How-To

How to Change the Language on Steam

By Ben Stockton

Published December 15, 2022

If you know multiple languages, you might want to change your language on Steam to a language that suits you better. This guide explains how.

It can be tough to play multiplayer games when you’re not playing in the same language. If you’re multilingual, for instance, you might want to change your language on Steam.

This can help you use the Steam client when working on a PC that isn’t in your native language. If you’re unsure how to change the language on Steam, follow the steps below.

How to Change the Language on Steam on PC or Mac

Steam has 26 languages you can switch between and use as your default language (at the time of publication). You can switch to any of these languages at any time.

The quickest way to change your language settings on Steam is to use the Steam client. The Steam client is necessary to download and play Steam games and is available for users on a Windows PC or Mac.

To change the language on Steam on a PC or Mac:

1. Open the Steam client and sign in.
2. In the Steam client window, go to Steam > Settings (on Windows) or Steam > Preferences (on Mac).
   
3. In the Settings or Preferences window, select Interface on the left.
4. To change your Steam language, select a different language from the Select the language you wish Steam to use drop-down menu.
5. To save your changes, click OK.
   
6. Steam will prompt you to restart, so click Restart Steam.
7. If you want to cancel the change, click Cancel and repeat these steps to reverse the change.
   

After Steam restarts, the client interface will use your new language. You can repeat these steps to change the language or switch to another language.

These settings might apply to games you download on Steam, but this isn’t guaranteed. However, you may need to make additional changes to your in-game language settings afterward.

How to Change the Language on Steam Online

If you change language in the Steam client, the change will only apply to the client itself—it won’t apply account-wide. If you wish to use a different language on the Steam website, you’ll need to configure your settings on the site.

You can follow these steps with a web browser on any PC, Mac, Chromebook, or mobile device.

To change the language on Steam online:

1. Open the Steam website on your device and sign in.
2. Click your account name in the top-right corner of the web page.
3. From the drop-down menu, select Preferences.
   
4. In the Preferences menu, select Language Preferences.
5. Under the Primary Language section, select your preferred language (e.g., English) from the drop-down menu.
   
6. To see text in additional languages for in-game reviews and store pages, select one or more of the additional Secondary Language checkboxes.
7. To see text in additional languages in certain games, select one or more of the Additional Game Content Languages checkboxes. This text will appear in certain Steam games (such as for user interface text) where it is supported.
8. Scroll to the bottom and click Save to apply the changes to your account.
   

After changing your language settings, the new language will appear on the Steam website. It may also transfer to the Steam client when you next sign in, but if it doesn’t, you’ll need to manually repeat the steps above to change your client and in-game language settings.

If the language settings aren’t suitable, you can reverse the changes at any point.

Play Games Anywhere on Steam

Whether you’ve moved to a new country or just trying to switch to a language you’re more familiar with, you can use the steps above to change your language on Steam. You can also set up additional languages for reviews, store pages, and in-game language settings in your Steam account settings.

If you’re new to Steam, you might want to customize your account further. For instance, you might want to change your account name on Steam to something that suits your personality better.

Worried about your privacy? You can hide the games you’re playing on Steam from other users. You can also hide your game activity on Steam to play the games you want without being disturbed.

Of course, games are meant to be enjoyed together, so don’t forget to add your friends on Steam.