Change Your iPad's Display Language in Settings

To change the language your iPad displays, open Settings on your home screen, then tap General. Scroll down and tap Language & Region. At the top, you'll see iPad Language — tap it, choose your language from the list, and tap Done. Your iPad will restart and display everything in the new language.

The process takes about 30 seconds and affects all system menus, apps, and settings when ready. If you change your mind, you can switch back the same way. Your personal files, photos, and documents won't be affected — only the language of buttons, menus, and system text changes.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, tap General, then Language & Region to find the language option.
  • Your iPad will restart automatically after you select a new language and confirm the change.
  • Changing the display language does not delete your files, photos, or personal data.
  • You can change the language back anytime using the same Settings path.
  • Some apps may not support all languages and may continue displaying in English or another default language.

What Happens When You Change the Language

When you tap Done after selecting a new language, your iPad saves the change and restarts. This restart takes one to two minutes. During the restart, you'll see the Apple logo, and your screen will go black briefly. Don't turn off your iPad during this time.

After the restart completes, every system element switches to your chosen language — the lock screen, Control Center, Settings menus, Siri, and built-in apps like Mail, Calendar, and Notes. Third-party apps (ones you downloaded from the App Store) may or may not switch, depending on whether the developer translated them into that language. For example, if you switch to Spanish, some apps might stay in English because the developer didn't create a Spanish version.

Changing Keyboard and Text Input Language

Changing your display language does not automatically change your keyboard layout or text input language. If you want to type in a different language, you need to add a keyboard separately. Open Settings, tap General, then Keyboard. Tap Keyboards, then Add New Keyboard, and select the language and keyboard layout you want.

Once you add a keyboard, a globe icon appears on your on-screen keyboard. Tap it to switch between your keyboards while typing. This is useful if you want your iPad to display in English but need to type in French, Arabic, or another language. You can add as many keyboards as you need.

Changing the Region and Date Format

In the same Language & Region menu, you can also change your Region separately from your language. Your region setting controls how dates, times, and numbers display. For example, if you set your language to English but your region to France, you'll see English text but dates formatted as day/month/year instead of month/day/year.

Tap Region in the Language & Region menu to choose a different country or area. This change takes effect when ready without restarting your iPad. Changing the region does not affect your files or personal data — only the format of dates, times, and numbers in apps and system menus.

Troubleshooting Language Changes That Don't Stick

If you change the language but it reverts back, or if the change doesn't take effect, restart your iPad manually. Press and hold the top button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your iPad, wait 10 seconds, then press the top button again to turn it back on. Once it restarts, check Settings to confirm the language change took.

If a specific app is still showing in the wrong language after you changed your system language, that app may not support your chosen language. Check the App Store listing for that app to see which languages it supports. Some apps let you change the language within the app itself — open the app, go to its settings or preferences, and look for a language option there.

Switching Back to Your Original Language

If you accidentally changed your language to one you don't read, you can still change it back even if you can't read the menu labels. Open Settings (the gear icon, usually on your home screen), tap the second option from the top (which is General), scroll down and tap the option that appears around the middle of the screen (which is Language & Region), then tap the top option (which is iPad Language). The language list appears in alphabetical order by language name, so find your language and tap it.

If you're unsure which language is which, look for the flag icons next to each language name — these can help you identify the right one. Once you select your language and tap Done, your iPad restarts and returns to the language you chose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing the language delete my apps or files?

No. Changing the display language only changes the text you see in menus and system apps. All your photos, documents, emails, and downloaded apps remain exactly as they were. Your personal data is never affected by language changes.

Can I have different languages for different users on the same iPad?

iPad does not support multiple user accounts with separate language settings the way some computers do. If you share an iPad with others, you'll all see the same language. However, you can change the language whenever you need to, and it takes less than a minute.

Why is my app still in English after I changed the language?

Third-party apps only display in languages the developer translated them into. If an app doesn't have a version in your chosen language, it will stay in English or whatever language the developer set as the default. Check the app's settings to see if it has its own language option you can adjust.

Does changing the language affect Siri?

Yes. Siri will speak and respond in your new language after you change it. If you want Siri to use a different language than your display language, open Settings, tap Siri & Search, tap Language, and choose a different one. This does not change your display language — only what language Siri uses.

What if my language isn't in the list?

iPad supports most major languages, but not every language in the world. If your language isn't listed, the closest related language may be available — for example, if you don't see a specific dialect, a broader version of that language might work. Check Apple's support page for a complete list of supported languages for your iPad model.