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To add an onscreen language keyboard, open Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard, then choose a language. While typing, touch and hold the Emoji button or the Switch Keyboard key and tap the keyboard you want. Those controls apply to Apple’s language and emoji keyboards; third-party keyboard apps and physical keyboards are managed differently.
First, identify which kind of keyboard you mean
“Keyboard” on an iPhone can mean three different things. Choosing the right settings area prevents you from looking for a language option in the third-party-app menu or expecting an external keyboard to appear in the onscreen list.
| Keyboard type | What it does | Where it is added or managed | How it is selected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple onscreen language or emoji keyboard | Lets you type in another language, use a different script, or enter emoji from the touchscreen. | Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards |
Touch and hold Emoji or Switch Keyboard while a text field is active. |
| Third-party keyboard app | Adds a keyboard supplied by an installed app, when that app supports keyboard selection. | Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Keyboards |
Use the onscreen keyboard switcher after the app has been enabled or selected. |
| Physical keyboard | Lets you enter text with hardware such as Apple’s Magic Keyboard or another compatible keyboard. | It is hardware, not an item in the onscreen language-keyboard list. | Type on the connected accessory; onscreen-keyboard controls may not be involved. |
The main procedure in this guide is for onscreen language keyboards. A physical keyboard is optional and is not required to add another language to the iPhone’s touchscreen keyboard.
Before you add anything
You do not need to change the iPhone’s system language, sign out of your Apple Account, or buy an accessory. The setting is a software change included with iPhone. Have the language or regional variant you want in mind, because Apple may list several versions of what appears to be the same language. For example, English (U.S.) and Spanish (Latin America) are identified as distinct choices in Apple’s bilingual-keyboard examples.
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Adding a keyboard affects text entry, and Apple also describes keyboards as useful for writing or using Dictation in different languages. It does not translate existing text, convert app menus, or change the language of websites. You can keep the interface in one language while adding several keyboards for work, school, travel, or family conversations.
Add an onscreen language keyboard
Use this route whenever you want another language available from the keyboard switcher. You can add more than one keyboard and repeat the process for each language.
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Keyboard.
- Tap Keyboards to see the keyboards already installed.
- Tap Add New Keyboard.
- Choose the language or keyboard shown in the list.
The selected keyboard is added to the Keyboards list immediately. Return to Add New Keyboard if you need another language; there is no need to remove the first one. If you use two regional versions of a language, add each version shown in the list so the switcher presents the exact choices you want.
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What adding a language changes
An added keyboard becomes an available input choice in text fields. It does not change the iPhone’s system language, menus, region, or the language of apps. You can therefore keep the interface in one language and add several typing languages. The keyboard list is also where you manage the Apple language and emoji choices that appear when you hold the switch key.
Use a bilingual keyboard when your languages are supported
Apple documents bilingual keyboards for selected language pairs, including English (U.S.) and Spanish (Latin America). Support is not available for every possible pair. For supported combinations, the keyboard can automatically switch between the two languages you use most often, so you do not have to change keyboards for every sentence. If your pair is not offered as a bilingual option, add each language separately and switch manually. Seeing both languages in the add-keyboard list does not guarantee that Apple offers a bilingual pairing for them.
Switch keyboards while you type
After adding at least two available keyboards, open any app with a text field, such as a message or note. The key used to switch can look different depending on the current keyboard and context.
- Tap a text field so the onscreen keyboard appears.
- Touch and hold the Emoji button or the Switch Keyboard key.
- Keep holding until the list of available keyboards appears.
- Tap the language, emoji keyboard, or enabled third-party keyboard you want.
The chosen keyboard becomes the active input method for that text-entry session. Repeat the same gesture whenever you need to move between the keyboards in your list. If you only tap the button instead of holding it, the result can differ by keyboard and context; holding it is the documented way to display the full list.
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Look for the Emoji icon in the lower-left area of the onscreen keyboard. On some layouts or contexts, the same control is labeled or displayed as Switch Keyboard. The control is part of the onscreen keyboard, so it will not appear when you are typing solely on a physical keyboard. Tap into an ordinary text field first; a screen that does not accept text will not show the keyboard.
Switch to emoji
Emoji is one of the choices available from the same control. Touch and hold Emoji or Switch Keyboard, then tap the emoji keyboard. To return to a language keyboard, repeat the gesture and select the language you need. Emoji remains a selectable keyboard even when you have only one additional written language installed.
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Remove or reorder keyboards
Keep the list focused by deleting keyboards you no longer use, or move your most-used choices toward the position you prefer. A shorter list is easier to scan when you switch frequently.
Delete a keyboard
- Open Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards.
- Swipe left on the keyboard you want to remove.
- Tap Delete.
Deleting an entry removes it from the iPhone’s available onscreen keyboard choices. It does not change the iPhone’s overall system language. If you delete one of several regional variants, the others remain available.
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Change the order
- Open Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards.
- Tap Edit.
- Drag the reorder control beside a keyboard to move it up or down.
- Tap Done.
Reordering changes the sequence in the keyboard list. It is useful when you regularly alternate between two languages and want them close to the top. It does not remove a keyboard or alter its layout.
Choose a different layout for a language
A language can have more than one keyboard layout. Layouts can change the arrangement of letters or symbols without requiring you to add the language again. This is the right solution when you want a different letter arrangement, not a second copy of the language.
- Open Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards.
- Tap the language keyboard you want to customize.
- Choose one of the layouts listed for that keyboard.
Only layouts offered for that language appear in the list. If no alternative is shown, that keyboard does not expose another layout through this setting. Choosing a layout changes the arrangement within that language entry; it does not create a new language or change the iPhone’s menus.
Add and select a third-party keyboard app
A keyboard supplied by an app follows a separate management path from Apple’s built-in language keyboards. First install a keyboard app that supports iPhone keyboard selection. Then use the current default-apps settings:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Tap Default Apps.
- Tap Keyboards.
- Use the available controls to add or delete keyboard apps, or select a supported app as the default.
The exact choices depend on whether the installed app supports the feature. An app that does not support default selection will not become selectable merely because it is installed. This menu is for keyboard apps; use General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard for Apple’s language keyboards. Installing an app alone is therefore not the same as adding an Apple language.
Use the app after enabling it
Once a third-party keyboard is available, open a text field and touch and hold Emoji or Switch Keyboard. Tap the app’s keyboard in the list. If you later remove the app from the default-apps keyboard settings, it will no longer be available through that selection. Keep the app’s own instructions in mind if it offers additional setup, because Apple’s settings only expose options the app supports.
How the keyboard list and bilingual typing differ
There are two ways to handle multiple languages:
- Separate keyboards: Add each language independently, then choose one with the switcher whenever you change languages.
- A supported bilingual keyboard: Use a language pairing Apple offers, allowing automatic switching between the two most-used languages.
Separate keyboards give you explicit control and work when your language pair is not supported as bilingual. A bilingual option can reduce manual switching, but availability varies by language pair, so its absence is not an indication that the individual language keyboards cannot be added. If automatic switching is not what you want, separate entries make the active language choice visible and deliberate.
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Fix common setup and switching problems
The language is not in “Add New Keyboard”
Check that you followed Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard, rather than the third-party keyboard path under Apps > Default Apps. Apple lists available languages and layouts in the add-keyboard screen; a bilingual pairing may also be unavailable even when both individual languages are present. Look for the regional name Apple uses instead of assuming every country variant is grouped under one label.
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- Return to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and confirm the language is still listed.
- In a text field, touch and hold Emoji or Switch Keyboard; a brief tap is not the documented gesture for opening the complete list.
- If you meant a keyboard app, check Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Keyboards instead. A language entry in the General settings and an app entry in Default Apps are managed separately.
- Make sure you are looking at the onscreen keyboard. A connected physical keyboard uses hardware input and does not need to display the onscreen switcher.
The switcher shows an unexpected order
Open the Keyboards list, tap Edit, and drag the reorder control beside each keyboard. The order you set there controls the sequence presented by the switcher. Reordering is separate from choosing a layout, so changing one does not automatically change the other.
You want to return to English
While typing, touch and hold Emoji or Switch Keyboard, then tap the English keyboard you added. If several English variants are installed, select the specific one you want, such as the regional version shown in your list. You can remove unused variants with the swipe-left Delete action in the same Keyboards settings.
You want a different letter arrangement
Do not add a duplicate language. Open the language under Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and choose a listed alternative layout. If Apple lists no alternative, there is no additional layout exposed for that language in this menu.
You cannot find a physical keyboard in the list
An external keyboard is not an onscreen language-keyboard entry. Apple documents Magic Keyboard and other physical keyboards as separate ways to enter text on iPhone. Use the hardware for typing; use the onscreen Keyboards list only for touchscreen language, emoji, and app-based keyboards.
You added a keyboard by mistake
Open the same Keyboards list, swipe left on the unwanted entry, and tap Delete. This removes the input choice without changing your system language or deleting unrelated apps. You can add the keyboard again later through Add New Keyboard.
Onscreen keyboards versus physical keyboards
For most people asking how to add a keyboard, the onscreen procedure is the relevant answer. A physical keyboard is a separate, optional setup: it is an accessory used to enter text rather than a language item installed in iPhone settings. Apple’s iPhone documentation covers typing with Magic Keyboard and other physical keyboards, and its accessibility documentation separately addresses onscreen and external keyboard settings.
| Need | Use | Relevant control |
|---|---|---|
| Type another language on the touchscreen | Apple onscreen language keyboard | Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards |
| Use emoji or alternate touchscreen input | Emoji or another installed onscreen keyboard | Touch and hold Emoji or Switch Keyboard while typing |
| Use an app-provided typing experience | Third-party keyboard app | Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Keyboards, if the app supports it |
| Enter text with hardware | Magic Keyboard or another compatible physical keyboard | Use the connected accessory; it is separate from the onscreen list |
You do not need to buy or connect a physical keyboard to add languages. Consider one only if your goal is faster hardware typing or a desktop-style setup rather than touchscreen language switching. Compatibility and setup depend on the accessory, so the hardware question should be treated separately from the language-keyboard settings.
A practical setup for multilingual typing
- Add each language you actually use through General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard.
- If Apple offers your two languages as a bilingual pair, choose that option when it meets your needs.
- Reorder the list so your frequent languages are easy to reach.
- In a text field, practice the touch-and-hold gesture on Emoji or Switch Keyboard and select the desired language.
- If one language uses an unfamiliar arrangement, open that language’s entry and choose its listed layout.
- Delete obsolete keyboards so the switcher remains easy to scan.
- When you need a keyboard app rather than a language, manage it under Apps > Default Apps > Keyboards and then select it from the onscreen switcher.
This arrangement keeps language selection, layout selection, third-party app management, and physical typing in their appropriate settings areas instead of mixing them together. It also makes it clear whether a missing option reflects an unsupported bilingual pair, an unenabled app, or a keyboard that is hardware rather than onscreen.
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Frequently asked questions
Is adding an iPhone keyboard free?
Adding an Apple language or emoji keyboard is a settings change and does not require buying hardware. A third-party keyboard may be distributed as an app with its own terms, while a physical keyboard is an optional accessory. Neither is necessary for adding another Apple language keyboard.
Can I add a keyboard without changing the iPhone language?
Yes. Add the keyboard through Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard. This changes available typing inputs only; the system language, menus, and app interface stay as they are.
How many languages can I add?
Apple lets you repeat the add-keyboard process for the languages and variants offered on your iPhone. The practical limit is the list you want to manage: removing unused entries and reordering frequent ones keeps switching manageable.
Why does my keyboard switch automatically?
You may have selected a supported bilingual keyboard. Apple says some language pairs can automatically switch between the two languages used most often. Not every pair supports this behavior. If you want a manual choice every time, add the languages as separate keyboards instead.
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The switcher appears when an app presents a text field and the onscreen keyboard is active. Touch and hold Emoji or Switch Keyboard to see the choices. A hardware-only typing session does not display that onscreen control.
What is the difference between a language and a layout?
The language identifies the keyboard’s writing system and input choice. A layout changes the arrangement of letters or symbols within that language. To change a layout, tap the language in the Keyboards list and choose one of the layouts Apple offers; do not add a duplicate language just to rearrange keys.
How do I remove a third-party keyboard?
Use Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Keyboards, where Apple provides controls to add or delete keyboard apps and select a supported default. This is separate from swiping left on an Apple language keyboard in General > Keyboard > Keyboards.
Can a physical keyboard replace an onscreen language keyboard?
It can provide hardware text entry, but it is not installed as an entry in the onscreen language list. Apple documents Magic Keyboard and other physical keyboards separately. For touchscreen language switching, you still use the onscreen keyboard settings and switcher.
Apple’s documented scope
Apple’s iPhone User Guide describes the purpose of adding keyboards this way: “You can add keyboards for writing or using Dictation in different languages on your iPhone.” The same guide documents adding, switching, removing, reordering, bilingual support for selected pairs, and alternative layouts. Apple’s separate default-apps guidance covers third-party keyboard apps, while its onscreen and external-keyboard documentation distinguishes touchscreen entry from hardware typing.
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Bottom line
For an additional iPhone language, use Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard. To change languages during typing, touch and hold Emoji or Switch Keyboard, then tap your choice. Manage ordering, deletion, and layouts in the same Keyboards list; manage third-party keyboard apps under Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Keyboards; and treat a physical keyboard as separate hardware.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add another language keyboard on iPhone?
Open Settings, tap General, Keyboard, Keyboards, and Add New Keyboard, then choose the language. Repeat those steps for additional languages.
How do I switch keyboards while typing?
In a text field, touch and hold the Emoji button or Switch Keyboard key, then tap the language, emoji, or enabled third-party keyboard you want.
How do I change my iPhone keyboard back to English?
Touch and hold Emoji or Switch Keyboard while typing and select the English entry in your list. Remove unused English variants from Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards by swiping left and tapping Delete.
Can I add a keyboard without changing my iPhone’s system language?
Yes. Adding a keyboard changes text-entry choices only. It does not change menus, apps, region, or the overall system language.
How do I delete or reorder keyboards?
Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards. Swipe left on an entry and tap Delete, or tap Edit and drag the reorder control beside a keyboard.
Where are third-party keyboard apps managed?
Use Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Keyboards. From there you can add or delete keyboard apps and select a supported app as the default.
Why is my keyboard not switching automatically between languages?
Automatic switching is limited to language pairs Apple supports as bilingual keyboards. If your pair is not supported, add both languages separately and switch with the touch-and-hold gesture.
How do I choose a different keyboard layout?
Open Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards, tap the language, and choose one of the layouts listed for it. Only layouts Apple offers for that language appear.
Do I need a physical keyboard to add another language?
No. A physical keyboard is optional hardware. Apple language, emoji, and supported app keyboards are managed through the onscreen keyboard settings.
The Bottom Line
Add Apple language keyboards at Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard. While typing, touch and hold Emoji or Switch Keyboard to choose among languages, emoji, and enabled keyboard apps. Reorder, delete, or change layouts in the same Keyboards list; manage third-party apps under Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Keyboards. Physical keyboards are optional hardware, not entries in the onscreen list.
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