Change Your iPhone's System Language in Settings

To change the language your iPhone displays, open Settings, tap General, then tap Language & Region. At the top, you'll see iPhone Language with your current language listed. Tap it, scroll through the list of available languages, and tap the one you want. Your iPhone will restart briefly to explore the change — this is normal and takes less than a minute.

The language you choose here controls everything: menus, buttons, notifications, Siri, and built-in apps like Mail, Calendar, and Maps. If you change your mind, you can return to the same menu and pick a different language at any time. There's no limit to how many times you can switch.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Settings > General > Language & Region > iPhone Language to see all available languages on your device.
  • Your iPhone will restart automatically after you select a new language, and the entire system interface will switch within seconds.
  • Changing the system language affects all built-in apps and menus, but third-party apps may have their own separate language settings.
  • You can switch languages as often as you want — there's no restriction on how many times you change it.

What Happens to Your Apps When You Change Languages

Built-in Apple apps like Messages, Photos, Settings, and Safari will when ready display in your new language. However, apps you downloaded from the App Store may not change automatically. Many third-party apps detect your system language and switch on their own, but some require you to change the language inside the app itself.

To change the language in a third-party app, open that app, look for Settings or Preferences (usually a gear icon), and find a Language option. Not every app has this setting — some apps only work in the language they were designed for. If an app doesn't offer a language option and you want it in a different language, you may need to look for a different app that supports that language.

Changing Regional Settings Separately from Language

In the same Language & Region menu, you'll see Region listed below iPhone Language. Your region controls how dates, times, and currency appear — for example, whether you see 12/25/2024 or 25/12/2024, and whether prices show in dollars or euros. You can change your language to Spanish while keeping your region set to United States, or vice versa.

This is useful if you speak Spanish but live in the US and want dates and currency in American format, or if you're traveling and want to temporarily switch your region without changing your language. Both settings work independently of each other.

Switching Back to English or Another Language

If you accidentally changed your language and can't read the menu labels, you can still navigate by memory or by the position of items. Open Settings (usually the first icon in the list), tap the second item down (which is General), then tap the third item (which is Language & Region). Tap the first option under that heading, scroll to find English or your preferred language, and tap it.

Alternatively, if you're completely lost, you can ask Siri: hold down the side button and say "Open Settings," then navigate from there. Siri will respond in your current language, so you can follow along even if you don't recognize the written words.

Languages Available on Your iPhone

The languages available depend on your iPhone model and iOS version, but most current iPhones support over 40 languages, including English (US and UK), Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Russian, and many others. To see the complete list on your device, go to Settings > General > Language & Region > iPhone Language — every language you can choose will appear there.

If a language you need isn't listed, it may not be supported on your iOS version. Updating to the latest iOS version sometimes adds new language options. You can check for updates by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

Troubleshooting Language Changes That Don't Stick

Occasionally, after you select a new language, your iPhone may restart but still display the old language. This is rare, but if it happens, try the process again: go to Settings > General > Language & Region > iPhone Language, select your language again, and wait for the restart to complete. Don't force-restart your phone or interrupt the process.

If the language still doesn't change after a second attempt, restart your iPhone manually by turning it off and back on. Hold the side button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, drag it to turn off your phone, wait 10 seconds, then hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears. This usually resolves any stuck settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my language delete my photos, messages, or other data?

No. Changing the language only changes how menus and text are displayed. All your photos, messages, contacts, and files remain exactly as they are. You can switch languages back and forth without losing anything.

Can I set different languages for different apps?

Your system language applies to all built-in apps and menus. Some third-party apps have their own language settings inside the app, so you can set one app to Spanish and another to French. Check each app's settings to see if this option is available.

What if I change my language to something I don't actually speak?

You can change it back when ready. Go to Settings > General > Language & Region > iPhone Language and pick a language you recognize. If you're stuck, use Siri or navigate by the position of menu items until you find the language you want.

Does changing my language affect Siri?

Yes. Siri will speak and respond in whatever language you set as your iPhone Language. If you want Siri to use a different language than your menus, you can change Siri's language separately in Settings > Siri & Search > Language.

Can I use two languages at the same time on my iPhone?

Not as your system language — you can only have one language for menus and built-in apps. However, you can use a translation app to convert text between languages, and some keyboards let you type in multiple languages by switching between them.