Change your phone's language in settings

Your phone's language setting controls what language appears in menus, notifications, and built-in apps. On both Android and iPhone, you change this in the Settings app — the process takes about two minutes and doesn't affect your personal files or accounts.

The exact path depends on whether you have an Android phone or iPhone, but both work the same way: open Settings, find the language option, and pick a new language from the list. Your phone will switch when ready, though some apps may take a moment to update.

If you use multiple languages, most phones let you add a second language as a backup. When you do, your phone will show some content in your primary language and some in your secondary language, depending on what each app supports.

Key Takeaways

  • On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Language & Region and tap Preferred Language to choose a new language.
  • On Android, go to Settings > System > Languages and Input > Languages and tap Add a Language, or select an existing language to make it primary.
  • Changing your phone's language does not affect your Apple ID, Google account, or any of your personal data.
  • Some third-party apps may not support all languages your phone offers, so you may see English in those apps even after you change your system language.
  • You can add a second language to your phone and switch between them without reinstalling anything.

Change language on iPhone

Open the Settings app and tap General. Scroll down and tap Language & Region. At the top, you will see Preferred Language with your current language listed — tap it to open the full list.

Scroll through the list and tap the language you want. Your iPhone will ask you to confirm — tap Change Language. The phone will restart its interface in the new language within a few seconds. Some apps may take longer to update, but the system language changes right away.

If you want to add a second language without removing your primary one, stay in Language & Region and tap Other Languages. Tap Add Language and choose one from the list. Your phone will now show some content in both languages depending on what each app supports.

Change language on Android

Open Settings and tap System (or About Phone on some Android versions, then tap System). Tap Languages and Input, then tap Languages. You will see your current language listed at the top.

If you want to change your primary language, tap the language shown and select a new one from the list. Your phone will switch when ready. If you want to add a second language instead, tap Add a Language, choose the language you want, and tap it. You can then drag languages up or down to set which one is primary.

On some Android phones made by Samsung, Google, or other manufacturers, the path may be slightly different — look for Settings > General Management > Language and Input > Language, or search "language" in Settings to find it faster.

What happens to your apps and data

Changing your phone's language does not touch your email, photos, contacts, or any files you have stored. Your Apple ID or Google account stays the same, and you will still be logged in after the change.

Built-in apps like Messages, Calendar, and Mail will switch to the new language right away. Third-party apps from the App Store or Google Play may take a few minutes to update, or they may stay in English if the app developer did not translate it into your chosen language. You cannot force an app to use a language the developer did not include.

If you change your language and then change it back, everything returns to normal — there is no penalty for switching back and forth.

Add a second language without removing the first

Both iPhone and Android let you keep multiple languages active at once. This is useful if you speak two languages and want your phone to show content in both.

On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Language & Region and tap Other Languages. Tap Add Language and choose one. Your phone will now prioritize your first language but show some content in the second language when apps support it.

On Android, go to Settings > System > Languages and Input > Languages. Tap Add a Language and choose one. You can then drag the languages to set which one is primary — the one at the top is your main language, and the others are backups.

Fix language problems after changing it

If you changed your language and now cannot find a setting because the menu labels are in a language you do not read, you can change it back without reading anything. The order of taps is always the same, even if the words are different.

On iPhone, tap Settings (the gear icon), tap the first option in the list (General), scroll to the middle section and tap the option with a flag icon (Language & Region), tap the top option (Preferred Language), and tap the language you want. The phone will switch back when ready.

On Android, tap Settings (the gear icon), tap the option near the bottom that looks like a wrench or says "System", tap the option that mentions "Language" or "Input", tap the top option (Languages), and tap the language you want. If you cannot find it, open Settings and search for "language" — the search box will find it regardless of what language your phone is in.

When an app stays in English after you change your phone's language

Some apps do not support all languages. If you change your phone to Spanish but an app still shows English menus, the app developer straightforward did not translate that app into Spanish. You cannot force it to change.

You can check whether an app supports your language by opening the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android), searching for the app, scrolling down to "Information", and looking for "Languages Supported" or a similar section. If your language is not listed, the app will stay in English no matter what your phone language is set to.

If an app is important to you and does not support your language, you can contact the developer through the app store and ask them to add it. Some developers add languages based on user requests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my phone's language affect my email or text messages?

No. Your email, text messages, and all personal data stay exactly the same. Only the labels and menus in your phone's system and built-in apps will change. Messages you have already received will not be translated.

Can I have my phone in one language and my apps in another?

Not completely. Your phone's system language controls the menus, but individual apps follow that setting. Some apps may have their own language setting inside the app itself — you can check by opening the app and looking in its settings — but most apps just use whatever language your phone is set to.

What if I accidentally changed my language to something I cannot read?

You can change it back without reading anything. The Settings app is always in the same place, and the language option is always in the same position. Open Settings, tap the first option, scroll to the middle, tap the option with a flag, tap the top option, and select your language. The order is the same in every language.

Do I need to restart my phone after changing the language?

No. iPhone and Android both switch the language when ready without requiring a restart. Some apps may take a minute or two to update to the new language, but your phone will work normally right away.

Can I use two languages at the same time on my phone?

Yes. You can add a second language in Settings, and your phone will show some content in both languages depending on what each app supports. The language at the top of your language list is primary, and others are backups. You can change which language is primary by dragging it to the top of the list on Android, or by changing your Preferred Language on iPhone.