Why does LinkedIn show up in Chinese?

Many LinkedIn users, especially those located outside of China, have reported seeing parts of the LinkedIn interface displayed in Chinese characters. This unexpected language change can be jarring and confusing for users who do not read Chinese. In this article, we will explore some of the common reasons why LinkedIn may default to showing Chinese text for some users.

LinkedIn’s Popularity in China

One major reason why Chinese text may show up on LinkedIn is because LinkedIn has a large userbase in China. With over 50 million users, China is LinkedIn’s third largest market behind only the United States and India. The platform is widely used by professionals and companies in China looking to network and recruit.

In order to serve this large Chinese userbase, LinkedIn has made significant investments in localization for the China market. This includes translating the user interface and website content into simplified Chinese. For users within mainland China, LinkedIn defaults to display Chinese as the primary language across desktop and mobile experiences.

So for LinkedIn members located in China or whose accounts are set to Simplified Chinese as the default language, most of what they see on LinkedIn will be in Chinese.

LinkedIn Website Localization

In addition to translating the interface, LinkedIn also runs a number of localized websites to serve users in countries like China. These include:

• LinkedIn.com – For users in English-speaking countries like the US, Canada, UK, etc.
• LinkedIn.cn – For users in China
• LinkedIn.jp – For users in Japan

The Chinese version of LinkedIn at LinkedIn.cn has both the interface and content displayed in Chinese to cater to local users.

So for some users located outside of China, LinkedIn may inadvertently be routing through LinkedIn.cn at times, resulting in parts of the page showing up in Chinese. This routing behavior can be influenced by a number of technical factors which we’ll explore next.

IP Location Targeting

One factor that can cause LinkedIn to switch to a localized language is IP location targeting. LinkedIn (like many major websites) uses IP addresses to guess the location of website visitors and serve up localization accordingly.

So if a user outside China accesses LinkedIn using an IP address that LinkedIn associates with China based on their IP mapping database, then LinkedIn may automatically switch them to the LinkedIn.cn and display Chinese language by default.

Here are some scenarios where this could occur:

• Using a VPN connection that routes through China
• Accessing LinkedIn while traveling in China
• Your IP address incorrectly maps to China in LinkedIn’s database

The IP targeting on LinkedIn may incorrectly show Chinese even to users located outside China if the IP address incorrectly points to China.

Browser or Device Language Settings

In addition to IP targeting, LinkedIn also uses language settings on a user’s browser or device to determine what localization to show.

So if a user’s browser or device language is set to Chinese, LinkedIn will likely default to showing Chinese language even if they are accessing from outside China.

Some ways this could happen:

• Your browser language is set to Chinese
• Your Windows, Android, or iOS device language is set to Chinese
• You’re using an old device or browser that still has Chinese as the default language

So if your browser or device has Chinese enabled as the language, LinkedIn’s localization will likely switch to Chinese as well.

LinkedIn Account Language Settings

Finally, the language settings on your LinkedIn account can also impact what localization LinkedIn shows you.

Under account settings, users can configure:

• Primary language
• Secondary language
• Translated language for content you see

If any of these are set to Simplified Chinese, it will cause LinkedIn’s interface and content to switch to Chinese.

Sometimes this can happen inadvertently if:

• You selected the wrong language when first creating your LinkedIn account
• You updated the language for localized content translation reasons
• Someone else with access to the account changed the language settings

So double check your account language configuration in your LinkedIn settings, and switch it back to your primary language if needed.

How to Fix LinkedIn Showing up in Chinese

If you are seeing LinkedIn show up in Chinese when you want English or another language, here are some troubleshooting steps:

1. Check your LinkedIn account language settings. Switch it to your desired language.
2. Change the language on your browser or device to match your desired language.
3. Try accessing LinkedIn from a different network to rule out IP targeting issues.
4. Clear cookies and cache which may store language preferences.
5. Use LinkedIn in an incognito or private browser window.
6. Contact LinkedIn support if the issue persists.

In most cases, this should resolve any unexpected Chinese text on LinkedIn.

Conclusion

In summary, LinkedIn may show Chinese text for several reasons:

• Large Chinese userbase on LinkedIn.cn
• IP location targeting incorrectly routing users
• Browser or device language set to Chinese
• LinkedIn account language set to Chinese

Fixes include double checking your account language, verifying browser language, trying a different network, and contacting support if needed. With millions of users globally, LinkedIn aims to provide localized experiences – but sometimes the wrong localization may be displayed inadvertently.