Chrome sends you to a translated page in a language you did not choose, or one site keeps opening in the wrong language even after you change the setting. The culprit is usually the translation target, an automatic rule, or the preferred-language list Chrome hands to websites.
Check the target language first, then clear any automatic rule for the source language. If only one site misbehaves, add a site-specific exception and reload the page.
In this guide, I have covered:
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Why Chrome translates a page into the wrong language
You open a page in Chrome on your computer and it turns into a language you did not pick, or the page itself appears in a language you do not read. Both look like the same bug. They are not.
Chrome may be applying the language set under Translate into this language. Or the website may be localizing its own text from the language list Chrome sends. Check both when a page opens or translates into the wrong language.
Google documents the current controls in its guide to translating pages and changing Chrome languages.
Change Chrome’s translation target language
If Chrome translates pages into a language you never picked, start with the target language.
- Open the
menu in the upper-right corner of Chrome. - Select Settings.
- Select Languages in the left sidebar.
- In the Google Translate section, find Translate into this language.
- Select the language you want Chrome to use.
Reload the affected page after changing the target language. If the old translation stays, reload again, or close the tab and open a new one.
Stop unwanted automatic translations
When Chrome translates matching pages without asking, an automatic translation rule is usually the reason.
- Open the menu in the upper-right corner of Chrome.
- Select Settings.
- Select Languages in the left sidebar.
- In the Google Translate section, locate Automatically translate these languages.
- Select Remove beside the language Chrome is translating automatically.
- Repeat the removal for any other unwanted source languages.
Chrome should no longer automatically translate pages whose detected source language was on that list. A page may still offer translation if you ask for it.
If you only want to exclude one website, leave the automatic translation rules alone. Use Chrome’s site-specific translation option instead.
Exclude one site from translation
If automatic translation is correct everywhere else but one site keeps opening in the wrong language, make an exception for that site.
- Open the affected website in Chrome.
- Select Translate in the address bar to open the translation bubble.
- Open the options menu in the translation bubble.
- Select Never translate this site if the option is available.
- Reload the page to confirm that Chrome stops offering or applying a translation.
The exact bubble controls can vary with the page and the language Chrome detects. If Never translate this site is missing, update Chrome, translate the page again, then look for the site-specific setting.
Prevent a language from being offered for translation
If Chrome keeps offering to translate a language you already read, put that language on the never-offer list. This is different from removing a language from the automatic translation list.
- Open the menu in the upper-right corner of Chrome.
- Select Settings.
- Select Languages in the left sidebar.
- In the Google Translate section, locate Never offer to translate these languages.
- Select Add and choose the language you do not want translated.
- Select Add to save the exclusion.
Chrome should stop offering translation for that language. If a tab that was already translated stays translated, reload it or use the translation controls to open the original page.
Correct Chrome’s preferred languages
If the page is not translated, but menus and buttons appear in a language you did not choose, the site is probably reading Chrome’s preferred languages.
- Open the menu in the upper-right corner of Chrome.
- Select Settings.
- Select Languages in the left sidebar.
- Locate the Preferred languages section.
- Select Add if the language you want is missing.
- Use More and Move up to place your preferred language before the unwanted one.
- Select Remove beside the unwanted language.
Reload the affected website. If it keeps using the old language, close the tab, clear the site’s own cookie or language setting, and open the page again.
TIP: To check which language preferences Chrome is sending, open httpbin.org/headers in a new tab and inspect the Accept-Language value. It should no longer list the language you removed, though the header format can vary.
Choose the correct language for one page
Sometimes the global setting is fine and only the page in front of you needs a different language.
- Right-click text on the translated page.
- Select Translate to.
- Select the required language.
If the language you need is not listed, select More, then Choose another language. This changes the current page only, not Chrome’s global target language.
Turn Chrome translation off completely
If you never use Google Translate, the master switch is the cleanest fix.
- Open the menu in the upper-right corner of Chrome.
- Select Settings.
- Select Languages in the left sidebar.
- In the Google Translate section, turn off Use Google Translate.
- Reload any page that was already translated.
You’ll know it worked when Chrome stops offering to translate pages and any page you already translated returns to its original language after a reload.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Chrome translating my web pages into the wrong language?
Chrome may be using an unwanted target language, an automatic translation rule, or a saved translation for the site. Check the target language, automatic list, and site-specific translation option.
How do I stop Chrome from automatically translating a language?
Open Settings → Languages, then remove that language from Automatically translate these languages. You can also add it to Never offer to translate these languages if you do not want translation offers for it.
Why does a website show the wrong language even when translation is off?
The website may be localizing its content using Chrome’s preferred languages. Remove the unwanted language from Preferred languages, move your preferred language higher, and reload the site.
How do I translate only one page into a specific language?
Right-click the page, select Translate to, and choose the language. If it is not listed, use More and select Choose another language.
Does changing the Chrome display language fix translated webpages?
No. The Chrome display language controls the browser interface, not the target language used to translate a webpage or the preferred languages sent to websites.
If the page still appears in the wrong language, open it in a new tab after checking the target language, the automatic lists, and the preferred languages. One of those three settings usually explains the mismatch.
