Firefox picks the translation target from your browser locale, not from a dropdown in the pop-up. If you have leftover language packs or a non-English interface, pages can get translated into the wrong language every time.
The fix lives in Firefox Settings under AI Controls → On-device AI → Translations. You can change the target language, block specific sites, or turn the feature off entirely.
In this guide, I have covered:
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Why Firefox picks the wrong target language
Firefox’s built-in translation runs on-device. It decides which language to translate pages into based on your browser locale, not on a setting you can pick from the pop-up panel.
If your Firefox interface is set to a non-English language, or you have leftover language packs installed from previous versions, Firefox may offer to translate every page into that language even when you read English content. The address-bar icon can fire on pages that do not need translating at all.
You can’t change the target language directly from the translation pop-up. The fixes live in Firefox’s settings, starting with the intl.accept_languages preference and the Translations subpage. For a full overview of how the feature works, see Mozilla’s website translation documentation.
Check the Translations settings page
Firefox groups every translation option under AI Controls. Start here to see which source languages are flagged to always or never translate.
- Click the hamburger menu
in the top right corner of Firefox. - Select from the menu.
- In the left sidebar, click .
- Scroll to the section in the main panel.
- Click to open the Translations controls.
- Confirm the toggle at the top is set to (not ).
- Click to open the full language list page.
You’ll see three lists: Always translate these languages, Never translate these languages, and Never translate these sites. Add the language Firefox keeps wrongly picking to the Never translate list, or add English (or your reading language) to the Always translate list.
Firefox still translates into the top language in your browser locale, not into a language you pick from this page. The Always translate these languages entries override that behavior only for matching source pages.
Change the language Firefox uses to translate into
The target language is pulled from your browser locale. The most reliable fix is to put the language you actually read at the top of that list.
- Click the hamburger menu in Firefox and select .
- Click in the left sidebar.
- Scroll to the section in the main panel.
- In , drag English (or the language you read in) to the top of the list.
- Select any leftover language packs you do not need, like an old Italian or Dutch pack, and click .
- Close the Settings tab. The new target language applies on the next page you open.
Reload a foreign-language page and the translation icon in the address bar should now offer to translate into your top language instead of the wrong one. Language preferences can sync across devices through your Firefox account, in the same way as other Firefox data syncs between devices.
TIP: If the wrong target only shows up on one site, skip the global list and use Never translate this site on the Translations subpage instead.
Use the translation panel cog to block the wrong language
The translation pop-up has a small settings cog in the corner. It lets you mark the current source language as always or never to translate, which is useful when one language keeps triggering the wrong target.
- Open a page that Firefox wrongly offers to translate.
- Click the translation icon in the address bar to open the panel.
- Click the cog icon
in the top right corner of the panel. - Choose to silence that source language.
- Or, choose to force-translate it into your locale.
- To block translations on just the current site, choose instead.
Your choice is saved to the Translations subpage list, so it persists across sessions and applies to every site that matches. Per-site translation rules live alongside other Firefox site settings on the same Translations subpage.
Disable translations entirely
If you never want Firefox to offer translation, you can turn the feature off without uninstalling anything or removing language packs.
- Open from the hamburger menu .
- Click in the left sidebar.
- Click under .
- Switch the top toggle from to .
- Close the tab. Firefox will no longer offer to translate any pages.
You can re-enable translation later from the same screen if you change your mind.
The translation icon in the address bar disappears right away, but Firefox may briefly re-show the prompt on tabs that were already open before the toggle was changed.
Reset Firefox as a last resort
If the wrong target language sticks even after the steps above, a Refresh clears saved preferences, extensions, and customizations without touching your bookmarks or saved logins.
- Click the hamburger menu in Firefox and select .
- Choose .
- Click the button on the right side of the page.
- Click again in the pop-up to confirm.
- Reopen Firefox and check the Translations settings again.
After a refresh, the target language returns to your system locale. Make sure your OS language is set correctly before going this route.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Firefox want to translate pages into a language I don’t speak?
Firefox uses the order of languages in Settings → General → Language to pick the translation target. If the top entry in that list is a language you don’t actually read, Firefox will offer to translate every page into it, even pages already written in your language.
Can I change the “Translate to” language from the translation pop-up?
No. The pop-up only exposes a Translate from dropdown. The target language is controlled by your browser locale and the Always translate these languages list under Settings → AI Controls → Translations.
How do I stop Firefox from translating one specific website?
Open the translation panel on that site, click the cog icon in the corner, and choose . The site is added to the block list on the Translations subpage and Firefox skips the offer on every future visit.
Does disabling translations also disable other on-device AI features?
No. The Translations toggle only controls page and selected-text translation. Other features in the On-device AI group keep working when translation is off, because each one has its own toggle.
Will changing the Language list affect spell-check or keyboard shortcuts?
Changing the preferred-language list only affects how Firefox picks the translation target and which dictionaries it offers for spell-check. Keyboard shortcuts, bookmarks, and saved logins are not affected by that list.
