The Localization Confusion
Google Chrome is a highly intelligent browser that attempts to present the web in a way that is most useful to you. One of the ways it does this is by tying your display language and preferred translation settings to your Google Account profile. If you travel frequently, use a VPN, or if you accidentally click “Translate to [Language]” on a foreign website and check the “Always translate” box, Chrome might begin automatically changing the display language of the browser interface itself, or aggressively translating specific webpages into a language you didn’t intend, leading to confusing navigation and poorly machine-translated text.
Managing Language and Translation Settings
To stop Google Chrome from automatically changing the display language or forcefully translating web pages, you must explicitly define your language hierarchy within the browser’s advanced settings.
Open Google Chrome. Click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner and select Settings. On the left-hand sidebar, click on Languages. Under the “Preferred languages” section, ensure your primary language (e.g., English) is at the top of the list. Click the three dots next to your preferred language and check the box for Display Google Chrome in this language (you will need to relaunch the browser for this to take effect). This hardcodes the UI language. Next, scroll down to the “Google Translate” section. To stop the browser from automatically translating pages, turn off the toggle labeled Use Google Translate. Alternatively, if you still want the option but don’t want it to happen automatically, look at the “Automatically translate these languages” list below it and click the trash can icon next to any language that Chrome is translating without your explicit permission.