You ask a question in English and get an answer in Spanish. Or the menus switch to a language you don't read. Or the tool understands you fine, but every reply comes back in a language you didn't choose. The fix depends on which of those is happening, because chatbots and AI writing tools have several separate language controls. For a related guide, see Still Logged In on an Old Device? How to Sign Out of All Sessions. For a related guide, see Keyboard Typing Wrong Characters? How to Fix Keyboard Language and Layout Settings. For a related guide, see AI Image Output Looks Wrong? How to Fix Quality and Alignment Issues.
This guide helps you identify which kind of problem you have, fix it in the quickest way, and check that it stays fixed. Menu names change often between apps and versions, so where I can't be certain of an exact path, I describe where to look instead.
First, work out which language is wrong
Most "wrong language" problems fall into one of four types:
- Interface language: buttons, menus, and settings are in the wrong language. The replies are fine.
- Response language: the menus are fine, but the AI's answers come back in another language.
- Voice or dictation language: spoken input is misheard or transcribed as the wrong language, or spoken replies use the wrong accent or language.
- Translation or processing language: content passes through a browser translator, a plugin, or an API setup that changes the language.
Start with the quick test below, since it separates the first two problems right away.
Quick test: is it the prompt or the settings?
- Open a new chat. Old conversations can carry their language forward.
- Type a short, unambiguous request such as: Reply only in English. What is the capital of France?
- Check the reply.
If the reply is in the right language, the cause is probably your earlier prompts, pasted text, or saved instructions, so go to the response fixes below. If it still answers in the wrong language even with that explicit instruction, look at account, saved-preference, or app-level settings, or at whether you're using a customized tool.
Fix the response language
1. Say the language explicitly, and say it first
AI tools often match the language of what you give them. If you paste a French article and ask for a summary in English, a tool may still reply in French. Put the language instruction clearly at the start or end of the request:
Answer in English only, even if the text I paste is in another language. If you need to quote the original, add an English translation.
For ongoing chats, you can add: Keep using English for the rest of this conversation unless I ask otherwise. If the tool slips back later in a long chat, repeat the instruction or start a fresh conversation.
2. Check saved instructions and memory
Many assistants let you store standing preferences, such as custom instructions, a profile or personal preferences field, or a memory feature. An old entry like "respond in Portuguese" or "I'm learning German, answer in German" will override your intent in every new chat.
- Open the app's settings and look for sections named something like Personalization, Custom instructions, Profile, Preferences, or Memory. Names vary by product and plan.
- Read each field for language-related wording, including phrases such as "translate everything" or "practice with me."
- Edit or delete the entry, or replace it with something like: Respond in English unless I write in another language or ask for a translation.
- Save, then test in a new chat.
Remember that a custom project, a custom GPT, or a similar custom assistant may have its own built-in instructions that you can't see. If only one assistant misbehaves, try the same prompt in the standard chat. If it behaves there, the problem is in the custom assistant's setup, and the fix belongs to whoever built it.
3. Reconsider the language of your own input
A mixed-language prompt, a name or address in another language, or text pasted from a foreign-language site can nudge the reply language. If you often switch languages, write the instruction in the language you want back. Also check whether your keyboard's autocorrect or a browser translation feature is quietly altering what you type or see.
Fix the interface language
If menus or buttons are wrong, look for a language option in the app's own settings, usually under General, Language, or Preferences. Some apps offer their own selector. Others follow your device, browser, or account language instead.
- Apps with their own selector: change it there, then refresh the page or restart the app.
- Tools tied to a Google or Microsoft account: check the language in your account settings, because the AI features often follow it. This is a common reason an assistant keeps switching after you change only the browser.
- Mobile apps: check the phone's per-app language setting and the system language. On Android and iOS, you can usually set a language for an individual app in the system settings.
- Browser-based tools: check the browser's preferred language list, which websites use to pick a language.
If you can't read the current interface, look for a globe icon, a gear or profile icon, or a settings entry you can recognize by position. Comparing with the same app in a language you know can help you find it.
Fix voice and dictation problems
Voice mode has its own language settings, separate from the text interface. In the app's voice or speech settings, look for an option for spoken or input language. If it offers automatic detection, try setting your language manually instead, especially if you speak with an accent or switch between languages. Also check the keyboard dictation language on your phone, since dictation through the keyboard uses the system's own speech recognition.
Test by saying one short sentence and checking both the transcript and the reply.
If you use an API, plugin, or workplace tool
- API or developer setups: add the language requirement to the system or developer message, for example "Always respond in English." Don't rely on the user message alone, and test with inputs in other languages.
- Browser translation or extensions: turn off page translation for the AI site, or disable translator extensions briefly. Translated interface text can make replies look wrong when they aren't.
- Work or school accounts: an administrator may set the language or region. If settings are greyed out or keep reverting, ask your IT admin.
- VPN or region changes: some services pick defaults from your location. Check whether the language changed after you switched networks or regions.
When it still isn't working
- Replies are right but partly mixed: ask for "English only, no foreign words," and avoid pasting large foreign-language passages without explaining what to do with them.
- It works in new chats but not old ones: abandon the old conversation. Long histories can anchor the reply language.
- The quality is poor in your language: that's a different problem. Support and accuracy vary by language, so ask for shorter, simpler outputs, and check important content yourself or with a native speaker.
- Nothing changes after all of this: log out and back in, update the app, and try another browser or a private window. If it persists, contact the product's support with the tool name, device, app version, and a screenshot of the language settings.
How to confirm it's fixed
- Start a new chat and ask a simple question without any language instruction.
- Paste a short paragraph in another language and ask for a summary. The summary should still come back in your chosen language.
- Reload the app or sign out and in again, then repeat step 1.
If all three pass, the fix is holding. If only the explicit instruction works, add it to your saved preferences so you don't have to repeat it.
Next step: do the quick test first, then check saved instructions and account language. In most cases, one of those is the cause.