Change Your iPad's System Language in Settings

Open Settings on your iPad home screen, then tap General. Scroll down and tap Language & Region. At the top, you will see iPad Language with your current language listed. Tap it to see all available languages, select the one you want, and tap Done. Your iPad will restart to explore the change.

The entire system — menus, buttons, notifications, and built-in apps — will switch to your chosen language. This does not affect apps you downloaded from the App Store unless those apps have their own language settings inside them.

If you cannot find Language & Region, make sure you are in Settings > General and scroll all the way down. On some iPad models, it appears lower in the list than you might expect.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Settings, tap General, then Language & Region, and select iPad Language to change the system language for your entire device.
  • Your iPad will restart after you choose a new language, and all system menus and built-in apps will display in that language.
  • Third-party apps from the App Store may have their own separate language settings that do not automatically follow your system language choice.
  • You can change your language back at any time by returning to the same Settings menu and selecting a different option.

Change Language for Individual Apps

Many apps downloaded from the App Store have their own language settings separate from your iPad's system language. Open the app, look for Settings or Preferences (usually a gear icon), and search for a Language option. Not all apps offer this choice — some use only your system language.

Popular apps like Microsoft Word, Google Translate, and Duolingo let you pick a language inside the app itself. If you change your system language but an app still shows the old language, check that app's own settings first before assuming it is broken.

Add a Second Language to Your Keyboard

If you want to type in multiple languages without changing your entire system, add a second keyboard instead. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, tap Add New Keyboard, and select the language you want to type in. You can now switch between keyboards by tapping the globe icon on your on-screen keyboard.

This is faster than changing your system language if you only need to type in another language occasionally. You keep your menus and apps in your main language while gaining the ability to type in a second one.

Change the Region Format Without Changing Language

Your iPad separates language from region format. You can keep your system in English but change how dates, times, and currency display. Go to Settings > General > Language & Region and look for Region below the language setting. Tap it and choose your region.

This is useful if you live in a country where English is spoken but you want dates formatted the local way, or if you moved and want to keep your system language but update how numbers and currency appear.

Troubleshoot Language Changes That Do Not Stick

If you changed your language but it reverted, your iPad may not have restarted properly. Go back to Settings > General > Language & Region, select your language again, and wait for the restart to complete fully. Do not use your iPad during the restart.

If a specific app is still showing the wrong language after you changed your system language, that app may override your system setting. Check the app's own settings menu. Some apps also need to be closed and reopened after a system language change before they update.

Switch Back to Your Original Language

Return to Settings > General > Language & Region, tap iPad Language, and select your original language from the list. Your iPad will restart again. This works the same way as the initial change — you can switch languages as many times as you need.

Keep in mind that if you set up your iPad in a language you no longer read, you may need to recognize the icons and menu positions to navigate back to Settings. If you are completely lost, you can restore your iPad to factory settings and set it up again in your preferred language, though this erases all your data unless you have a backup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my iPad language affect my Apple ID or iCloud account?

No. Your Apple ID and iCloud account remain in the language you set them up in. Changing your iPad language only affects what you see on your device, not your account settings or any data stored in the cloud.

Can I have different languages on different user accounts on the same iPad?

Yes, if your iPad has multiple user accounts set up through Family Sharing or as separate profiles. Each account can have its own language setting. Go to Settings, tap the account name at the top, and each user can change their own Language & Region.

What happens to my apps when I change the system language?

Built-in apps like Mail, Calendar, and Safari switch to your new language automatically. Third-party apps may or may not follow your system language — it depends on whether the app developer built in that support. Check the app's own settings if it does not update.

Can I type in a language my keyboard does not support?

You can add keyboards for most languages through Settings. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard and look for your language. If it is not listed, your iPad may not support that language for typing, though you can still read it if apps display it.

Does changing my language affect Siri?

Siri will use your system language by default, but you can change Siri's language separately. Go to Settings > Siri & Search > Language and pick a different option if you want Siri to speak and understand a language different from your system language.