---
title: Change the language
url: https://www.moldraw.com/docs/settings/how-to-change-the-language-of-moldraw/
section: Settings and layouts
updated: 2026-10-20
publisher: LabCanvas
---

# Change the language

> Click the language button (a flag and the language name) at the top right and pick a language, or open Settings, General, Language. MolDraw has 18 interface languages. You can also open the editor in a language with its own address, such as moldraw.com/de/ for German.

## Where to find it

1. Click the language button at the top right of the editor. It shows a flag and the current language.
2. Pick your language from the list. The interface changes at once.
3. MolDraw remembers your choice in this browser.

Other places to change the language:

- **Settings**, **General**, **Language**. See [Settings reference](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/settings/moldraw-settings-reference/).
- The account menu (your avatar), **Language**, when you are signed in.
- In the Educational layout, the **⋮** menu, **Language**.
- On a phone, the **⋮** menu. Tap a language chip. See [Phone and tablet](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/devices/how-to-use-moldraw-on-a-phone-or-tablet/).

## Supported languages

| Language | Shown as | Editor address |
|---|---|---|
| English | English | `/` |
| German | Deutsch | `/de/` |
| Spanish | Español | `/es/` |
| French | Français | `/fr/` |
| Italian | Italiano | `/it/` |
| Portuguese | Português | `/pt/` |
| Dutch | Nederlands | `/nl/` |
| Polish | Polski | `/pl/` |
| Turkish | Türkçe | `/tr/` |
| Russian | Русский | `/ru/` |
| Indonesian | Bahasa Indonesia | `/id/` |
| Vietnamese | Tiếng Việt | `/vi/` |
| Thai | ไทย | `/th/` |
| Japanese | 日本語 | `/ja/` |
| Korean | 한국어 | `/ko/` |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 简体中文 | `/zh/` |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 繁體中文 | `/zh-hant/` |
| Arabic | العربية | `/ar/` |

## How MolDraw picks the language

1. A language you picked in the app always wins.
2. If you have not picked one, a language address such as `/es/` opens the editor in that language.
3. On your first visit, MolDraw uses your browser language. A Malay browser gets Indonesian.
4. Otherwise the editor is in English.

When you switch language in the app, the address bar changes to match, for example from `/` to `/de/`. Share that link and others open the editor in the same language. Your drawing stays on the canvas when you switch.

## What is translated

Menus, buttons, tool names and Settings are translated. A few newer labels may still show in English until their translation is added. Command palette names stay in English. Chemistry content does not change: element symbols, SMILES and IUPAC names are the same in every language.

## Tips

- Use a language address in course notes, so students open the editor in their own language.
- If the language does not change when you open `/de/`, you picked another language in the app before. Pick German once in the language menu.

## Questions and answers

**How do I change MolDraw to English?**
Click the flag button at the top right and pick English, or open Settings, General, Language and pick English.

**Does changing the language clear my drawing?**
No. The canvas and your saved designs stay the same. Only the interface text changes.

**Why does moldraw.com/de/ still open in English?**
A language you picked in the app wins over the address. Pick Deutsch once in the language menu to switch.

**Can I use MolDraw in Arabic or Chinese?**
Yes. Arabic, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese are in the language list, with the addresses /ar/, /zh/ and /zh-hant/.

## Related pages

- [Settings reference](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/settings/moldraw-settings-reference/)
- [Themes and layouts](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/settings/themes-and-layouts-light-dark-scientific-and-educational/)
- [The MolDraw screen](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/get-started/moldraw-editor-interface-toolbar-and-panels-explained/)
- [Command palette](https://www.moldraw.com/docs/settings/how-to-use-the-command-palette/)