diff --git a/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 27d5d9d..dfa201d 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -69,8 +69,10 @@
             android:parentActivityName=".ui.main.ComposeMainActivity" />
 
         <!-- Settings Activity v1.5.0 (Jetpack Compose) -->
+        <!-- v1.8.0: Handle locale changes without recreate for smooth language switching -->
         <activity
             android:name=".ui.settings.ComposeSettingsActivity"
+            android:configChanges="locale|layoutDirection"
             android:parentActivityName=".ui.main.ComposeMainActivity"
             android:theme="@style/Theme.SimpleNotes" />
 
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/dev/dettmer/simplenotes/ui/settings/ComposeSettingsActivity.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/dev/dettmer/simplenotes/ui/settings/ComposeSettingsActivity.kt
index cb13ed2..bac97b7 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/dev/dettmer/simplenotes/ui/settings/ComposeSettingsActivity.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/dev/dettmer/simplenotes/ui/settings/ComposeSettingsActivity.kt
@@ -189,4 +189,16 @@ class ComposeSettingsActivity : AppCompatActivity() {
             Logger.e(TAG, "❌ Failed to restart NetworkMonitor: ${e.message}")
         }
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Handle configuration changes (e.g., locale) without recreating activity
+     * v1.8.0: Prevents flickering during language changes by avoiding full recreate
+     * Compose automatically recomposes when configuration changes
+     */
+    override fun onConfigurationChanged(newConfig: android.content.res.Configuration) {
+        super.onConfigurationChanged(newConfig)
+        Logger.d(TAG, "📱 Configuration changed (likely locale switch) - Compose will recompose")
+        // Compose handles UI updates automatically via recomposition
+        // No manual action needed - stringResource() etc. will pick up new locale
+    }
 }
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/dev/dettmer/simplenotes/ui/settings/screens/LanguageSettingsScreen.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/dev/dettmer/simplenotes/ui/settings/screens/LanguageSettingsScreen.kt
index f47d9f2..b239b31 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/dev/dettmer/simplenotes/ui/settings/screens/LanguageSettingsScreen.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/dev/dettmer/simplenotes/ui/settings/screens/LanguageSettingsScreen.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 package dev.dettmer.simplenotes.ui.settings.screens
 
-import android.app.Activity
 import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatDelegate
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Column
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Spacer
@@ -15,7 +14,6 @@ import androidx.compose.runtime.mutableStateOf
 import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
 import androidx.compose.runtime.setValue
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
-import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalContext
 import androidx.compose.ui.res.stringResource
 import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
 import androidx.core.os.LocaleListCompat
@@ -35,8 +33,6 @@ import dev.dettmer.simplenotes.ui.settings.components.SettingsScaffold
 fun LanguageSettingsScreen(
     onBack: () -> Unit
 ) {
-    val context = LocalContext.current
-    
     // Get current app locale - fresh value each time (no remember, always reads current state)
     val currentLocale = AppCompatDelegate.getApplicationLocales()
     val currentLanguageCode = if (currentLocale.isEmpty) {
@@ -92,7 +88,7 @@ fun LanguageSettingsScreen(
                 onValueSelected = { newLanguage ->
                     if (newLanguage != selectedLanguage) {
                         selectedLanguage = newLanguage
-                        setAppLanguage(newLanguage, context as Activity)
+                        setAppLanguage(newLanguage)
                     }
                 }
             )
@@ -102,19 +98,19 @@ fun LanguageSettingsScreen(
 
 /**
  * Set app language using AppCompatDelegate
- * Works on Android 13+ natively, falls back to AppCompat on older versions
+ * v1.8.0: Smooth language change without activity recreate
+ * 
+ * ComposeSettingsActivity handles locale changes via android:configChanges="locale"
+ * in AndroidManifest.xml, preventing full activity recreate and eliminating flicker.
+ * Compose automatically recomposes when the configuration changes.
  */
-private fun setAppLanguage(languageCode: String, activity: Activity) {
+private fun setAppLanguage(languageCode: String) {
     val localeList = if (languageCode.isEmpty()) {
         LocaleListCompat.getEmptyLocaleList()
     } else {
         LocaleListCompat.forLanguageTags(languageCode)
     }
     
+    // Sets the app locale - triggers onConfigurationChanged() instead of recreate()
     AppCompatDelegate.setApplicationLocales(localeList)
-    
-    // Restart the activity to apply the change
-    // On Android 13+ the system handles this automatically for some apps,
-    // but we need to recreate to ensure our Compose UI recomposes with new locale
-    activity.recreate()
 }
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/res/values-de/strings.xml b/android/app/src/main/res/values-de/strings.xml
index c47d215..eedde88 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/res/values-de/strings.xml
+++ b/android/app/src/main/res/values-de/strings.xml
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@
     <string name="language_system_default">Systemstandard</string>
     <string name="language_english">English</string>
     <string name="language_german">Deutsch</string>
-    <string name="language_info">ℹ️ Wähle deine bevorzugte Sprache. Die App wird neu gestartet, um die Änderung anzuwenden.</string>
+    <string name="language_info">ℹ️ Wähle deine bevorzugte Sprache. Die Ansicht wird kurz aktualisiert, um die Änderung anzuwenden.</string>
     <string name="language_changed_restart">Sprache geändert. Neustart…</string>
     
     <!-- ============================= -->
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index a099149..c0f27e8 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@
     <string name="language_system_default">System Default</string>
     <string name="language_english">English</string>
     <string name="language_german">Deutsch</string>
-    <string name="language_info">ℹ️ Choose your preferred language. The app will restart to apply the change.</string>
+    <string name="language_info">ℹ️ Choose your preferred language. The view will briefly refresh to apply the change.</string>
     <string name="language_changed_restart">Language changed. Restarting…</string>
     
     <!-- ============================= -->