Taobao still showing everything in Chinese? The app has a built-in English interface, but availability depends on your market. Start with its language settings, then use screen translation for Chinese text and product pictures that remain.
Change the language inside Taobao
Open Taobao’s Account tab, labeled 我的淘宝 in Chinese. Tap the Settings gear, or 设置. Open Country/region, language, currency, shown as 国家/地区、语言、货币 in Chinese. Wording and menu grouping vary by app version.
Select your country or region. Choose English under Language, or 语言. Tip: Keep using your existing Taobao account, since English is part of the main app.
Check why English is missing
An older installation or a market outside Taobao’s English rollout can leave you without the option. Updating addresses an outdated installation, but does not override regional eligibility.
Check your market against Taobao’s App Store listing. Its opening upgrade notice names Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, Canada, Cambodia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, and Mongolia. A feature section further down the same listing still names only Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, and Cambodia. Those five markets appear in both places; in the other ten, update the app and check the language menu, since Taobao says it is still expanding the feature. English is not offered worldwide.
On iPhone or iPad, update Taobao through its official App Store listing. The listed requirements are iOS 13.0 or later and iPadOS 13.0 or later. Taobao is not listed in every regional App Store, including the US store.
On Android, update the main Taobao app through its official Google Play listing. Return to Account → Settings → Country/region, language, currency to check for English. If the option is still missing, use one of the screen or screenshot translation methods below.
Translate product pictures and size charts
Text embedded in a product picture or size chart needs image translation when it remains in Chinese. Take a screenshot of the Taobao content you want to read. This also works for labels you cannot select or copy.
Open Google Translate on your phone. Set the source language to Chinese or Detect language. Set the target language to English. Tap Camera.
On Android, tap All Images. On iPhone or iPad, tap Gallery. Select your Taobao screenshot to translate its text.
Use Circle to Search on a supported Android phone
Circle to Search translates the visible screen without changing Taobao’s language setting on supported phones, including Pixel 6 and later and selected Samsung Galaxy models.
- 1.Open the Taobao screen you want to translate.
- 2.Hold the Home button or navigation handle.
- 3.Tap Translate beside the Google search bar.
- 4.For continuous translation, tap Scroll and translate on devices that offer it. Translation stays active as you scroll or open other screens; videos and GIFs are excluded.
- 5.If Circle to Search is unavailable, open Settings → Apps → Default apps → Digital assistant app. Select Google and enable Use screen and app data.
On Galaxy phones running One UI 6.1.1 to 8.5, Samsung uses different labels: open Settings → Apps → Choose default apps → Digital assistant app, then turn on Analyze on-screen images.
Read a Taobao screenshot with iPhone Live Text
Enable Live Text under Settings → General → Language & Region. You need an iPhone XS/XR or later with iOS 15 or later, or a supported iPad with iPadOS 15.1 or later.
Take a screenshot of the Chinese Taobao content. Open the screenshot in Photos. Tap the Live Text icon. Choose Translate.
Tap Continue if prompted. Open Change Language if the translation is not in English. Select English. Tip: Use the Google Translate screenshot method above if your device does not support Live Text.
Translate longer pages in a browser
Chrome on Android, iPhone, and iPad translates Taobao webpages without changing the native app. Open the Taobao webpage in Chrome. Open More. Tap Translate.
In the translation controls, open Settings → More languages. Choose English. For text inside images that remains Chinese, take a screenshot and use the image translation method above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Taobao’s English setting translate product descriptions too?
Yes. Taobao’s English interface includes AI-translated product descriptions. Its launch offering used a curated catalogue, so switching languages does not promise access to the entire Chinese catalogue in English.
Can changing my phone’s language unlock Taobao’s English interface?
No. Taobao tells shoppers outside its English markets to stay tuned and keep using the Chinese interface in the meantime. Android’s App Languages setting works only with apps whose developers support it.
How can I write Chinese search terms or messages to sellers?
In Google Translate, set English as the source and Chinese as the target. Enter your search phrase or message, then copy the Chinese translation into Taobao.
Can I translate selectable Taobao text on an iPhone without a screenshot?
Yes. Select the text and tap Translate, using the Show More Items arrow if necessary, then choose English. If Taobao offers only Copy, paste the text into an app that supports text-selection translation and translate it there.
