Where to find the language setting on your iPhone
Open Settings on your home screen, then tap General. Scroll down and tap Language & Region. The first option, iPhone Language, shows your current language. Tap it to see the full list of available languages.
The list is alphabetical and includes over 40 languages, from Arabic to Vietnamese. Each language name appears in both English and in that language itself — so you can identify the one you want even if you do not read it yet. Tap your choice and confirm the prompt that appears.
Your iPhone will restart briefly to explore the change. All system text — menus, buttons, notifications, settings names — will switch to your new language. Apps you have downloaded may or may not follow this change, depending on whether the developer built multilingual support into them.
Key Takeaways
- Language settings are in Settings > General > Language & Region, under the option labeled iPhone Language.
- Your choice affects only system text and Apple's built-in apps; third-party apps may stay in their original language or follow your device language depending on how they were built.
- The change takes effect when ready after you confirm, and your iPhone will restart for a few seconds.
- You can change the language back at any time using the same path, even if you cannot read the current menu labels.
What happens to your apps when you change the language
Apple's own apps — Mail, Messages, Calendar, Photos, Maps — will switch to your new language automatically. Third-party apps from the App Store may or may not. Some developers build their apps to respect your device language setting; others lock the app to a single language or let users choose separately inside the app itself.
If you change your iPhone to Spanish but an app like Instagram or TikTok stays in English, that is the developer's choice, not a problem with your phone. You can sometimes change the language inside the app by going to its settings or preferences, but not always. The app developer decides whether that option exists.
Changing the language back if you cannot read the menus
If you switched to a language you do not actually read and now cannot navigate the menus, you can still change it back. The icons and layout stay the same regardless of language, so you can follow the same path by memory or by looking at the position of buttons.
Open Settings (usually the gear icon), tap the second item in the list (General), scroll down, and tap the item that appears roughly in the middle of the screen (Language & Region). Tap the first option in that menu (iPhone Language), find English or your original language in the alphabetical list, and tap it. Confirm the prompt. Your phone will restart and return to the language you chose.
If you get stuck, you can also ask Siri to change it back. Press and hold the home button (or say "Hey Siri" on newer models) and say "Change language to English" or whichever language you want. Siri will understand the command even if the menus are in another language.
Regional settings separate from language
In the same Language & Region menu, below iPhone Language, you will see Region. This controls how dates, times, numbers, and currency appear — not which language the text is in. You can have your language set to English but your region set to France, which would show times in 24-hour format and use the euro symbol.
For most people, language and region match — English speakers in the United States choose English and United States. But if you live in one country and speak another language, or if you want your dates formatted a certain way, you can mix and match. Change Region the same way you change Language: tap it, choose from the list, and confirm.
Why some text stays in English even after you change the language
Certain parts of iOS do not change language because they are part of Apple's system software that runs before the language setting loads. The lock screen, emergency SOS, and some recovery screens may stay in English or in the language your phone was originally set to when you first turned it on.
This is intentional — Apple keeps critical safety and security screens in a consistent language so they work the same way everywhere. If you ever need to use emergency features, the text will be the same whether your phone is set to French, Mandarin, or Arabic. This does not affect everyday use; it only matters if you are in a situation where you need to access those specific screens.
Changing language for individual apps
Some apps let you set a language independently from your device language. Open the app, look for Settings or Preferences (usually a gear icon or three horizontal lines), and search for Language or Localization. Not every app has this option — it depends on what the developer built in.
If an app has its own language setting, it will override your device language for that app only. This is useful if you want your iPhone in English but want to practice reading a language-learning app in Spanish, or if you use an app made for a specific country and want to read it in your native language instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my iPhone language affect my Apple ID or iCloud account?
No. Your Apple ID and iCloud account are tied to your account, not your device language. You can change your device language as many times as you want without affecting your account, your data, or your backups. The language setting is purely visual.
Can I set different languages for different users on the same iPhone?
No. iPhone does not support multiple user accounts or profiles. The language setting applies to the entire device. If multiple people share one iPhone, they all see the same language. You would need separate iPhones to have different languages.
What if my language is not in the list?
Apple supports over 40 languages, but not every language in the world. If yours is not listed, you can set your iPhone to the closest related language or to English. Some regional languages may be available under a broader category — for example, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese are separate options.
Does changing the language affect Siri?
Siri will switch to your new language and try to understand commands in that language. However, Siri works best in languages it was trained on. If you switch to a less common language, Siri may not understand you as well. You can change Siri's language separately in Settings > Siri & Search > Language if you want Siri in a different language than your device.
Will my text messages or emails change language?
No. Messages and emails you have already received stay in whatever language they were written in. Changing your device language only affects the menus and buttons in the Mail and Messages apps themselves, not the content of your messages. Spell-check and autocorrect will switch to your new language, though.