Where in Android to find the choice of system language: a detailed guide for all devices

Have you bought a smartphone with Chinese firmware, received a device with an unfamiliar interface language, or just want to switch from English to Russian? In Android, changing the system language is a basic function, but its location depends on the OS version, the manufacturer's shell, and even the device model. In some cases, the option is hidden so deeply that it is almost impossible to find it without instructions.

This article will help you understand where exactly is the language selection on your Android device - be it Samsung Galaxy with a shell One UI, Xiaomi on MIUI, “clean” Google Pixel or budget device on an outdated version. We will look at all possible ways: from the standard settings menu to hidden engineering modes for devices without Russian in the list of languages. We will pay special attention to typical problems when the language does not change or the option is blocked.

If you are faced with a situation where, after changing the language, some applications remain in the same language, or the system automatically returns the old settings, there is a section at the end of the article with solutions to such cases. We have also prepared compatibility table for popular brands so that you can quickly navigate.

1. Standard path: where to look for a language in Android settings

On most modern devices (Android 8.0 and later), the option to change the language is in one of two places. The first and most obvious way:

1. Open “Settings” (gear icon in the application menu or in the notification shade).
2. Scroll down and select the section System (on some devices - Advanced or General settings).
3. Tap on the item Language and input (sometimes called Language and keyboard).
4. The first item in the menu that opens is Language (or Language and region). Here you will see a list of installed languages and a button Add language.

On pure Android (for example, on Google Pixel or Motorola) the path may be shorter: Settings → System → Language and input → LanguageBut manufacturers seem to be Samsung or Huawei often move this section to another location - read about this in the following sections.

If the desired language is not in the list, press Add language and find it in the alphabetical list. After adding, drag the language to the first position to make it the main one. On some devices (for example, Xiaomi with MIUI 14), after adding a language, a reboot is required to fully apply the changes.

2. Features of changing the language on devices of different brands

Smartphone manufacturers often modify standard Android by adding their own shells. This also affects the location of the language settings. Below are the current paths for popular brands (data tested on firmware from 2023–2026).

Brand	Shell	Path to language settings	Features
Samsung	One UI 5.0–6.1	Settings → General → System management → Language and input → Language	On older models (before 2020), the path can start from Settings → General settings. Supports up to 3 languages simultaneously.
Xiaomi	MIUI 12–14	Settings → Advanced → Language and region	On Chinese firmware, Russian may not be available - region unlocking is required (see section 5).
Huawei/Honor	EMUI/Magic UI	Settings → System and updates → Language and input → Language	On devices for the European market, Russian is by default, on Asian ones, a reset may be required.
Google Pixel	Pure Android	Settings → System → Language and input → Language	The easiest way supports changing the language without rebooting.
Realme/Oppo	ColorOS	Settings → Additional settings → Language and input	On Indian firmware, Russian may not be available - you need to change the region in the SIM card settings.

If your brand is not in the table, try using search by settings: open “Settings” and enter the query “language” in the search bar (usually at the top of the screen).

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (especially budget or little-known brands), after changing the language, the region in Google services may be lost. This affects the display of weather widgets in the Play Market. To fix it, go to Settings → Google → Google Services → Advertising and set the correct region.

3. What to do if the required language is not in the list

The situation when there is no Russian (or other desired language) in the language change menu is typical. for:

• 📱 Smartphones with Chinese firmware (for example, Xiaomi for the Chinese domestic market).
• 🛒 Devices purchased on AliExpress or other sites without official localization.
• 🔧 Outdated versions of Android (below 6.0), where language packs were not updated.

Here 3 working methods add the missing language:

1. Change region via SIM card:

   Insert the SIM card of the operator of the country whose language you need (for example, Russian SIM for the Russian language). After rebooting, the device may offer to add language packs.

2. Installing a language pack manually:

   Download the APK file of the language pack (for example, MoreLocale 2 from the store APKMirror) and install it. The application allows you to add languages that are not in the system.

3. Flashing to the global version:

   For Xiaomi, Realme and other brands you can officially switch to global firmware via Fastboot or Recovery. Look for instructions on the forums 4PDA or XDA Developers.

How to check what firmware is installed?

Open Settings → About phone and find items MIUI version (for Xiaomi), Build number or CSC code (for Samsung). If the name contains CN (China), IN (India) or TW (Taiwan), the firmware is not global. like Global, EEA (Europe) or RU (Russia).

For devices Samsung with firmware for the Asian market (for example, THL for Thailand), you can try changing the region through the engineering menu:

#272[IMEI]#

Where [IMEI] — this is the IMEI of your device (you can find it in Settings → About phone → Status). After entering the code, select the region XEU (Europe) or SER (Russia) and wait for the reboot.

4. Why the language does not change: common problems and solutions

Sometimes even after selecting a new language in the settings, the interface remains in the same language, or the changes are partially applied. Here are 5 most common ones. reasons and ways to eliminate them:

• 🔄 System cache: Go to Settings → Applications → Three dots (menu) → Show system → Settings storage and clear the cache. Then restart the device.
• 📱 Manufacturer shell: Some shells (for example, EMUI on Huawei) require a separate language setting for system applications. Go to Settings → Applications → Application management, select the application (for example, “Phone” or “Messages”) and click “Language.”
• 🔒 Device Policy: On work phones with MDM (device management), the administrator can block language change. Check in Settings → Security → Device Administrators.
• 🛠️ Update error: If the language is lost after updating Android, try resetting application settings: Settings → System → Reset → Reset application settings.
• 🌍 Region conflict: On some devices, the language is tied to the region of the SIM card. Insert a SIM from another operator or change the region in the network settings.

If the problem persists, check whether launchers from third-party manufacturers are installed on your device (for example, Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher). They can override the system language. Try temporarily disabling the launcher or resetting its settings.

Make sure the language is added in the settings

Clear system application cache

Check for software updates

Reboot the device

Try to change the language through the engineering menu (if available)

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⚠️ Attention: On devices with Android Go (light version for weak smartphones), the list of supported languages may be greatly reduced. In this case, only flashing to a full version of Android will help.

5. How to change the language for individual applications

Starting from Android 13, the system now has a function for changing the language for individual applications, regardless of the system one. This is useful if you need, for example, Telegram to be in English, and the rest of the system - in Russian.

Instructions for Android 13 and later:

1. Open Settings → System → Language and input → Application language.
2. Turn on the switch at the top of the screen (if it is disabled).
3. Tap on an application from the list (for example, YouTube or Chrome).
4. Select the desired language from the drop-down menu. If there is no language, then the application does not support it.

On older versions of Android (up to 12), this function is not available, but some applications (for example, Facebook or Instagram) allow you to change the language in their settings:

1. Open the application.
2. Go to its settings (usually a gear icon or three lines in the menu).
3. Find the "Language" or "Language" section and select the one you need.

If the application does not support the desired language, try:

• 📲 Install an alternative version of the application (for example, Telegram X instead of the usual one Telegram).
• 🌐 Change the system language temporarily, launch the application and return it back.
• 🔧 Use applications like App Language Changer (required root access).

6. Resetting to factory settings as a last resort

If all the previous methods did not help, and the system language has not changed, it remains reset to factory settingsThis is a radical method that will delete all data from the device, so use it only as a last resort.

Before resetting:

• 📁 Make a backup copy of important data (photos, contacts, messages).
• 🔐 Make sure you know your account login and password Google, tied to the device (required for unlocking after resetting).
• 📡 Check that the device has enough charge (at least 50%).

Reset instructions:

1. Open Settings → System → Reset (or Recovery and reset on older versions).
2. Select Reset settings or Delete all data.
3. Confirm the action (you may need to enter a PIN code or pattern).
4. Wait for the process to complete (the device will reboot several times).

After resetting, when you turn it on for the first time, the system will prompt you to select a language. At this stage, the required language is not available, which means your firmware does not support it - flashing will be required (see section 3).

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (especially Samsung and LG) after the reset you may need to enter your account data Samsung or LG, if they were linked earlier. Without this data, it will be impossible to unlock the device!

7. Alternative methods: ADB and engineering menu

For experienced users who are not afraid of the command line, there are two advanced methods for changing the language:

Method 1: Via ADB (Android Debug Bridge)

Allows you to change the language without access to the settings (useful if the device is locked or the menu is in an unknown language).

adb shell am start -a android.settings.LOCALE_SETTINGS

This command will open the language settings menu directly. If ADB does not recognize the command, try:

adb shell settings put global system_locale ru-RU

Where ru-RU is the language and region code (for English use en-US, for Ukrainian - uk-UA etc.).

Method 2: Through the engineering menu (for Samsung)

On devices Samsung you can change the region and language through the hidden menu:

1. Open the “Phone” application.
2. Enter the code #0# (display test), then *#9900# (SysDump).
3. In in the menu that opens, find the option Locale/Region Change or Language Setting.
4. Select the desired region (for example, Russia for the Russian language).

These methods require caution: incorrect ADB commands or changes in the engineering menu can lead to malfunctions of the device.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about changing the language on Android

Is it possible to change the language on a smartphone without access to the settings (for example, if the device is locked)?

Yes, but the methods depend on the situation:

• If the screen is locked, but you remember the pattern/PIN, unlock the device and use voice assistant GoogleSay: “Okay, Google, open language settings.”
• If the device is completely locked (you don’t know the password), all that remains is reset via Recovery. To do this, turn off the smartphone, hold down the button combination (usually Power + Volume up) and select Wipe data/factory reset.

On some devices (for example, Samsung), after 5 unsuccessful attempts to enter the password, the “Forgot your password?” button will appear - it allows you to reset the lock through your account Google or Samsung.

Why, after changing the language, some applications remained in the old one language?

This happens for several reasons:

1. The application does not support the new language. For example, some Chinese applications (like WeChat or AliExpress) may ignore the system language and use the account language.
2. The application cache has not been updated. Try clearing the cache of a specific application in Settings → Applications → [name] → Storage → Clear cache.
3. The manufacturer's shell overrides the settings. For example, on Xiaomi some system applications (like "Security") may use the shell language MIUIrather than the system.

Solution: check the language settings inside the application itself or reinstall it.

How to return the English language if, after changing to Russian, the menu became incomprehensible?

If you do not know Russian, but accidentally selected it in the settings, use one of these methods:

• 🔍 Use visual cues: the gear sign is “Settings”, the flag is “Language”. Click on the flag and find in the list English (United States).
• 🗣️ Activate voice search Google (if it is enabled) and say: “Open language settings” or “Change language to English”.
• 📱 Install launcher with English support (for example, Nova Launcher) - it will allow you to control the device in English, even if the system is in Russian.

If all else fails, reset via Recovery (see section 6).

Is it possible to add multiple languages and switch between them?

Yes, Android supports multiple languages input, but with reservations:

• At the system level, you can add several languages, but priority (the first one in the list) will be used by default.
• Some applications (for example, Gboard —keyboard from Google) allow you to quickly switch between languages by swiping on the spacebar.
• On Android 13+ you can assign different languages for different applications (see section 5).

To add a second language:

1. Go to Settings → System → Language and input → Language.
2. Tap Add language and select the one you want.
3. Drag languages in the list to change them priority.

Why is there no Russian language in the list on my smartphone?

This is typical for devices:

• C Chinese firmware (for example, Xiaomi, Realme, Oppo for the Chinese domestic market).
• With regional blocking (for example, smartphones for the Indian or Southeast Asian market).
• On outdated versions of Android (below 6.0), where language packs were not updated.

Solutions:

1. Install global firmware (look for instructions at 4PDA or XDA).
2. Use applications like MoreLocale 2 to force a language change.
3. Insert a Russian operator SIM card and reboot the device.