When you purchase an iPhone, the digital keyboard is automatically set to the primary language of the country you bought it in (for example, English). This defines the layout of the letters, the dictionary used for Auto-Correct, and the language spoken by the predictive text engine.
If you are bilingual, learning a new language, or frequently texting relatives overseas, constantly fighting against an English Auto-Correct system that tries to “fix” your Spanish or French words is incredibly frustrating. To solve this, iOS allows you to install multiple different language keyboards and seamlessly switch between them mid-sentence.
How to Add a New Keyboard Language
You must download and install the new language profile before you can use it.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on General.
- Scroll down and tap on Keyboard.
- At the very top of the screen, tap on Keyboards. (It will likely have a number next to it, such as “2”).
- You will see a list of your currently installed keyboards. Tap the blue text that says Add New Keyboard…
- A massive alphabetical list of every language supported by Apple will appear. Scroll through the list (or use the search bar at the top) to find your desired language (e.g., Spanish (Mexico) or French (France)).
- Tap the language to instantly add it to your active list.
How to Switch Languages While Typing
Once the new keyboard is installed, you can switch back and forth instantly from within any app (Messages, WhatsApp, Email, etc.).
- Open any app that requires typing and tap on a text box to bring up the on-screen keyboard.
- Look at the very bottom-left corner of the keyboard, just below the Shift key. You will see a small icon that looks like a Globe.
There are two ways to use the Globe icon:
- The Quick Tap: Simply tap the Globe icon once. The keyboard will instantly flip to your secondary language (the Space bar will change to say “Espacio” or “Espace” to confirm the switch). Tapping it again will flip it back to English.
- The Press and Hold: If you have installed three or more different languages, tapping through them sequentially is annoying. Instead, press and hold your finger down on the Globe icon. A small menu will pop up listing all your installed languages. Keep your finger on the screen, slide it up to the language you want, and release.
As soon as you switch keyboards, the iPhone’s Auto-Correct and spell checker will instantly switch to that new language, allowing you to type flawlessly without getting red squiggly lines under every word.