Where to find the keyboard language settings
Open Settings on your iPhone, then tap General. Scroll down and tap Keyboard. You'll see a section called Keyboards with a list of the languages currently installed on your device. This is where you add new languages, remove ones you don't use, and switch between them while typing.
The keyboard language is separate from your iPhone's system language. You can have your phone set to English but type in Spanish, French, Mandarin, or any other language your keyboard supports. Each language you add becomes available as a separate keyboard you can swipe between while you're composing a message or email.
Key Takeaways
- Add a new keyboard language by going to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, then tapping Add New Keyboard and selecting the language you want.
- While typing, swipe left or right on the space bar to switch between installed keyboard languages, or tap the globe icon if it appears.
- Remove a keyboard language by opening Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, tapping Edit, and swiping left on the language you want to delete.
- You can reorder your keyboards so your most-used language appears first in the rotation by dragging the three-line handle next to each language in Edit mode.
Adding a new keyboard language to your iPhone
Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and tap the Add New Keyboard button in the top right corner. A list of available languages appears—scroll through and select the one you want. If you need a specific variant (for example, Spanish from Spain versus Spanish from Mexico), tap the language name and you'll see regional options.
After you select a language, it's added to your keyboard list and ready to use when ready. You don't need to restart your phone. The new keyboard will appear in the rotation the next time you open the keyboard in any app—Messages, Mail, Notes, or anywhere else you type.
Switching between keyboard languages while typing
Once you've added a second language, the easiest way to switch is to swipe left or right on the space bar. Each swipe moves you to the next keyboard in your list. If you have three languages installed, swiping cycles through all three. On some iPhones, a small globe icon appears on the space bar—tapping it also switches keyboards.
The keyboard language stays active until you switch it again. If you type a message in Spanish, close the app, and come back to Messages an hour later, your keyboard will still be set to Spanish. This is useful if you're having a long conversation in one language, but remember to switch back if you need English.
Removing a keyboard language you no longer need
Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and tap Edit in the top left corner. The list of installed keyboards appears with a red minus sign next to each one. Tap the minus sign next to the language you want to remove, then tap Delete to confirm.
Removing a keyboard language doesn't affect your phone's system language or any text you've already typed. It straightforward removes that keyboard from your rotation so you won't accidentally swipe into it while typing. You can add it back anytime by following the steps in the "Adding a new keyboard language" section above.
Reordering your keyboards so your preferred language comes first
If you use one language much more than the others, you can move it to the top of your keyboard list so it's the default when you start typing. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and tap Edit. A three-line handle (called a "grab handle") appears to the right of each language name. Press and hold the handle, then drag the language up or down to reorder the list.
The keyboard at the top of the list is the one that appears first when you open the keyboard in any app. If you have English at the top and Spanish second, your keyboard will start in English every time you begin typing, and you'll swipe once to reach Spanish. Reordering takes a few seconds and makes typing faster if you have a clear preference.
Troubleshooting keyboard language problems
If the globe icon doesn't appear on your space bar and swiping doesn't switch languages, make sure you have at least two keyboards installed. Go back to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and confirm that you've added more than one language. If you only have one keyboard, swiping has nothing to switch to.
If a language you want isn't showing up in the Add New Keyboard list, it may not be available for your region or iOS version. Check that your iPhone is running the latest iOS by going to Settings > General > Software Update. If you're still missing a language after updating, that language may not be supported on your device—most common languages are available, but some regional or specialized keyboards may not be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different keyboard layouts for the same language?
Yes. When you add a keyboard language, you can choose between different layouts—for example, QWERTY or AZERTY for French, or Pinyin or Zhuyin for Mandarin Chinese. Tap the language name in the Add New Keyboard list to see layout options before confirming your choice.
Will changing my keyboard language change the language of my text messages or emails?
No. The keyboard language only affects which letters and characters appear on your keyboard. Your messages will be typed in whatever language you choose to write, but your iPhone's spell-check and autocorrect will adjust to match the keyboard language you're using.
What if I accidentally delete a keyboard language I need?
Go back to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, tap Add New Keyboard, and select the language again. It will be restored to your keyboard list in seconds. You won't lose any messages or data.
Can I set a default keyboard language so it's always the one that appears first?
Not directly through a default setting, but you can reorder your keyboards so your preferred language is at the top of the list. Follow the steps in the "Reordering your keyboards" section to drag your most-used language to the first position.
Do I need to change my iPhone's system language to use a different keyboard language?
No. Your keyboard language and system language are independent. You can keep your iPhone's menus and settings in English while typing in French, Spanish, or any other language you've installed.