Change your iPhone language in Settings, then General, then Language & Region

Open Settings on your iPhone. Tap General, then scroll down and tap Language & Region. At the top, you'll see iPhone Language with your current language listed. Tap it, choose the language you want, then tap Done. Your iPhone will restart and display everything in that language.

The whole process takes less than a minute. Your apps, menus, notifications, and system messages will all switch to the new language when ready after the restart. Any text you've written or documents you've created stay exactly as they are — only the interface language changes.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Settings > General > Language & Region > iPhone Language to see all available languages.
  • Your iPhone restarts automatically after you select a new language, so close any open apps first if you want to avoid losing unsaved work.
  • Changing the iPhone language does not affect the language of your apps unless those apps are set to follow the system language.
  • You can set a different region separately from language — region controls date format, time format, and which App Store you see.
  • If you change your mind, you can switch back to your original language the same way at any time.

What happens to your apps when you change the language

Most apps will switch to the new language automatically if they support it. Apps like Mail, Messages, Calendar, and Photos follow your iPhone's system language. However, some third-party apps have their own language settings and won't change unless you adjust them inside the app itself.

To check if an app has its own language setting, open the app and look in its settings or preferences menu. Some apps let you pick a language independent of your iPhone's language — this is useful if you want your phone in English but a specific app in Spanish, for example.

The difference between iPhone Language and Region

iPhone Language controls what language you see in menus, buttons, and system messages. Region controls how dates, times, phone numbers, and currency display. You can have your iPhone in English but set to a region like France, which would show dates as day/month/year instead of month/day/year.

To change your region separately, go to Settings > General > Language & Region and tap Region. Choose the region you want. This doesn't change the language of text — only the format of numbers and dates. Many people keep their language and region the same, but you don't have to.

How to change language for Siri and keyboard

When you change your iPhone language, Siri automatically switches to that language. If you want Siri to use a different language than your iPhone, go to Settings > Siri & Search > Siri Language and pick a different one.

Your keyboard language usually follows your iPhone language too, but you can add extra keyboards in different languages. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, tap Add New Keyboard, and select the language you want. Then when you're typing, you can swipe between keyboards by tapping the globe icon on the keyboard itself.

Troubleshooting if the language didn't change

If you selected a new language but your iPhone still shows the old one, restart your phone. Hold the power button until you see the slider, then slide to power off. Wait a few seconds, then hold the power button again until you see the Apple logo. This forces the language change to take effect.

If restarting doesn't work, check that you actually tapped Done after selecting the language — if you just tapped the language name and went back, the change won't save. Go back to Settings > General > Language & Region > iPhone Language and confirm your choice is showing as selected.

Changing language on a shared or family iPhone

If multiple people use the same iPhone, changing the language affects everyone because the iPhone language is a system-wide setting, not a per-user setting. There's no way to have different languages for different users on one device.

If you share an iPhone and need different languages, the only real option is to take turns changing it when you use the phone, or to use separate devices. Some families solve this by having one person's preferred language as the main language and others learning to navigate in that language, or by using translation features in apps like Messages or Safari when needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my iPhone language delete anything?

No. Your photos, messages, contacts, apps, and all your data stay exactly as they are. Only the language of the menus and system text changes. You can switch back to your original language anytime without losing anything.

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

The system language is one language only. However, you can add multiple keyboards so you can type in different languages, and you can use translation tools in Safari or Messages. Some apps also let you set their language independently of your iPhone's language.

What if my language isn't in the list?

Apple supports most major languages, but not every language is available. If you don't see your language, the closest option is usually a regional variant — for example, if you want Catalan, you might find it under Spanish regions. Check the full list by scrolling through all options.

Does changing my iPhone language change my Apple ID language?

No. Your Apple ID language is separate and can be different from your iPhone language. To change your Apple ID language, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Account Settings, then look for language preferences in your account settings on Apple's website.

Will my apps stop working if I change the language?

No. Apps continue to work normally. They'll display in your new language if they support it, but the app itself functions the same way. If an app crashes after a language change, restart your iPhone — this usually fixes it.