netflix.com and sign in.
- Open your Account page.
- Select Profiles, then choose a profile.
- Select Languages.
- Choose a display language and click Save.
One catch: if the language doesn’t change on your device, you may need to sign out and sign back in. If you’re stuck on this step, our guide on how to log out of Netflix on a TV will get you through it. netflix
How to change audio and subtitle language while watching on a TV
This is the quickest fix when a single show or film is in the wrong language.
- Open Netflix and start playing a title.
- Pause, then select the player controls at the bottom of the screen.
- Select Other.
- Choose your Audio and Subtitles languages. These choices save automatically.
On some TVs the option appears as an icon with a speech bubble rather than the word “Other”. On phones and tablets, tap the screen during playback and choose Audio & Subtitles at the top or bottom.
How to set a default audio and subtitle language
If you don’t want to repeat this for every show, set your preferences once at the profile level.
On a phone or tablet: go to My Netflix, tap your profile name, choose Manage Profiles, select the profile, and tap Audio & Subtitles. Pick the languages you’d like.
In a browser: go to Account, choose Profiles, select a profile, then open Languages and choose your audio and subtitle languages. Click Save.
Netflix will then try to use these languages whenever a title supports them. It can only offer what each title actually has, which brings us to the next point.
Why your language isn’t showing up
This is the most common frustration, and it usually comes down to a few causes.
The title doesn’t offer that language. Netflix notes that availability may vary depending on the title. A film might have English and Spanish audio but no Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo dub. Check the audio and subtitle menu during playback to see what’s actually offered. netflix
The change hasn’t reached your device yet. If you updated the language on the website but your TV still shows the old one, sign out and back in on the TV.
You changed the wrong profile. Language is set per profile. Make sure you edited the profile you actually watch on.
The app is out of date or glitching. Restart the app, or restart the TV. If that doesn’t work, update the Netflix app from your TV’s app store.
Your region limits the library. Netflix’s catalogue varies by country, so some dubs and subtitle tracks simply aren’t available in every region.
Tips for making the most of Netflix languages
Learning a language? Set your audio to the language you’re studying and your subtitles to the same language. It’s harder at first, but reading along while you listen is one of the better ways to pick up vocabulary.
Watching a foreign-language show? Keep the original audio and use English subtitles. Many viewers prefer this because dubbing can flatten the acting, and the original voices carry more emotion.
Subtitles hard to read? You can adjust the font, size, shadow and background colour. Netflix lets you do this from your Account page by selecting a profile and then Subtitle appearance. It applies to that profile on every device.
Sharing a TV? Give each person a profile with their own language. That way a French-speaking housemate doesn’t have to switch the whole account back and forth.
Quick answers
Does changing the language affect everyone on my account?
No. It applies only to the profile you edit.
Will changing the display language change the audio too?
Partly. The display language sets the default for audio and subtitles, but you can still override those for individual titles.
Can I change Netflix language from my phone and see it on my TV?
Yes. Profile settings are tied to your account, so they carry across devices. If the TV doesn’t update, sign out and back in.
Why are the titles and descriptions still in the old language?
Most likely the device is holding onto the old setting. Restart the app or sign out and back in.
How do I turn subtitles off?
During playback, open the audio and subtitles menu and set subtitles to Off.
Final thoughts
Changing the language on Netflix comes down to knowing which of the three settings you need. Use the profile’s display language for menus and text, and the audio and subtitle options for what you hear and read. Set your preferences once per profile, and Netflix will apply them wherever you watch.
If something doesn’t update, sign out and sign back in. That one step fixes most of these problems.