Development of mobile applications for platform Android requires a deep immersion in the development environment, and Android Studio is the de facto standard for this task. However, for many novice programmers and even experienced specialists, the English interface language can become a significant barrier, slowing down the process of learning and setting up the environment.
Fortunately, modern versions of the integrated development environment IntelliJ IDEAon which the studio is built support multilingualism. Changing the language makes working with menus, settings and debugging more intuitive. In this article, we will look in detail at all the available interface localization methods.
The process of changing language settings may vary depending on the version IDEthat you are using. In recent updates, Google and JetBrains have significantly simplified this process, but the nuances still remain.
Official methods for changing the language through settings
Starting with version Arctic Fox and later, the developers have implemented native support for changing the language directly in the settings menu. This is the easiest and safest method, which does not require installing third-party plugins or editing configuration files.
First, you need to open the main menu of the app. If you have a project open, click on the button with three lines in the upper left corner or use hotkeys. You need to go to section File → Settings (on Windows/Linux) or Android Studio → Preferences (on macOS).
In the settings window that opens, find section Appearance & Behavior. Inside this item, expand the list and select System Settings. This is where the key option for controlling the interface language is hidden.
⚠️ Attention: If you do not see a drop-down list of languages in this section, your version of Android Studio may be outdated or does not have language packs downloaded. In this case, you will need to update the IDE to the latest version.
Find the parameter Language and change its value from System Default to the language you need, for example, Russian. After selecting a language, the system will ask you to restart the development environment to apply the changes. Click the button Apply and then OK.
After restarting, all menus, dialog boxes and tooltips should be displayed in the selected language. This applies to both the main navigation menus and the debugger context windows.
If after changing the language some terms remain in English, this is normal. Technical terms and class names are often not translated to preserve the accuracy of the documentation.
Using plugins to enhance localization
In cases where the built-in capabilities are not enough or the official translation package contains errors, community plugins come to the rescue. The ecosystem JetBrains allows you to install add-ons that can improve the quality of translation or add support for rare languages.
To install the plugin, go to settings via File → Settings and select section Plugins. At the top of the window, switch to the Marketplacetab. In the search bar, enter a keyword, for example, "Russian Language Pack" or the name of the desired language.
- 🔍 Official packages from JetBrains are usually marked with a verified icon and have a high rating.
- 📦Community plugins can offer deeper translations of specific Android SDK terms.
- ⚙️ Some plugins require manual activation after installation by restarting the IDE.
After finding a suitable plugin, click the button Install. Once the download is complete, you will be notified that you need to restart. Confirm the action with the button Restart IDE.
It is worth noting that the use of third-party plugins can sometimes lead to conflicts with updates to the development environment itself. If after installing the plugin the interface begins to display incorrectly, try disabling it in the section Installed.
Manual editing of configuration files
For advanced users who prefer full control over the settings or have encountered bugs in the graphical interface, there is a method for manually changing the configuration. This method allows you to force set the language, ignoring system settings.
You will need to find the configuration file idea.properties. The location of this file varies depending on the operating system. In the studio menu, select Help → Edit Custom Properties. If the file does not exist, the system will create it automatically.
In the file that opens, find the line responsible for the language. It may look like a commented entry. You need to add or uncomment the following directive:
idea.locale=ru_RUHere ru_RU denotes the Russian language and the Russia region. For other languages, use the appropriate codes, for example en_US for American English or de_DE for German.
⚠️ Attention: When manually editing property files, follow the syntax. Extra spaces or a missing equal sign may prevent Android Studio from starting.
After saving the file, be sure to completely close the application and launch it again. Changes take effect only after a full cycle of process reboot Java Virtual Machine.
List of popular localization codes
ru_RU - Russian, en_GB - British English, fr_FR - French, es_ES - Spanish, zh_CN - Chinese (simplified).
Solving problems with application language
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where, despite all the settings made, the interface remains in English. This could be caused by caching of old settings or a version conflict.
The first step in diagnosing such a problem should be clearing the cache. Select File → Invalidate Cachesfrom the menu. In the dialog box that appears, check all the boxes, especially Clear file system cache and Local History, and click Invalidate and Restart.
Also, the problem may lie in the priority of the operating system system settings. If the value is set in the config System Default, the studio will ignore internal settings and take the language from Windows or macOS.
| Problem | Possible reason | Solution method |
|---|---|---|
| The language does not change after restart | Settings cache | Invalidate Caches / Restart |
| Part of the menu in English | Incomplete translation of the plugin | Update the plugin or change to the official one |
| Fonts are displayed in squares | No encoding | Check the file idea.properties |
| Settings are reset | Access rights error | Run as administrator |
If nothing helps, try creating a new user in the operating system and running the IDE there. This will eliminate the influence of the global settings of your main account.
The influence of language on documentation and tooltips
It is important to understand the difference between the interface language and the documentation language. Changing the menu to Russian does not guarantee that tooltips or built-in help will be translated.
Documentation Android SDK and Gradle by default is always in English, as this is an international development standard. Localization often concerns only the controls of the app itself.
To obtain high-quality help, it is recommended to use English, since most solutions to problems on forums like Stack Overflow are given using English terminology.
Changing the interface language improves ergonomics, but to read technical documentation, knowledge of English remains required for developer.
In the code editor settings, you can separately configure the spell check language. This does not affect the interface, but helps to avoid typos in comments and string resources of your application.
Checklist for correctly setting up the environment
To make sure that the development environment is configured correctly and the language is applied successfully, it is recommended to follow the following algorithm of actions. This will help avoid typical configuration errors.
☑️ Checking the language settings
After completing all the items, make sure that the menu item names, such as Build, Run and Toolsare displayed as you expect. Also check the project settings windows.
If you work in a team, make sure that changing the language does not affect the consistency of the project configuration files that are shared with other developers. User's local settings usually do not go into version control Git.
Is it possible to return the English language if everything becomes unclear?
Yes, you can always go back to the settings (Settings → Appearance → System settings) and select the option System Default or explicitly specify English. The interface will return to its original state after a restart.
Does the IDE language affect the language of the application being created?
No, the interface language of the development environment is in no way related to the language in which your mobile application will run. Application localization is configured separately in the project resources (strings.xml files).
Why do some menu items remain in English?
This is due to the fact that translations often lag behind the release of new functions. New tools may not have a translation in the language pack and will appear in the original language until the next plugin update.
Do I need to reinstall Android Studio to change the language?
Absolutely not. All changes are made through settings or installing plugins. Reinstallation of the app is required only in case of critical damage to the configuration files.
Where to download official language packs?
Official packages are downloaded automatically through the built-in plugin manager in the Marketplace section. Manual uploading of files is required only in rare cases of corporate assemblies without Internet access.