Baidu Maps in English: How to Change It (and What Stays Chinese)

Published Sep 4, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change Baidu Maps to English?

Tap Mine (我的) in the bottom-right → Settings (设置) → Language (语言) → English. It takes about a minute and applies immediately. If your phone's system language is already English, you can set the app to follow the system language instead.

Does Baidu Maps have an English mode?

Yes — the app officially lists English among its supported languages (verified via its App Store listing, September 2026). The mode covers the interface, buttons, and place names in international regions; search input, reviews, and ride-hailing remain mostly Chinese.

Is there an English version of the Baidu Maps app?

No separate app — English is a language toggle inside the standard Baidu Maps app. There is also no official English website for Baidu Maps; third-party tutorial sites exist but the app toggle is the only supported path.

Why is my Baidu Maps still in Chinese after switching?

Two common causes: the setting didn't save (repeat the toggle and fully close-reopen the app), or you're looking at *content* that has no English translation — reviews, small-shop names, and driver chat stay Chinese regardless of interface language. The toggle changes the UI, not the underlying data.

Can I use Baidu Maps in English for ride-hailing?

The interface will be English, but the ride-hailing flow (fare negotiation, driver messages, support) runs Chinese-first. Most foreigners use DiDi's international version for rides instead — see the essential apps list for the transport stack.

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Quick Summary: Baidu Maps supports English — but only partially. You can switch the interface language in about a minute: tap Mine (我的) → Settings (设置) → Language (语言), or let the app follow your phone’s system language. Menus, buttons, and place names turn English (international areas have rendered in English since 2025), but search input, reviews, and ride-hailing details remain mostly Chinese. If you want a fully English navigation experience, Amap’s international version is the stronger pick — comparison at the end. Information as of September 2026; menu names follow the current app version.

This page owns the “Baidu Maps in English” question: the switch steps, what English mode actually covers, and its limits. The rest of the map-app picture lives in our Amap vs Baidu comparison and the full list of essential apps for China.

How to change Baidu Maps to English (60-second tutorial)

The switch lives inside the app — there is no separate “English version” of Baidu Maps to download. One app, one toggle:

  1. Open Baidu Maps (百度地图) and tap the Mine (我的) tab — the profile icon in the bottom-right corner.
  2. Scroll to the bottom and tap Settings (设置) — the gear icon.
  3. Tap Language (语言设置).
  4. Select English. The interface re-renders immediately; no restart needed.
  5. Alternative: if your phone’s system language is English, you can instead set the app to follow system language (跟随系统), and Baidu Maps will stay English automatically.

Can’t find the setting because everything is still in Chinese? The profile tab is the rightmost icon in the bottom bar, Settings is the gear at the bottom of that list, and 语言 is usually the first or second entry. The icon positions are identical in every language.

What turns English — and what stays Chinese

This is where most guides oversell it. Baidu Maps’ English support is real, but partial. Based on the app’s own App Store language listing (English + Chinese, verified September 2026) and current user reports:

FeatureIn English mode
Menus, buttons, settings✅ English
Place names in international regions✅ English (English map data rolled out from 2025)
Place names inside China⚠️ Mixed — landmarks yes, small shops and addresses mostly Chinese/pinyin
Search input and results❌ Type English queries and you’ll often get poor or no matches — search works best in Chinese
Restaurant reviews, POI details❌ Mostly Chinese
Ride-hailing (百度打车) and live-driver chat❌ Chinese-first experience

The practical consequence: English mode makes the app readable, not fully usable. You can navigate the interface and follow a saved or shared location, but the moment you need to type a search or hail a ride, you’re back in Chinese territory — that’s where translation apps and clipboard tricks do the heavy lifting.

The English map: international areas since 2025

Around 2025, Baidu Maps rolled out its first English-rendered map data, starting with major international destinations and expanding to other countries — a change widely reported by traveler communities and tutorial sites, though Baidu has never published an official English announcement (we mark this as community-verified, not official).

For your China trip this matters at the edges: airport terminals, metro stations, and major attractions in tier-1 cities are increasingly labeled in English on the map itself. Street-level detail — the name of the noodle shop downstairs — remains Chinese.

When to pick Amap instead

Honest rule of thumb from our testing and community consensus:

  • Pick Baidu Maps English mode if you want China’s most accurate POI and transit data and are willing to work around the Chinese-first search and ride-hailing (paste Chinese addresses from a translation app or a booking confirmation).
  • Pick Amap’s international version (AMap Global) if you want a genuinely English end-to-end experience: native English interface, English search for foreign-language queries, ride-hailing and transit planning designed for visitors. See our Amap vs Baidu comparison for the full decision matrix.
  • Carrying both is normal. They’re free, lightweight, and locals split between the two roughly evenly — when one mislocates a hidden restaurant entrance, the other usually finds it.