Changing the language on your WhatsApp business account is easy and can be done right from the app. WhatsApp supports over 40 languages, so you can select the one that best fits your business needs.
Why would I want to change my WhatsApp business language?
There are a few key reasons you may want to change the language for your WhatsApp business account:
- To reach customers who speak a different language – If you do business internationally or have customers that speak a different language, changing your WhatsApp language can help provide better service to those customers.
- To stand out in certain markets – Switching your language to match your target customer base can help your business seem more relevant and approachable to those specific demographics.
- To provide better customer support – You can change your WhatsApp language to match customers so any interactions are in their native tongue, improving communication.
- For personal preference – You may simply feel more comfortable using WhatsApp in a different language than the default based on your own skills and needs.
Having your WhatsApp business account in the right language for your business and customers can make communication easier and more effective.
What languages can I choose from?
WhatsApp has an extensive list of language options you can switch to, including:
| Language | Language Code |
|---|---|
| Arabic | ar |
| Azerbaijani | az |
| Bengali | bn |
| Bulgarian | bg |
| Catalan | ca |
| Chinese (Simplified) | zh_CN |
| Chinese (Traditional) | zh_TW |
| Croatian | hr |
| Czech | cs |
| Danish | da |
| Dutch | nl |
| English | en |
| Estonian | et |
| Filipino | fil |
| Finnish | fi |
| French | fr |
| Galician | gl |
| Georgian | ka |
| German | de |
| Greek | el |
| Gujarati | gu |
| Hausa | ha |
| Hebrew | he |
| Hindi | hi |
| Hungarian | hu |
| Indonesian | id |
| Irish | ga |
| Italian | it |
| Japanese | ja |
| Kannada | kn |
| Kazakh | kk |
| Korean | ko |
| Latvian | lv |
| Lithuanian | lt |
| Macedonian | mk |
| Malay | ms |
| Malayalam | ml |
| Marathi | mr |
| Norwegian | no |
| Persian | fa |
| Polish | pl |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | pt_BR |
| Portuguese (Portugal) | pt_PT |
| Punjabi | pa |
| Romanian | ro |
| Russian | ru |
| Serbian | sr |
| Slovak | sk |
| Slovenian | sl |
| Spanish | es |
| Swahili | sw |
| Swedish | sv |
| Tamil | ta |
| Telugu | te |
| Thai | th |
| Turkish | tr |
| Ukrainian | uk |
| Urdu | ur |
| Uzbek | uz |
| Vietnamese | vi |
| Zulu | zu |
This covers most major world languages. Select the code for the language you need your WhatsApp business account to be in.
How do I change the language in WhatsApp Business?
It only takes a few simple steps to change the language in your WhatsApp Business app:
- Open WhatsApp Business and go to your account Settings
- Select ‘Business Settings’
- Tap on ‘Language’
- Browse the list of languages and tap on the one you want to switch to
- Confirm the prompt to change to the new language
And that’s it! WhatsApp will switch the entire app into the new language you’ve chosen. Keep in mind this will change the language for all parts of WhatsApp Business, including your settings, notifications, chats, profile information, and more.
Things to check after changing your WhatsApp Business language:
- View your profile and confirm your name, bio, and other info is displaying properly in the new language.
- Open existing chats and check any automated messages or info is in the right language.
- Update your business profile description, working hours or other sections in the new language.
- Preview your notifications by triggering a test message to see if they show up correctly.
- Change your auto-reply messages, away messages or other settings to be configured in the new language.
Taking a few minutes to review these items after changing your language can help spot any issues and ensure everything looks right for you and your customers.
Can I run WhatsApp Business in multiple languages?
Unfortunately, WhatsApp Business does not allow you to run multiple languages at the same time. You can only have one language set for your account at any given point.
If you need your account in multiple languages, you have a couple options:
- Set up separate WhatsApp Business accounts for each language. You can manage them from the same device by switching profiles.
- Use an automated translation tool to quickly translate outgoing messages into other languages. This allows you to operate in one base language but translate as needed.
- Hire multilingual staff/agents to manage interactions in different languages from your account.
While a single language per account is a limitation, with some creativity you can still use WhatsApp Business to interact with customers in multiple tongues.
Tips for running a multilingual WhatsApp Business account:
- Add language-specific greetings or introductions to your auto-reply messages to set the right tone.
- Use icons, emojis or visual elements to help convey meaning in different languages.
- Set up a FAQ document translated into multiple languages for agents to reference.
- Pay close attention to language used by customers and mirror it in replies to build rapport.
- Consider hiring native speakers to engage with customers in their language for best results.
While having your account in one language takes some adjustment, focusing on great multilingual customer service makes language barriers disappear!
Can I change my language back to the original one?
Yes, you can easily change your WhatsApp Business language back to the original or any other language at any time. Just repeat the steps above:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Business Settings > Language
- Select your desired language
- Confirm when prompted
Your account will switch back to the chosen language. You can change back and forth between any languages as often as needed. There are no restrictions on how many times you can change languages.
Reasons you may want to switch your WhatsApp language back:
- You tried a new language but prefer the original.
- You are reaching out to a new customer base that uses the original language.
- You hired new staff members who only speak the original language.
- You created new content, FAQs or scripts in the original language.
- Customer response was better in the original language.
Don’t be afraid to toggle between languages to find the right fit. Monitor customer engagement and switch back anytime it feels needed.
Conclusion
Changing your WhatsApp Business language is a simple but powerful way to provide better service to customers around the world. With just a few taps in the app, you can open up your business to new, global markets.
Think carefully about your target customers, where they are located, and what language they speak. Pick the language that allows you to share information clearly and forge stronger connections.
While you can only have one language set at a time, you can get creative in how you bridge language gaps. With well-translated content, multilingual team members, and the right customer service approach, you can make your WhatsApp Business account work for audiences speaking any language.
Switching languages is fast and easy to do as your business grows and your needs change. Don’t be afraid to try new languages and switch back as needed. With some testing and tweaking, you’ll find the right languages to take your WhatsApp Business account to the next level.