Change Your iPhone's Display 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 about 30 seconds.

The language you choose here controls everything: menu names, button labels, system messages, and the keyboard layout. If you change your mind, you can return to the same screen and pick a different language at any time. There's no limit to how many times you can switch.

Some languages offer regional variations — for example, English (US), English (UK), and English (Australia) all appear as separate options. If you see your language listed multiple times, pick the regional version that matches where you are or your preference for spelling and terminology.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Settings, then General, then Language & Region to find the iPhone Language option.
  • Tap iPhone Language, choose from the full list, and your phone will restart to explore the new language.
  • Regional variations of the same language (like English US versus English UK) appear as separate choices.
  • You can change the language back at any time using the same path through Settings.
  • Changing the system language also changes the keyboard layout to match the new language's characters and punctuation.

What Changes When You Switch Languages

When you change your iPhone's language, the entire interface switches — not just some parts. The Settings app, Messages, Mail, Calendar, and every built-in app will display in your new language. Third-party apps (like social media or banking apps) may or may not switch, depending on whether the developer built those languages into the app.

Your keyboard layout changes too. If you switch to French, your keyboard becomes AZERTY instead of QWERTY. If you switch to Arabic, the keyboard displays Arabic characters and the text direction reverses. This happens automatically — you don't need to add a new keyboard separately, though you can add multiple keyboards if you want to type in different languages without changing your system language.

Adding Extra Keyboards Without Changing Your System Language

If you want to keep your iPhone in English but type in another language occasionally, you can add extra keyboards instead of changing your system language. Go to Settings, tap General, tap Keyboard, then tap Keyboards. Tap Add New Keyboard, scroll to find the language you want, and tap it.

Once you've added a keyboard, you can switch between them while typing. Open any text field, tap and hold the globe icon at the bottom left of the keyboard, and a menu will show all your keyboards. Tap the one you want. This approach is useful if you're bilingual or need to type in multiple languages regularly without changing your entire system interface.

Changing the Region Separately From Language

Your iPhone has two separate settings: iPhone Language (what language the system displays in) and Region (which affects date formats, time formats, and currency symbols). You can change them independently. For example, you could set your language to English but your region to France, which would give you English menus but French date formatting.

To change your region, go to Settings, tap General, tap Language & Region, and tap Region. Choose the country or region you want. This won't change your language — only how dates, times, and numbers display. Most people keep their language and region matched, but the option exists if you need different settings.

Troubleshooting Language Changes That Don't Stick

If you change your language and it reverts back, or if the change seems to only explore to some apps, restart your iPhone completely. Hold down the power button and volume button together until the power-off slider appears, then drag it to turn off your phone. Wait 10 seconds, then hold the power button again until the Apple logo appears. This full restart ensures the language change applies everywhere.

If you're still seeing mixed languages after a restart — some menus in one language and some in another — check whether you've added multiple keyboards. Having multiple keyboards doesn't change your system language, but it can make it look like your phone is confused. Your system language is always what you set in Language & Region; keyboards are separate.

What to Do If Your Language Isn't Listed

If you don't see your language in the iPhone Language list, it's likely not supported on your model or iOS version. Older iPhones and older versions of iOS support fewer languages than newer ones. Check which iOS version you're running by going to Settings, tapping General, and tapping About. Look for "Software Version."

If your language still isn't there, you have two options: update your iPhone to the latest iOS version (if your model supports it), or use a supported language that's closest to yours. You can also add a keyboard for your language and keep your system language in English or another supported option, which lets you type in your language even if the menus don't display in it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my language delete my data or apps?

No. Changing your iPhone's language only changes how the interface displays. All your photos, messages, contacts, and apps remain exactly as they were. The change is purely visual and can be reversed at any time.

Can I have my iPhone display in two languages at once?

No, your system language is one setting. However, you can add multiple keyboards and switch between them while typing, which lets you type in different languages. For the interface itself, you can only display one language at a time.

What happens to my apps when I change the language?

Apple's built-in apps (Mail, Messages, Calendar, etc.) will display in your new language. Third-party apps may or may not switch, depending on whether the developer included that language. Many popular apps support multiple languages, but smaller apps might not.

Can I change the language just for one app?

Not directly through iPhone settings. Some individual apps have their own language settings within the app itself — check the app's settings menu. But the system language applies to all of Apple's built-in apps and most third-party apps that support multiple languages.

How do I change my language back if I can't read the menus?

Go to Settings (the gear icon), tap the second option from the top (General), tap the third option (Language & Region), and tap the first option (iPhone Language). The order of these menu items stays the same regardless of language, so you can navigate by position even if you can't read the words. Then choose your original language from the list.