How to Change Alexa's Language

Here's how to change the language your Alexa device uses. North American Echo devices come programmed in American or Canadian English, but they're fluent in German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, and several other languages, too.

How to Change Language on the Alexa App

While you can change the language for individual Echo devices, you still need to make the change in your Alexa app. (There's an Alexa app for iPhone, too.)

Open the app, then follow these steps for each device.

1. At the bottom left of your screen, tap Devices. Scroll to find the device you would like to change the language on.

2. Tap the device name to open the Device Settings screen.

3. Scroll down and tap Language.

4. Tap the language you want to use on the device.

   You might see a warning window pop up indicating the language is not fully supported in your country, and that specific capabilities, skills, music, and content could become unavailable. Tap OK.

The app may pop up with another window that says your device will tell you when the language has changed, but this doesn't happen for most people. Instead, they see the change reflected with a checkmark next to the new language.

Play With Different Languages

There are multiple English versions. For example, if you'd like Alexa to speak English with an Australian accent, you can select English (Australia) to achieve that.

Have some fun with it, too, and try different English accents. Or, if you're looking to improve your skills in a new language, select the one you need to practice and converse with Alexa in that language.

It is optimized to understand innate language speakers, though, so don't be surprised if it can't understand you in a new language you've selected. If it's not responding or seems confused, select a new language you're better at speaking.

It can speak in nine different English dialects, three French dialects, Deutsch (German), Spanish, Italian, and some Chinese and Japanese dialects.

Have Alexa Speak Multiple Languages

Alexa can even speak multiple languages at once. For example, if you say “Alexa, speak English and Spanish,” it will recognize both languages and respond accordingly. To remove a language, say “Stop speaking English” or “Stop speaking Spanish.”

With the Live Translation feature, Alexa can translate conversations in real-time. For example, if you say “Alexa, translate Spanish,” Alexa will repeat back anything it hears in English.