3 Simple Ways to Change the Default Language in Wikipedia

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Update the Wikipedia language
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Want to access Wikipedia in another language? Whether you're learning or want to read in your native language, this can be done in your account settings. If you don't have an account, you can use Google Translate to quickly translate any Wikipedia webpage. Here's how to change the language in a Wikipedia article using your mobile device or computer.

Using Wikipedia in a Different Language

To change the language on Wikipedia, log into your account and navigate to your Preferences . Select the Internationalisation drop-down menu and select a new language. Select Done . Alternatively, paste the website URL into Google Translate to translate a page.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using Desktop

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  1. Create an account. To change the language on Wikipedia using the website itself, you must be logged into an account where you can manage your preferences.
  2. You can find this in the top-right corner. [1]
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  3. This shows your current set language for Wikipedia.
  4. Keep in mind that selecting a language other than English may show inaccurate external translations and may stop you from seeing parts of the interface properly.
  5. This is the blue button at the bottom-left corner of the screen.
    • Wikipedia will now be set to the assigned language.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using Mobile

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  1. To change the language on Wikipedia using the website itself, you must be logged into an account where you can manage your preferences.
    • Go to https://www.wikipedia.org/ . Tap ☰ > Log in > Join Wikipedia .
    • If you don't want to create an account, you can use Google Translate instead.
    • Wikipedia offers translated articles in other languages. However, this doesn't apply to all existing articles. To see the available languages, go to https://www.wikipedia.org/ , scroll down, and tap a language under Wikipedia languages .
  2. This is at the top-left corner. A side menu will open.
  3. A new page will open.
  4. You can find this at the bottom of the page.
  5. This is the first option.
  6. This shows your current set language for Wikipedia.
  7. Keep in mind that selecting a language other than English may show inaccurate external translations and may stop you from seeing parts of the interface properly.
  8. This is the blue button at the bottom-left corner of the screen.
    • Wikipedia will now be set to the assigned language.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using Google Translate

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  1. You can find this in the address bar.
    • On mobile, select the URL. Tap the URL, and then select Copy .
    • On desktop, select the URL. Right-click, and then click Copy .
  2. Go to https://translate.google.com/ in a web browser. You can use Google Translate in a desktop or mobile browser.
    • Keep in mind that translations using this method may not be 100% accurate.
  3. This is at the top.
  4. Select the input language (first option) and then output language (second option).
    • For example, if the article is in English and you want to translate it to Spanish, select English → Spanish .
  5. On mobile, tap the field and select Paste . On desktop, right-click the field and click Paste .
  6. This will send the request. A new tab should open with the translated web page.
    • If you browse in the translated site and it reverts back to the original language, set the input and output languages again at the top of the page.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Can I change the language in Wikipedia into local language without any editing?
    Kristikna
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can get the Google Translate extension, found on Chrome Web Store. This extension will allow you to easily translate any webpage with just a few clicks.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Preferences

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