How to change the system language on a Google Pixel (Android 17)

Device

Android

Shown on

Google Pixel 10a, Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › System

Real screenshots

9 of 9 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

2 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Check Preferred languages

   Open Settings, tap System, then Language and region. Under Preferred languages, number 1 is the system language. Ours was English (Germany).

   Done

2. 

   Tap Add a language

   Tap Add a language, below the list.

   Done

3. 

   Pick your language

   The list starts with Suggested, then All languages. Tap yours, or use the search icon at the top right. We picked Deutsch (Deutschland).

   Done

4. 

   It is added as number 2

   The new language goes below the current one. On ours no pop-up asked whether to make it the system language.

   Done

5. 

   Move it to the top

   There were no drag handles on ours. Tap the three dots on the right of the language, then Move up. Whatever is number 1 becomes the system language. We didn't move it.

   Done

6. 

   Remove a language

   The same three-dot menu has Remove. It asks, for example, Remove Deutsch (Deutschland)? Tap Remove.

   Done

7. 

   Check the list

   Ours was back to English (Germany) only, still marked System language.

   Done

8. 

   Set the region

   Under Regional preferences, tap Region to change it. Ours was Germany. Temperature, Measurement system and First day of week were Use default.

   Done

9. 

   One app in another language

   App languages lets you choose the language for each app, without changing the whole phone.

   Done

If you do not see this option

• No drag handles? Google's help says to touch and drag your language to the top. Our Pixel with Android 17 had no drag handles: each language has a three-dot menu with Move up and Remove instead. Source: Change language or region settings on a Pixel phone or tablet
• No More, Remove at the top? Google's help removes a language with More, Remove at the top, then Delete. On ours, Remove was in each language's three-dot menu, with a Remove button to confirm. Source: Change language or region settings on a Pixel phone or tablet
• Strange entries under Suggested? Ours showed two scrambled pseudo-languages, with accents on every letter, at the top of the picker. Developer options was on on our phone. Skip them and pick a real language.
• Your region is not offered? Google says the most common regions are available for each language, and that you can also set each regional preference, such as temperature or measurement, on its own. Source: Change language or region settings on a Pixel phone or tablet
• App not in the App languages list? Google says only apps whose developers opt in show up there; some apps let you change the language inside the app. Source: Change app language on your Android phone

If this does not work

• Picked the wrong language? Tap the three dots next to the right language and tap Move up until it is number 1, or Remove the wrong one. Both are in the menu on ours.
• App still in the wrong language? Google suggests restarting the app and adding the language as a second language. Or set it in App languages. Source: Change app language on your Android phone

About this guide

The system language is the language of the menus and of apps that support it. Our phone was set to English (Germany).

The screenshots are from our Google Pixel 10a with Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005), in Dark mode. For the screenshots we added Deutsch (Deutschland) as a second language and then removed it. English (Germany) stayed number 1.

Good to know

If dates, units or the week start look wrong, check Regional preferences on the same page.

In short: Settings, System, Language and region: Add a language, then three dots, Move up.