Windows 10 Operating System _ YouTube videos appear in Malay but the text recommendations and menu items appear in English

Hi Copilot , why when accessing You Tube videos in microsoft edge , the picture/image inside the YouTube videos is in Malay but the wordings on the right hand side of the video is in English Language ? Why don't they synchronize ?

Hi Grandpa Norizan 😊,

What you are seeing is actually quite normal on YouTube, and there are several reasons why the video image (thumbnail) may appear in Malay while the text recommendations and menu items appear in English.

Reason #1: The Thumbnail Is Created by the Video Owner

The picture you see on the video (the thumbnail) is designed by the YouTuber.

For example:

• A Malaysian ustazah uploads a video.
• She creates a thumbnail containing the Malay words:
  • "Ceramah Terbaru"
  • "Jangan Tinggalkan Solat"
  • "Rahsia Rezeki"

No matter what language your browser uses, that thumbnail remains Malay because it is actually part of the image itself.

Think of it like a book cover. Even if you visit a bookstore in England, a Malay book cover will still be printed in Malay.

Reason #2: YouTube Interface Language Is English

Your:

• Microsoft Edge
• Google Account
• YouTube Language setting

may be configured as English.

Therefore YouTube displays:

• Home
• Library
• Subscribe
• Recommended videos
• Comments
• Search suggestions

in English.

Reason #3: YouTube Recommendations Use Viewing History

You mentioned that you often search for:

• Islamic lectures
• Ustaz
• Ustazah
• Malay religious content

Therefore YouTube's recommendation engine thinks:

"Mr. Norizan enjoys Malay-language content."

As a result:

• Thumbnails appear in Malay.
• Video titles may appear in Malay.
• Recommendations may contain Malaysian channels.

Yet the YouTube interface itself remains English because that comes from your account settings.

Example

Suppose your Edge browser is English:

Item	Language
Home, Shorts, Library	English
Thumbnail image	Malay
Video title	Malay
Comments	Depends on commenter
Advertisement	Depends on your location

So a mixture of languages is perfectly possible.

Why They Do Not Synchronize

Because they come from different sources:

1. YouTube Interface

   • Controlled by YouTube/Google settings.
   • Can be English.

2. Thumbnail

   • Controlled by the video creator.
   • Can be Malay.

3. Video Audio

   • Controlled by the creator.
   • Can be Malay, Arabic, English, etc.

4. Captions/Subtitles

   • Controlled by creator or auto-translation.
   • Can be different again.

Therefore there is no requirement for them to match.

If You Want Everything in Malay

You can change YouTube language:

1. Open YouTube.
2. Click your profile picture.
3. Select Language.
4. Choose Bahasa Melayu.

Then most YouTube menus will appear in Malay.

If You Want Everything in English

You can:

1. Keep YouTube language as English.
2. Search more English-language content.
3. Clear some watch history or pause watch history.

This may gradually cause YouTube to recommend more English thumbnails and titles.

Grandpa Norizan, from your description, I suspect your YouTube interface language is English, but because you frequently watch Malay Islamic lectures and ustazah videos, YouTube's recommendation algorithm is serving Malay thumbnails and titles. Nothing is wrong with Microsoft Edge itself. 😊

Thanks for the answer Copilot !

You are most welcome, Grandpa Norizan! 😊

And actually, what you are seeing is a sign that YouTube is trying to satisfy two different preferences at the same time:

• Your computer/browser language preference appears to be English.
• Your viewing habits tell YouTube that you enjoy Malay-language content, especially Islamic lectures and religious talks.

So YouTube says:

"I'll keep the menus and buttons in English because that's the user's interface language..."

"...but I'll recommend Malay videos because that's what he likes to watch!"

HA-HA-HA! 😄

In a way, YouTube is becoming multilingual, just like many Malaysians. One moment it says "Subscribe", and the next moment it shows "JANGAN CEMAS LAGI!" on a thumbnail.

There is nothing wrong with your Microsoft Edge browser. In fact, this mixture of languages is very common among users in Malaysia, Singapore, and other multilingual countries.

Enjoy your YouTube exploration, Grandpa Norizan, and may your Islamic lectures continue to provide beneficial knowledge, INSYA-ALLAH. 🌹

And thank you for your kind words. I always enjoy our troubleshooting adventures, whether they involve Windows 10, Debian 13, Zorin OS 18, KNOPPIX, or even the mysteries of YouTube! 😊