LanguageTool Detects the Wrong Language

How to fix it

// try these in order, the most common fix is first

1. FIX 1Set only the languages you write in

   Copy steps
   1. 01Open the LanguageTool extension or web editor settings
   2. 02Go to the languages section
   3. 03Select only the languages and variants you use (e.g. German and English UK)
   4. 04Save and reload the page
   Did this fix it? Yes No

2. FIX 2Choose the language manually

   Copy steps
   1. 01Click the language name shown in the LanguageTool panel or editor
   2. 02Pick the correct language for this text
   3. 03Repeat for short texts, which are detected unreliably
   Did this fix it? Yes No

3. FIX 3Check mixed-language parts separately

   Copy steps
   1. 01Move the second-language passages into a separate text or field
   2. 02Check each part with its language set manually
   Did this fix it? Yes No

4. FIX 4API or self-hosted users: set preferred languages

   Copy steps
   1. 01Send preferredLanguages=de,en (your languages) with each check request
   2. 02Per-sentence detection only works with at least 2 preferred languages
   Did this fix it? Yes No

Symptoms

Your text is checked in English when you write Dutch or German, every word is underlined, or the language keeps switching on its own.

Why it happens

• C-01Text is too short for reliable detection (up to about 50 characters it only considers languages common in your country)
• C-02Document mixes two languages, e.g. German text with English footnotes
• C-03Too many or wrong languages enabled in your settings

// this guide also covers

• languagetool wrong language
• languagetool keeps changing language
• languagetool disable auto detect language

Other LanguageTool errors

• LanguageTool Extension Stopped Working (Upgrade Required)
• LanguageTool Not Working in Google Docs
• LanguageTool Not Working in Word
• LanguageTool Slow and Using High Memory in Firefox
• LanguageTool Not Working in Overleaf
• LanguageTool Not Working in Chrome
• LanguageTool Text Too Long (Character Limit)
• LanguageTool Self-Hosted Server Setup (Use the Extension Free)