Have you ever wondered how those little blue birds seem to chirp in so many different tongues? With over 300 million monhtly active users spanning the globe, Twitter has put great effort into expanding language access and capabilities on their platform.
But at times, you still may want to adjust settings to view tweets or navigate Twitter in your preferred language. The good news is it only takes a few easy steps to get tweets talking your talk!
In this guide, I‘ll be walking you through the ins and outs of changing language on Twitter on both desktop and mobile. I‘ve got you covered on everything from altering display languages to translating tweets with a simple click.
Let‘s get started with why you might want to switch things up in the first place.
Why Would I Want to Change My Twitter Language?
Here are just a few of the most common reasons for customizing your language settings:
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Accessibility – Over 1 billion people have some form of language-based disability. Changing Twitter‘s display language can drastically improve site navigation and readability for those who struggle with certain tongues.
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Geo-Targeted Content – Twitter displays trends, Moments, and other content based on your location. Speakers of less common langauges may want to switch to their native language to access region-specific tweets.
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Travel – Heading to another country? Twitter automatically changes languages based on location to show you relevant nearby information. But you can override defaults if desired.
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Enjoyment – You may simply find it more engaging or convenient to access Twitter in your first or second language. The platform now supports over 30 languages to meet diverse preferences.
Let‘s explore the ways you can start customizing language on Twitter right from your desktop or phone.
Adjusting Twitter‘s Display Language
Twitter‘s display language controls all text across the platform‘s interface itself – things like menus, buttons, notifications, and input labels.
The steps below allow you to switch the display language on Twitter‘s website:
Step 1) Click on the "More" icon on the left sidebar.
Step 2) Select "Settings and Support".
Step 3) Choose "Settings and privacy" from the drop-down menu.
Step 4) Click on "Languages" under the "Accessibility, display, and languages" section.
Step 5) Select "Display language".
Step 6) Pick your desired language to switch Twitter‘s interface tongue.
Step 7) Confirm changes by clicking "Save changes".
Here‘s a gif showing the process in action:
Note: Altering display language does NOT change the language of tweets shown.
Changing Languages Tweets Are Displayed In
In addition to interface text, you can customize what languages tweets appear in within your timeline. This ensures you only see updates in tongues you‘re comfortable reading.
Unlike display language swaps, these can be executed both on desktop and in Twitter‘s iOS and Android apps.
Changing Content Language on Desktop
Step 1) Click the "More" icon then go to "Settings and privacy."
Step 2) Select "Additional languages you speak" under the Languages menu.
Step 3) Choose "Show more" to reveal additional language options.
Step 4) Check the boxes next to languages you want tweets shown in.
Step 5) Confirm selection by clicking "Done".
Changing Content Language on Mobile
Step 1) Tap your profile picture then choose “Settings and privacy” in the menu.
Step 2) Scroll down and select “Languages” then tap “Other languages”.
Step 3) At the very bottom, click “Show more” to view extra languages.
Step 4) Select the languages you want tweets displayed in. This will override your current settings.
Step 5) Confirm changes by clicking the “X” button to return to the previous menu.
Here‘s a preview of managing content language from Twitter‘s iOS app:
Changes to tweet languages take effect instantly when you save settings. Give it a try now!
Translating Tweets With One Click
Twitter takes guesswork and struggles out of reading tweets in other languages. An easy translation option exists for over 95% of daily posts on a tweet-by-tweet basis.
When a tweet can be translated out of a foreign language, a "Translate Tweet" link automatically appears beneath the post text.
To translate, simply click or tap the "Translate Tweet" prompt. The translated tweet will then display right underneath the original.
See the the simple one-click process below:
The automated translation may not be 100% perfect across languages but produces surprisingly smooth results in most cases!
Comparing Twitter‘s Language Support to Other Platforms
Although Twitter only officially supports 34 tongues, that still encompasses languages with over 2 billion native speakers combined. And unofficial translations remain available through Google and Microsoft integrations.
Here‘s how Twitter‘s language capabilities stack up against other top social sites according to 2022 data:
| Platform | Languages Supported | Total Native Speakers Supported |
|---|---|---|
| 111 | 5.7 billion | |
| 37 | 3.1 billion | |
| 34 | 2.3 billion | |
| TikTok | 39 | 2.5 billion |
So while Facebook offers the most extensive language diversity, Twitter still dominates in key languages like English, Spanish, Portugese, and French.
The platform trails slightly behind Instagram and TikTok, largely due to not catering fully to languages prominent in India and Southeast Asia.
But with over 300 million active worldwide users, Twitter still manages to foster an inclusive, borderless community!
Location Can Automatically Change Default Language
It‘s important to note Twitter may dynamically switch interface and content languages based on your location:
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When traveling to another country, Twitter often defaults regionally popular languages.
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Using a VPN connection to mask your location can trigger language changes too.
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Living abroad in places like France or Japan will also set locale-specific tongues.
While automatic adjustments aim to improve relevance, you can override any defaults through the steps covered earlier.
Below are examples of some geo-based language switches:
| Your Location | Default Twitter Language |
|---|---|
| France | French |
| Germany | German |
| Japan | Japanese |
| Mexico | Spanish |
So if tweets ever suddenly seem a bit foreign, location is likely the culprit!
Key Takeaways for Changing Twitter Language
Changing language on Twitter gives you control over interface text and tweets shown:
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Display Language – Switches interface text like menus and buttons (desktop only)
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Content Language – Changes languages of tweets shown in your timeline
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Translate Tweet – One-click translation for reading foreign tweets
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Location can automatically change defaults based on region or VPN
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But overrides are available through language settings
I hope this guide serves you well on your journey to a customized Twitter dialect! Let me know if you have any other questions.
