> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.servicebooked.ca/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Communication language

> Set whether the AI Receptionist and your automated messages speak English, French, or both — one choice that applies everywhere.

Communication language is a single org-wide setting that controls the language(s) ServiceBooked uses to talk to your customers — across **every channel** (chat widget, SMS, email, voice) and in your **automated message templates** (confirmations, reminders, review requests, and the rest).

Set it once; it applies everywhere.

## Where to set it

**Settings → Automations → Communication language**, near the top of the Automations tab.

It saves on its own the moment you change it — you don't need the recipe **Save** button below it.

## The three modes

<Steps>
  <Step title="English only (default)">
    The AI Receptionist always replies in English on every channel, and automated templates send in English.
  </Step>

  <Step title="French only (Canadian)">
    The AI Receptionist always replies in Québécois business French, and automated templates send in French.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Bilingual (English & French)">
    On **chat, SMS, and email**, the AI Receptionist mirrors each customer's language — replies in French to a French message, English to an English one (defaulting to English when it's ambiguous). Automated templates go out with **both** languages included. On **voice calls**, it opens in English and switches to French if the caller speaks French.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What it affects

* **AI replies** on the chat widget, SMS, social DMs, email auto-replies, and voice calls.
* **Chat widget launcher labels** — the bubble's hover labels ("Chat with us" / "Close chat") render in French for French-mode orgs. (Bilingual mode shows English, since the widget can't know a visitor's language before they type. Your own custom bubble tooltip text always wins.)
* **Automated templates** — booking confirmations, reminders, reschedule/cancel notices, review requests, and other [workflow recipes](/tasks-and-workflows/recipes). In bilingual mode each template carries an English block and a French block, each with its own opt-out line.
* **Confirmation calls** — [appointment confirmation calls](/phone-and-voice/appointment-confirmation-calls) use the same setting.

## How it works with your custom templates

Switching the mode swaps the **default** templates to the matching language. If you've **edited** a recipe's text yourself, your custom wording is kept as-is — it isn't auto-translated. Untouched templates follow the language mode; templates you've personalized stay exactly how you wrote them.

If you want a personalized template in the new language, edit it (or **Reset this template to default** to pull in the language's stock version, then tweak).

## Notes & limits

* This is **English / French / bilingual** today. Voice calls can additionally be set to other spoken languages on the voice settings — but the org-wide text + AI behavior is governed here.
* Bilingual voice relies on real-time English↔French detection. If you've selected a **custom voice** that can't speak French, French callers won't be served well — use a default voice for bilingual orgs.
* The setting is per organization. Multi-location businesses that need different languages per location should run separate organizations.

## Next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Automation recipes" icon="book-open" href="/tasks-and-workflows/recipes">
    The automated templates this setting translates.
  </Card>

  <Card title="The AI Receptionist" icon="phone-call" href="/phone-and-voice/voice-ai-assistant">
    Voice-specific language behavior.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>