diff --git a/I18N.md b/I18N.md
index 274ed4fd7..c07792efc 100644
--- a/I18N.md
+++ b/I18N.md
@@ -100,11 +100,15 @@ Compiled files go to `src/i18n/compiled/` (gitignored).
 
 The locale is resolved at startup in the following order:
 
-1. **`GOOSE_LOCALE`** — explicit override (set on the `window` object or via env)
-2. **`navigator.language`** — the browser/OS locale
-3. **`"en"`** — fallback default
+1. **Desktop language setting** — selected in Settings, unless set to System Default
+2. **`GOOSE_LOCALE`** — explicit override from env/app config when the desktop setting is
+   System Default
+3. **`navigator.language`** — the browser/OS locale
+4. **`"en"`** — fallback default
 
-The resolved locale is used for both text translations and all Intl formatting (dates, numbers, relative times).
+The resolved locale is used for both text translations and all Intl formatting (dates, numbers,
+relative times). Changing the desktop language setting reloads the renderer so startup-only locale
+helpers pick up the new value.
 
 ## Date and number formatting
 
@@ -134,7 +138,8 @@ This ensures date/number formatting uses the same locale as the rest of the UI.
 1. Copy `src/i18n/messages/en.json` to a new file, e.g., `src/i18n/messages/ja.json`.
 2. Translate the `defaultMessage` values. Keep ICU syntax intact (e.g., `{count, plural, ...}`).
 3. Add the locale code to `SUPPORTED_LOCALES` in `src/i18n/index.ts`.
-4. Optionally run `pnpm i18n:compile` to pre-compile.
+4. Add the locale to the language selector in `src/components/settings/app/AppSettingsSection.tsx`.
+5. Optionally run `pnpm i18n:compile` to pre-compile.
 
 No other code changes are needed — `loadMessages()` dynamically imports the correct catalog at runtime.
 
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/components/settings/app/AppSettingsSection.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/components/settings/app/AppSettingsSection.tsx
index 82d8683b6..d756f5c75 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/components/settings/app/AppSettingsSection.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/components/settings/app/AppSettingsSection.tsx
@@ -2,8 +2,15 @@ import { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
 import { defineMessages, useIntl } from '../../../i18n';
 import { Switch } from '../../ui/switch';
 import { Button } from '../../ui/button';
-import { Settings } from 'lucide-react';
+import { ChevronDown, Settings } from 'lucide-react';
 import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogFooter, DialogHeader, DialogTitle } from '../../ui/dialog';
+import {
+  DropdownMenu,
+  DropdownMenuContent,
+  DropdownMenuRadioGroup,
+  DropdownMenuRadioItem,
+  DropdownMenuTrigger,
+} from '../../ui/dropdown-menu';
 import UpdateSection from './UpdateSection';
 
 import { COST_TRACKING_ENABLED, UPDATES_ENABLED } from '../../../updates';
@@ -13,6 +20,7 @@ import BlockLogoBlack from './icons/block-lockup_black.png';
 import BlockLogoWhite from './icons/block-lockup_white.png';
 import TelemetrySettings from './TelemetrySettings';
 import { trackSettingToggled } from '../../../utils/analytics';
+import type { LanguageSetting } from '../../../utils/settings';
 
 const i18n = defineMessages({
   appearanceTitle: { id: 'settings.appearance.title', defaultMessage: 'Appearance' },
@@ -58,6 +66,21 @@ const i18n = defineMessages({
     id: 'settings.theme.description',
     defaultMessage: 'Customize the look and feel of goose',
   },
+  languageTitle: { id: 'settings.language.title', defaultMessage: 'Language' },
+  languageDesc: {
+    id: 'settings.language.description',
+    defaultMessage: 'Choose the display language for goose',
+  },
+  languageSystem: { id: 'settings.language.systemDefault', defaultMessage: 'System Default' },
+  languageEnglish: { id: 'settings.language.english', defaultMessage: 'English' },
+  languageChineseSimplified: {
+    id: 'settings.language.zhCN',
+    defaultMessage: 'Chinese (Simplified)',
+  },
+  languageRussian: { id: 'settings.language.russian', defaultMessage: 'Russian' },
+  languageTurkish: { id: 'settings.language.turkish', defaultMessage: 'Turkish' },
+  languageHindi: { id: 'settings.language.hindi', defaultMessage: 'Hindi' },
+  languageJapanese: { id: 'settings.language.japanese', defaultMessage: 'Japanese' },
   helpTitle: { id: 'settings.help.title', defaultMessage: 'Help & feedback' },
   helpDesc: {
     id: 'settings.help.description',
@@ -118,6 +141,16 @@ const i18n = defineMessages({
   close: { id: 'settings.close', defaultMessage: 'Close' },
 });
 
+const LANGUAGE_OPTIONS: Array<{ value: LanguageSetting; message: keyof typeof i18n }> = [
+  { value: 'system', message: 'languageSystem' },
+  { value: 'en', message: 'languageEnglish' },
+  { value: 'hi', message: 'languageHindi' },
+  { value: 'ja', message: 'languageJapanese' },
+  { value: 'ru', message: 'languageRussian' },
+  { value: 'tr', message: 'languageTurkish' },
+  { value: 'zh-CN', message: 'languageChineseSimplified' },
+];
+
 interface AppSettingsSectionProps {
   scrollToSection?: string;
 }
@@ -131,6 +164,7 @@ export default function AppSettingsSection({ scrollToSection }: AppSettingsSecti
   const [isDockSwitchDisabled, setIsDockSwitchDisabled] = useState(false);
   const [showNotificationModal, setShowNotificationModal] = useState(false);
   const [showPricing, setShowPricing] = useState(true);
+  const [language, setLanguage] = useState<LanguageSetting>('system');
   const [isDarkMode, setIsDarkMode] = useState(false);
   const updateSectionRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const shouldShowUpdates = !window.appConfig.get('GOOSE_VERSION');
@@ -157,6 +191,7 @@ export default function AppSettingsSection({ scrollToSection }: AppSettingsSecti
 
   useEffect(() => {
     window.electron.getSetting('showPricing').then(setShowPricing);
+    window.electron.getSetting('language').then((value) => setLanguage(value ?? 'system'));
   }, []);
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -252,7 +287,25 @@ export default function AppSettingsSection({ scrollToSection }: AppSettingsSecti
     window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('showPricingChanged'));
   };
 
+  const handleLanguageChange = async (value: string) => {
+    const nextLanguage = LANGUAGE_OPTIONS.find((option) => option.value === value)?.value;
+    if (!nextLanguage || nextLanguage === language) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    setLanguage(nextLanguage);
+    try {
+      await window.electron.setSetting('language', nextLanguage);
+      window.electron.reloadApp();
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Failed to update language setting:', error);
+      setLanguage(language);
+    }
+  };
+
   const intl = useIntl();
+  const selectedLanguage =
+    LANGUAGE_OPTIONS.find((option) => option.value === language) ?? LANGUAGE_OPTIONS[0];
 
   return (
     <div className="space-y-4 pr-4 pb-8 mt-1">
@@ -400,6 +453,29 @@ export default function AppSettingsSection({ scrollToSection }: AppSettingsSecti
         </CardContent>
       </Card>
 
+      <Card className="rounded-lg">
+        <CardHeader className="pb-0">
+          <CardTitle className="mb-1">{intl.formatMessage(i18n.languageTitle)}</CardTitle>
+          <CardDescription>{intl.formatMessage(i18n.languageDesc)}</CardDescription>
+        </CardHeader>
+        <CardContent className="pt-4 px-4">
+          <DropdownMenu>
+            <DropdownMenuTrigger className="flex w-full max-w-[260px] items-center justify-between gap-2 rounded-md border border-border-primary bg-background-primary px-3 py-2 text-sm text-text-primary transition-colors hover:border-border-primary">
+              <span className="truncate">{intl.formatMessage(i18n[selectedLanguage.message])}</span>
+              <ChevronDown className="h-4 w-4 shrink-0" />
+            </DropdownMenuTrigger>
+            <DropdownMenuContent align="start" className="w-[260px]">
+              <DropdownMenuRadioGroup value={language} onValueChange={handleLanguageChange}>
+                {LANGUAGE_OPTIONS.map((option) => (
+                  <DropdownMenuRadioItem key={option.value} value={option.value}>
+                    {intl.formatMessage(i18n[option.message])}
+                  </DropdownMenuRadioItem>
+                ))}
+              </DropdownMenuRadioGroup>
+            </DropdownMenuContent>
+          </DropdownMenu>
+        </CardContent>
+      </Card>
       <TelemetrySettings />
 
       <Card className="rounded-lg">
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/index.ts b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/index.ts
index 662b4b3eb..d6d632235 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/index.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/index.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * Locale detection and message loading for the i18n system.
  *
  * Locale resolution order:
- *   1. GOOSE_LOCALE config value (set via environment variable, passed through appConfig)
+ *   1. GOOSE_LOCALE config value (manual setting or environment variable, passed through appConfig)
  *   2. navigator.languages (full accept-language list from OS/browser)
  *   3. "en" (fallback)
  *
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@
 export { defineMessages, useIntl } from 'react-intl';
 
 /** The set of locales that have translation catalogs. */
-const SUPPORTED_LOCALES = new Set(['en', 'hi', 'ru', 'tr', 'zh-CN', 'ja']);
+export const SUPPORTED_LOCALES = ['en', 'hi', 'ja', 'ru', 'tr', 'zh-CN'] as const;
+export type SupportedLocale = (typeof SUPPORTED_LOCALES)[number];
+const SUPPORTED_LOCALE_SET = new Set<string>(SUPPORTED_LOCALES);
 
 /**
  * Map Simplified Chinese aliases (zh, zh-Hans*, zh-SG, zh-MY) to "zh-CN".
@@ -61,12 +63,12 @@ export function getLocale(): { locale: string; messageLocale: string } {
     const tag = resolveChineseAlias(normalized);
 
     // Exact match first
-    if (SUPPORTED_LOCALES.has(tag)) return { locale: tag, messageLocale: tag };
+    if (SUPPORTED_LOCALE_SET.has(tag)) return { locale: tag, messageLocale: tag };
 
     // Try base language (e.g. "pt-BR" → "pt") for the catalog, but keep the
     // full regional tag for formatting so date/number output respects the region.
     const base = tag.split('-')[0];
-    if (SUPPORTED_LOCALES.has(base)) {
+    if (SUPPORTED_LOCALE_SET.has(base)) {
       // Validate the full tag is a well-formed BCP 47 locale before using it
       // for formatting. Invalid tags (e.g. "en-") would cause RangeError in
       // Intl APIs, so fall back to the base language in that case.
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/en.json b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/en.json
index c9b3214e9..0b85605f7 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/en.json
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/en.json
@@ -4046,6 +4046,33 @@
   "settings.help.title": {
     "defaultMessage": "Help & feedback"
   },
+  "settings.language.description": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Choose the display language for goose"
+  },
+  "settings.language.english": {
+    "defaultMessage": "English"
+  },
+  "settings.language.hindi": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Hindi"
+  },
+  "settings.language.japanese": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Japanese"
+  },
+  "settings.language.russian": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Russian"
+  },
+  "settings.language.systemDefault": {
+    "defaultMessage": "System Default"
+  },
+  "settings.language.title": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Language"
+  },
+  "settings.language.turkish": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Turkish"
+  },
+  "settings.language.zhCN": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Chinese (Simplified)"
+  },
   "settings.menuBarIcon.description": {
     "defaultMessage": "Show goose in the menu bar"
   },
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/hi.json b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/hi.json
index db5426024..76c9a5903 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/hi.json
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/hi.json
@@ -4046,6 +4046,33 @@
   "settings.help.title": {
     "defaultMessage": "सहायता एवं प्रतिक्रिया"
   },
+  "settings.language.description": {
+    "defaultMessage": "goose के लिए प्रदर्शन भाषा चुनें"
+  },
+  "settings.language.english": {
+    "defaultMessage": "अंग्रेज़ी"
+  },
+  "settings.language.hindi": {
+    "defaultMessage": "हिन्दी"
+  },
+  "settings.language.japanese": {
+    "defaultMessage": "जापानी"
+  },
+  "settings.language.russian": {
+    "defaultMessage": "रूसी"
+  },
+  "settings.language.systemDefault": {
+    "defaultMessage": "सिस्टम डिफ़ॉल्ट"
+  },
+  "settings.language.title": {
+    "defaultMessage": "भाषा"
+  },
+  "settings.language.turkish": {
+    "defaultMessage": "तुर्की"
+  },
+  "settings.language.zhCN": {
+    "defaultMessage": "चीनी (सरलीकृत)"
+  },
   "settings.menuBarIcon.description": {
     "defaultMessage": "मेनू बार में goose दिखाएँ"
   },
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/ja.json b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/ja.json
index 16f2d196f..f18fe9ed0 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/ja.json
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/ja.json
@@ -4046,6 +4046,33 @@
   "settings.help.title": {
     "defaultMessage": "ヘルプとフィードバック"
   },
+  "settings.language.description": {
+    "defaultMessage": "goose の表示言語を選択"
+  },
+  "settings.language.english": {
+    "defaultMessage": "英語"
+  },
+  "settings.language.hindi": {
+    "defaultMessage": "ヒンディー語"
+  },
+  "settings.language.japanese": {
+    "defaultMessage": "日本語"
+  },
+  "settings.language.russian": {
+    "defaultMessage": "ロシア語"
+  },
+  "settings.language.systemDefault": {
+    "defaultMessage": "システムデフォルト"
+  },
+  "settings.language.title": {
+    "defaultMessage": "言語"
+  },
+  "settings.language.turkish": {
+    "defaultMessage": "トルコ語"
+  },
+  "settings.language.zhCN": {
+    "defaultMessage": "中国語（簡体字）"
+  },
   "settings.menuBarIcon.description": {
     "defaultMessage": "メニューバーにgooseを表示します"
   },
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/ru.json b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/ru.json
index 2ebb91da7..cd7b1de8b 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/ru.json
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/ru.json
@@ -4046,6 +4046,33 @@
   "settings.help.title": {
     "defaultMessage": "Помощь и отзывы"
   },
+  "settings.language.description": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Выберите язык интерфейса goose"
+  },
+  "settings.language.english": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Английский"
+  },
+  "settings.language.hindi": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Хинди"
+  },
+  "settings.language.japanese": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Японский"
+  },
+  "settings.language.russian": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Русский"
+  },
+  "settings.language.systemDefault": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Системный язык"
+  },
+  "settings.language.title": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Язык"
+  },
+  "settings.language.turkish": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Турецкий"
+  },
+  "settings.language.zhCN": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Китайский (упрощенный)"
+  },
   "settings.menuBarIcon.description": {
     "defaultMessage": "Показывать goose в строке меню"
   },
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/tr.json b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/tr.json
index f993fdb2a..c5838ba2f 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/tr.json
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/tr.json
@@ -4046,6 +4046,33 @@
   "settings.help.title": {
     "defaultMessage": "Yardım ve geri bildirim"
   },
+  "settings.language.description": {
+    "defaultMessage": "goose için görüntüleme dilini seçin"
+  },
+  "settings.language.english": {
+    "defaultMessage": "İngilizce"
+  },
+  "settings.language.hindi": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Hintçe"
+  },
+  "settings.language.japanese": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Japonca"
+  },
+  "settings.language.russian": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Rusça"
+  },
+  "settings.language.systemDefault": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Sistem varsayılanı"
+  },
+  "settings.language.title": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Dil"
+  },
+  "settings.language.turkish": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Türkçe"
+  },
+  "settings.language.zhCN": {
+    "defaultMessage": "Çince (Basitleştirilmiş)"
+  },
   "settings.menuBarIcon.description": {
     "defaultMessage": "Menü çubuğunda goose'yi göster"
   },
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/zh-CN.json b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/zh-CN.json
index 66578ed21..1c4389454 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/zh-CN.json
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/i18n/messages/zh-CN.json
@@ -4046,6 +4046,33 @@
   "settings.help.title": {
     "defaultMessage": "帮助与反馈"
   },
+  "settings.language.description": {
+    "defaultMessage": "选择 goose 的显示语言"
+  },
+  "settings.language.english": {
+    "defaultMessage": "英语"
+  },
+  "settings.language.hindi": {
+    "defaultMessage": "印地语"
+  },
+  "settings.language.japanese": {
+    "defaultMessage": "日语"
+  },
+  "settings.language.russian": {
+    "defaultMessage": "俄语"
+  },
+  "settings.language.systemDefault": {
+    "defaultMessage": "系统默认"
+  },
+  "settings.language.title": {
+    "defaultMessage": "语言"
+  },
+  "settings.language.turkish": {
+    "defaultMessage": "土耳其语"
+  },
+  "settings.language.zhCN": {
+    "defaultMessage": "简体中文"
+  },
   "settings.menuBarIcon.description": {
     "defaultMessage": "在菜单栏显示 goose"
   },
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/main.ts b/ui/desktop/src/main.ts
index cc4eecbd2..562d6526c 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/main.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/main.ts
@@ -130,13 +130,7 @@ const MENU_TRANSLATIONS_ZH_CN: Record<string, string> = {
 };
 
 function detectMenuLocale(): string {
-  const explicit = process.env.GOOSE_LOCALE;
-  if (explicit) return explicit;
-  try {
-    return app.getSystemLocale() || 'en';
-  } catch {
-    return 'en';
-  }
+  return getConfiguredGooseLocale() ?? 'en';
 }
 
 function menuT(label: string): string {
@@ -174,6 +168,19 @@ function translateMenuLabels(items: MenuItem[]): void {
 // Settings management
 const SETTINGS_FILE = path.join(app.getPath('userData'), 'settings.json');
 const STARTUP_LOGS_DIR = path.join(app.getPath('userData'), 'logs', 'startup');
+const validLanguageSettings = new Set<Settings['language']>([
+  'system',
+  'en',
+  'hi',
+  'ja',
+  'ru',
+  'tr',
+  'zh-CN',
+]);
+
+function isValidLanguageSetting(value: unknown): value is Settings['language'] {
+  return typeof value === 'string' && validLanguageSettings.has(value as Settings['language']);
+}
 
 function getSettings(): Settings {
   if (fsSync.existsSync(SETTINGS_FILE)) {
@@ -211,6 +218,23 @@ function updateSettings(modifier: (settings: Settings) => void): void {
   fsSync.writeFileSync(SETTINGS_FILE, JSON.stringify(settings, null, 2));
 }
 
+function getConfiguredGooseLocale(): string | undefined {
+  const language = getSettings().language;
+  if (isValidLanguageSetting(language) && language !== 'system') {
+    return language;
+  }
+
+  if (process.env.GOOSE_LOCALE) {
+    return process.env.GOOSE_LOCALE;
+  }
+
+  try {
+    return app.isReady() ? app.getSystemLocale() || undefined : undefined;
+  } catch {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+}
+
 function listGitWorktreeDirs(dir: string): Promise<string[]> {
   return new Promise((resolve) => {
     if (!dir?.trim()) {
@@ -314,20 +338,8 @@ app.on('certificate-error', (event, _webContents, url, _error, certificate, call
   }
 });
 
-// Fill in GOOSE_LOCALE from the OS region locale once Electron is ready.
-// Kept separate from the initial appConfig assignment above because
-// app.getSystemLocale() is only available after the app.ready event fires.
 app.whenReady().then(() => {
-  if (!appConfig.GOOSE_LOCALE) {
-    try {
-      const sysLocale = app.getSystemLocale();
-      if (sysLocale) {
-        appConfig.GOOSE_LOCALE = sysLocale;
-      }
-    } catch {
-      // Locale detection is best-effort; renderer will fall back to navigator.language.
-    }
-  }
+  appConfig.GOOSE_LOCALE = getConfiguredGooseLocale();
 });
 
 // Main-process net.fetch: pin to the exact cert goosed generated.
@@ -905,6 +917,7 @@ const createChat = async (app: App, options: CreateChatOptions = {}) => {
       additionalArguments: [
         JSON.stringify({
           ...appConfig,
+          GOOSE_LOCALE: getConfiguredGooseLocale(),
           GOOSE_API_HOST: baseUrl,
           GOOSE_WORKING_DIR: workingDir,
           REQUEST_DIR: dir,
@@ -1245,7 +1258,12 @@ const createLauncher = () => {
       preload: path.join(__dirname, 'preload.js'),
       nodeIntegration: false,
       contextIsolation: true,
-      additionalArguments: [JSON.stringify(appConfig)],
+      additionalArguments: [
+        JSON.stringify({
+          ...appConfig,
+          GOOSE_LOCALE: getConfiguredGooseLocale(),
+        }),
+      ],
       partition: 'persist:goose',
     },
     skipTaskbar: true,
@@ -1635,6 +1653,7 @@ const validSettingKeys: Set<string> = new Set([
   'keyboardShortcuts',
   'theme',
   'useSystemTheme',
+  'language',
   'responseStyle',
   'showPricing',
   'sessionSharing',
@@ -1648,11 +1667,20 @@ ipcMain.handle('set-setting', (_event, key: SettingKey, value: unknown) => {
     return;
   }
 
+  if (key === 'language' && !isValidLanguageSetting(value)) {
+    console.error(`Invalid language setting rejected: ${String(value)}`);
+    return;
+  }
+
   const settings = getSettings();
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
   (settings as any)[key] = value;
   fsSync.writeFileSync(SETTINGS_FILE, JSON.stringify(settings, null, 2));
 
+  if (key === 'language') {
+    appConfig.GOOSE_LOCALE = getConfiguredGooseLocale();
+  }
+
   // Re-register shortcuts if keyboard shortcuts changed
   if (key === 'keyboardShortcuts') {
     registerGlobalShortcuts();
@@ -2661,6 +2689,10 @@ async function appMain() {
     event.returnValue = app.getVersion();
   });
 
+  ipcMain.on('get-app-locale', (event) => {
+    event.returnValue = getConfiguredGooseLocale();
+  });
+
   ipcMain.handle('open-directory-in-explorer', async (_event, path: string) => {
     try {
       return !!(await shell.openPath(path));
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/preload.ts b/ui/desktop/src/preload.ts
index 364325908..eca1e0ea0 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/preload.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/preload.ts
@@ -352,9 +352,17 @@ const electronAPI: ElectronAPI = {
   listGitWorktreeDirs: (dir: string) => ipcRenderer.invoke('list-git-worktree-dirs', dir),
 };
 
+function getAppLocale(): unknown {
+  try {
+    return ipcRenderer.sendSync('get-app-locale') ?? config.GOOSE_LOCALE;
+  } catch {
+    return config.GOOSE_LOCALE;
+  }
+}
+
 const appConfigAPI: AppConfigAPI = {
-  get: (key: string) => config[key],
-  getAll: () => config,
+  get: (key: string) => (key === 'GOOSE_LOCALE' ? getAppLocale() : config[key]),
+  getAll: () => ({ ...config, GOOSE_LOCALE: getAppLocale() }),
 };
 
 // Expose the APIs
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/test/setup.ts b/ui/desktop/src/test/setup.ts
index bed778d48..23ff58cad 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/test/setup.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/test/setup.ts
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ const mockSettings: Record<string, unknown> = {
   },
   theme: 'light',
   useSystemTheme: true,
+  language: 'system',
   responseStyle: 'concise',
   showPricing: true,
   sessionSharing: {
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ Object.defineProperty(window, 'electron', {
       mockSettings[key] = value;
       return Promise.resolve();
     }),
+    reloadApp: vi.fn(),
     showMessageBox: vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve({ response: 0 })),
     getIsFullScreen: vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve(false)),
     on: vi.fn(),
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/utils/settings.ts b/ui/desktop/src/utils/settings.ts
index 5f50fc6e0..7c1c0ed9b 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/utils/settings.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/utils/settings.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ export interface SessionSharingConfig {
   baseUrl: string;
 }
 
+export type LanguageSetting = 'system' | 'en' | 'hi' | 'ja' | 'ru' | 'tr' | 'zh-CN';
+
 export interface Settings {
   // Desktop app settings
   showMenuBarIcon: boolean;
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@ export interface Settings {
   // UI preferences (migrated from localStorage)
   theme: 'dark' | 'light';
   useSystemTheme: boolean;
+  language: LanguageSetting;
   responseStyle: string;
   showPricing: boolean;
   sessionSharing: SessionSharingConfig;
@@ -81,6 +84,7 @@ export const defaultSettings: Settings = {
   // UI preferences
   theme: 'light',
   useSystemTheme: true,
+  language: 'system',
   responseStyle: 'concise',
   showPricing: true,
   sessionSharing: {