Quick Answer
You can change the language that Facebook automatically translates posts and comments to by going to your Facebook Settings. Under the Language section, select the language you want posts and comments to be translated to from the dropdown menu. This will set your default translation language.
Changing the Default Translation Language
Facebook has an automatic translation feature that will translate posts and comments into the language set as your default. Here are the steps to change which language posts and comments get translated to:
- Click on the arrow in the top right corner of Facebook and select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
- On the left sidebar, click on “Language and Region” under the General Account Settings section.
- Under the Translation heading, you will see your current default translation language. Click “Edit” next to Default Translation Language.
- Select your preferred language from the dropdown menu.
- Click “Save Changes” at the bottom.
Once you save the changes, posts and comments will now be automatically translated to the new default language you selected.
Setting Translation for Specific Languages
In addition to setting a default translation language, you can also configure language-specific translation settings. This allows you to enable or disable translation for certain languages.
To adjust translation settings for specific languages:
- Go to your Facebook Settings and click on “Language and Region” as before.
- Under the Translation section, click “Translation Language Settings.”
- Toggle the languages on or off depending on if you want posts and comments automatically translated to that language or not.
- Click “Close” to save the settings.
Enabling translation for a specific language will translate posts and comments into that language, even if it’s different than your default language. Disabling translation for a language will stop translation into that language.
Translation Settings on Mobile
The translation settings can also be changed in the Facebook mobile app for iOS and Android. Here’s how:
- Open the Facebook app and tap on the three-line menu icon.
- Scroll down and select “Settings & Privacy” then tap “Settings.”
- Tap on “Language” under the General section.
- Tap “Translation Language” and select your default language.
- You can also turn on/off translation for specific languages here.
- Tap “OK” to save your language settings.
The updated language settings will also apply when you access Facebook on your mobile device.
Considerations When Changing Translation Language
Here are some things to keep in mind when changing the default translation language on Facebook:
- It may take some time for the new settings to take effect across Facebook.
- Posts and comments will be translated to the new default language automatically without any notification.
- The original text will still be viewable, in addition to the translation.
- Some nuance may be lost in translation, especially for informal language use.
- You can toggle translation on or off for individual posts if desired.
- If you disable translation for a language completely, posts in that language will no longer be translated.
Monitor the translations after changing the settings to ensure the output is what you expect. You can tweak the language settings further if needed.
Troubleshooting Facebook Translation
If you are noticing issues with Facebook’s automatic translations after updating your language settings, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure you saved the changes properly by revisiting the Language settings page.
- Check if you have translation enabled for the right languages, especially if posts are not translating at all.
- Try toggling the translation settings for the language off and back on again.
- Clear your browser cache and cookies to eliminate any conflicts or glitches.
- Test translations in both desktop and mobile to pinpoint where the issue occurs.
- Report persistent translation problems to Facebook through their Help Center.
Translation relies on complex algorithms, so inaccuracies and mistakes can happen periodically. But following these troubleshooting steps should help get Facebook’s translations back on track if anything looks off.
Conclusion
Facebook provides automated translation for posts and comments as a convenience to users interacting with content in different languages. By default, the translation language is set to your profile language. But you can customize these settings by choosing a different default, and turning translations on or off for specific languages as desired. If you ever need to change the translations again, just revisit the Language section under Settings. With the right configuration, you can ensure you and your friends on Facebook don’t get lost in translation.
| Language Code | Language Name |
|---|---|
| en | English |
| es | Spanish |
| fr | French |
| de | German |
| it | Italian |
| ja | Japanese |