In short. Check both the language and country lists in Google's AI Overviews help page, then record the settings and query used for any manual test.
Definition: Checking AI Overviews availability means looking up both the target language and the searcher's country or territory in Google's AI Overviews help page. AI Overviews are summaries in Google Search with links to supporting information; Google selects when they appear for a search.
Key facts
- As of 17 October 2026, Google's AI Overviews help page publishes separate country and language lists. France and French appear in their respective lists.
- Google's search language documentation describes the query language, display language and location as factors in the language of results.
- Google's AI features guidance for site owners says a page must be indexed and eligible for a Google Search snippet to qualify as a supporting link.
Where are the country and language lists?
Google's AI Overviews help page contains an “AI Overviews availability” section. Its “Countries and territories” list groups locations under regional headings. Its “Languages” list names supported languages separately.
A site owner checks the intended audience's country or territory, then the intended search language. The language list distinguishes Chinese (Simplified) from Chinese (Traditional), and includes Portuguese without a country label. These published labels provide the terms to look for when checking support.
The lists describe availability to search users. Recording the language, country and date alongside the source link makes the result of this documentation check reviewable when Google updates the page.
How should a manual language check be configured?
Google's language selection documentation explains that the language used to type a query helps determine the language of results. The display language controls buttons and other interface text, while also acting as a signal for results. Google also uses location.
For a manual check, the record therefore includes the query text and language, display language, and search location. A translated interface alone leaves out other documented language signals.
The Results Language Filter restricts web results to preferred languages. Google's documented desktop settings path is:
Search settings > Results Language Filter
After selecting preferred languages, the setting is saved with Confirm. Google says language filters mostly work for web results and do not work for some search features. The filter is useful context to record alongside the observed AI Overview.
What does availability mean for a website?
Google's AI features guidance says AI Overviews appear when its systems consider them additive to classic Search, and often do not trigger. An absent summary in a manual test therefore leaves the published language and country lists as the reference for documented support.
For a website, the same guidance specifies indexing and eligibility for a Search snippet as technical conditions for a supporting link. It sets no additional technical requirements for AI Overviews. A language availability check and a page eligibility check answer separate operational questions.
Related terms
FAQ
Can I use the AI Overviews list to check AI Mode?
Check Google's separate AI Mode help page. AI Mode, Google's search experience with follow-up questions, has its own “Supported countries & territories” and “Supported languages” lists.
Why is an AI Overview missing during my test?
Google's AI features guidance says AI Overviews often do not trigger because its systems assess whether they add value to classic Search. Record the query and test conditions alongside the published availability check.
Sources
- Google Search Help, "Find information in faster & easier ways with AI Overviews in Google Search", accessed 17 October 2026
- Google Search Help, "How Google knows what language to show in search results", accessed 17 October 2026
- Google Search Central, "AI features and your website", 10 December 2025
- Google Search Help, "Get AI-powered responses with AI Mode in Google Search", accessed 17 October 2026
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