Change your iPhone's system language in Settings
Open Settings on your home screen, then tap General. Scroll down and tap Language & Region. At the top, tap iPhone Language, and you'll see a list of all available languages. Select the one you want, and your iPhone will ask you to confirm. Tap the language name again to confirm the change — your entire system will switch within seconds.
The change affects everything: menus, buttons, notifications, and system messages all appear in your chosen language when ready. You don't need to restart your phone. If you change your mind, you can switch back the same way at any time.
Key Takeaways
- Go to Settings, then General, then Language & Region to find the iPhone Language option.
- Your chosen language applies to the entire system — all menus, apps, and notifications switch at once.
- The change takes effect when ready without restarting your phone.
- Individual apps may still display in English if the app developer hasn't translated that app into your language.
- You can change your region separately from your language, which affects date format, currency, and which App Store you see.
What happens to your apps when you change the language
Most built-in Apple apps — Mail, Messages, Calendar, Photos — switch to your new language right away. Third-party apps (ones you downloaded from the App Store) may or may not follow. If an app's developer hasn't translated it into your chosen language, that app will stay in English or whatever language it was originally built in.
You can't force individual apps to change language through Settings. If an app you use frequently doesn't support your language, check the App Store listing to see what languages that app supports. Some apps have their own language settings buried in their own menus — open the app, look for Settings or Preferences, and search for a language option there.
Changing your region separately from your language
In the same Language & Region screen, you'll see a Region option below iPhone Language. Your region controls how dates, times, and currency display — for example, whether you see 12/25/2024 or 25/12/2024, and whether prices show in dollars or euros. You can set your language to English and your region to France, or any other combination.
Your region also determines which App Store you see and which payment methods are available. If you change your region, you may need to update your payment information, and some apps or services may become unavailable in your new region.
If your language isn't showing up in the list
iPhone supports dozens of languages, but not every language appears by default. If you don't see your language in the iPhone Language list, scroll to the very bottom and tap Add Language. This opens a longer list of all supported languages. Find and tap the one you want, then confirm.
After you add a language this way, it appears in your main language list and you can select it. Some languages also come with regional variants — for example, Spanish (Spain) versus Spanish (Mexico). Choose the variant that matches where you are or where you want the regional settings to come from.
Changing the keyboard language without changing your system language
If you want to type in a different language but keep your system menus in English, you don't need to change your iPhone Language. Instead, go to Settings, tap General, then Keyboard, then Keyboards. Tap Add New Keyboard and select the language you want to type in. Now when you're typing in any app, you can swipe left on the space bar (or tap the globe icon if it appears) to switch between your keyboard languages.
This approach keeps your system in English while letting you type in Spanish, French, Arabic, or any other language your iPhone supports. It's useful if you're bilingual but prefer your phone's menus in one language.
Troubleshooting when the language won't change
If you tap a language and nothing happens, or if your phone switches back to the previous language, restart your iPhone. Press and hold the power button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, then slide to power off. Wait 10 seconds, then press and hold the power button again until you see the Apple logo.
If the problem persists after a restart, check that you have enough storage space — go to Settings, tap General, then iPhone Storage. If you're using more than 90 percent of your storage, free up space by deleting photos, videos, or apps you don't use. Language changes sometimes fail when storage is critically low.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my language affect my data or files?
No. Your photos, messages, documents, and all personal data stay exactly as they are. Only the language of the menus and system messages changes. If you have documents written in English, they remain in English.
Can I use multiple languages at the same time?
Your system language is one at a time, but you can add multiple keyboard languages and switch between them while typing. You can also change your system language whenever you want — there's no limit to how often you can switch.
What if an app I use doesn't support my language?
The app will display in whatever language its developer chose as the default, usually English. You can't force it to change through iPhone settings. Contact the app's developer to request a translation, or look for an alternative app that supports your language.
Does changing my language affect Siri?
Yes. Siri will speak and respond in your system language. If you want Siri to understand a different language, go to Settings, tap Siri & Search, then Language, and choose a different language just for Siri while keeping your system language the same.
Can I change the language for just one app?
Not through Settings. Some apps have their own language menus inside the app — open the app and look for Settings or Preferences. Most apps, though, follow your system language and can't be changed individually.