Whether you are trying to immerse yourself in a new language for learning purposes, setting up a device you bought abroad, or recovering from a prank that left your iPhone displaying text in a script you cannot read, changing the default language on an iPhone only takes a few taps. iOS applies the selected language to every aspect of the system — menus, keyboard suggestions, Siri, and default Apple apps — making the switch comprehensive and immediate.
How to Change Your iPhone’s Language (When You Can Read the Current Language)
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on General.
- Scroll down the General list and tap on Language & Region.
- At the top of the Language & Region screen, you will see your current primary language listed. Tap Add Language… below it to see the full list of available languages.
- Use the search bar at the top of the language list or scroll manually to find the language you want to switch to.
- Tap your desired language to select it.
- A prompt will appear at the bottom of the screen asking what you want to do. Tap the option that says “Use [Your New Language]” (typically highlighted at the top in blue or red text) to make the new language your primary system language.
Your iPhone screen will briefly go dark and display a progress message. When it turns back on, all system menus, the App Store, iMessage, Safari, and Apple’s built-in apps will be displayed in the new language. Third-party apps will also switch if they support that language.
How to Change the Language When You Cannot Read the Screen
If your iPhone is currently displaying text in a language you cannot read — for example, Arabic, Chinese, or Japanese — you can navigate the menus using the consistent icon positions rather than reading the text labels.
- Find the Settings app on your home screen. It is identifiable by its silver icon showing a set of mechanical gears.
- Inside Settings, scroll down to find an item that has a smaller gear icon next to it. Tap it. (This is the General section.)
- Inside General, scroll down and look for an entry with a blue globe icon. Tap it. (This is the Language & Region menu.)
- Tap the top item in the list (which represents your current primary language).
- You will see a list of languages written in their native scripts. Recognise your target language by its visual appearance: “English” will be written as “English,” “Español” for Spanish, “Français” for French, “Deutsch” for German, and so on.
- Tap your native language, then tap the top button on the confirmation popup to confirm the switch.
Adding Multiple Languages to Your iPhone
iOS allows you to add multiple preferred languages rather than choosing just one. When you add a secondary language, iOS uses it as a fallback for apps that do not support your primary language. To add a secondary language, go to Settings > General > Language & Region and tap Add Language…. After selecting the language, choose to keep it as a secondary preference rather than making it your primary language. You can drag and reorder the languages in the list using the handle icons on the right to set your preference priority.