You do not have to know English to use a smartphone well. Android phones and iPhones can show menus in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati and other Indian languages, and you can type or simply speak in your own language. Phones also have powerful accessibility features, such as bigger text, magnification and screen readers, that make them easier for elders and people with weak eyesight or hearing. This is Part 9 of our Tech for Beginners series, and it is a good one to share with parents and grandparents.
If you are setting up a phone for someone, read Part 2: How to Set Up a New Android Phone or Part 3: How to Set Up a New iPhone first. Part 4 showed how to find any setting with search, which is useful here.
The languages available, and the exact menu names, depend on your phone brand, model and software version. If a step looks different, search Settings for "language", "keyboard" or "accessibility".
Change the phone's display language
This changes the language of menus, settings and most built-in apps.
On Android
- Open Settings.
- Tap System, then Languages (on Samsung: General management, then Language). On some phones it is under "Additional settings".
- Tap System languages or Add a language.
- Choose your language, for example हिन्दी (Hindi) or தமிழ் (Tamil), and select the region (India).
- Drag it to the top of the list, or tap "Set as default", to make it the main language.
Tip: before you switch, note the position of the Settings icon and the Languages menu. If you ever want to switch back to English, you will be navigating in the new language. Most menus show language names in their own script, so "English" will still be easy to spot.
On iPhone
- Open Settings and tap General.
- Tap Language & Region.
- Tap Add Language and choose your language.
- When asked, choose to use it as the primary language. The iPhone will restart the display in that language.
On both systems, you can also set a different language for individual apps. On Android 13 and later, look in Settings, Apps, choose the app, then Language. On iPhone, go to Settings, Apps, choose the app, and tap Language if available.
Type in your language
Changing the display language does not always change the keyboard. You add keyboard languages separately. Most Android phones use Gboard (Google's keyboard) or the brand's own keyboard, such as Samsung Keyboard.
Add an Indian language to Gboard (Android)
- Open any app where you can type, such as Messages, and tap the text box so the keyboard appears.
- Tap the gear (settings) icon on the keyboard, or open the menu with four squares and choose Settings.
- Tap Languages, then Add keyboard.
- Search for your language, for example "Tamil" or "Marathi".
- Choose a layout. For most Indian languages you will see options such as the language's own script keyboard and a transliteration option (sometimes shown as "Hinglish" for Hindi, or "abc → அ" style labels).
- Tap Done.
To switch between keyboards while typing, tap the globe icon or touch and hold the space bar.
Add a keyboard language on iPhone
- Open Settings, tap General, then Keyboard, then Keyboards.
- Tap Add New Keyboard and choose your language.
- For several Indian languages, you can pick between a native script layout and a transliteration layout.
Switch keyboards with the globe or emoji key at the bottom left of the keyboard. Gboard is also available for iPhone in the App Store if you prefer it.
What is transliteration?
Transliteration means typing your language using English letters, and letting the keyboard convert it into the right script. For example, typing "namaste" can give you नमस्ते, and typing "vanakkam" can give you வணக்கம். This is often the easiest option for people who are used to typing on English keyboards but want to send messages in their mother tongue.
Voice typing: just speak
Voice typing turns your speech into text. It is perfect for long messages and for people who find small keys difficult.
On Android (Gboard)
- Tap a text box so the keyboard appears.
- Make sure the keyboard language is the one you want to speak (switch with the globe icon).
- Tap the microphone icon on the keyboard.
- Speak clearly at a normal speed. Say "full stop" or "comma" for punctuation in English; in other languages, punctuation by voice may or may not work.
- Tap the microphone again to stop, check the text, and fix any mistakes before sending.
Google's help pages say Gboard voice typing supports Hindi and many other Indian languages, but the list differs by phone and keyboard version.
On iPhone
- Check that dictation is on: Settings, General, Keyboard, Enable Dictation.
- Tap a text box, then tap the microphone icon on the keyboard.
- Speak, then tap the microphone again or the keyboard icon to stop.
Dictation works in the language of the current keyboard, and Apple supports a number of Indian languages, though not every one.
Voice messages and voice search
- In WhatsApp, hold the microphone button next to the typing box to record a voice note instead of typing.
- Tap the microphone in the Google search bar or in Google Assistant to ask questions in your language.
- Google Lens can translate signboards, forms and medicine labels: point the camera at the text and choose Translate.
Accessibility features for elders and anyone with weak eyesight or hearing
These features are built into every modern smartphone and cost nothing.
Bigger text and bigger everything
- Android: open Settings, tap Display (or Accessibility, then Display size and text). Use Font size to make text bigger and Display size (or Screen zoom) to make icons and buttons bigger.
- iPhone: open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, then Text Size and drag the slider. Turn on Bold Text too. For even larger text, go to Settings, Accessibility, Display & Text Size, Larger Text. Settings, Display & Brightness, Display Zoom makes icons bigger.
Magnification
- Android: Settings, Accessibility, Magnification. Once on, you can use a shortcut (such as triple-tapping the screen or an accessibility button) to zoom into any part of the screen.
- iPhone: Settings, Accessibility, Zoom. Double-tap with three fingers to zoom. The Magnifier app also turns the camera into a magnifying glass for reading small print on medicine strips and bills.
Screen readers for people who cannot see the screen
- Android TalkBack: Settings, Accessibility, TalkBack. It reads aloud what is on the screen and changes how touch works (tap once to hear, double-tap to open). Google lists Hindi, Tamil and many other Indian languages among TalkBack's supported languages, though voice quality depends on the speech engine installed.
- iPhone VoiceOver: Settings, Accessibility, VoiceOver. It works in a similar way.
Important: screen readers change how gestures work, which can confuse a sighted user who turns them on by accident. Before enabling one, read the on-screen tutorial. To turn VoiceOver off quickly, you can ask Siri, or triple-click the side or Home button if the Accessibility Shortcut is set. On Android, if the volume-key shortcut has been set up, holding both volume keys for a few seconds turns TalkBack on or off.
Help for hearing
- Live Caption (Android) and Live Captions (iPhone, where supported) show subtitles for videos and calls on the screen. Language support varies.
- Live Transcribe on Android turns nearby speech into text on the screen, useful for conversations with someone who is hard of hearing.
- Turn on flash for alerts so the camera light blinks for calls and notifications (search Settings for "flash notification" or "LED flash for alerts").
- Use mono audio if the person hears better in one ear.
Simple mode for elders
Some phones offer a simplified home screen with big icons and fewer apps, such as Easy mode on Samsung, or Simple mode or "Elderly mode" on some other brands. On iPhone, Assistive Access (Settings, Accessibility) creates a very simple layout with large buttons for chosen apps. Setting this up for a parent, with only Phone, WhatsApp, Camera and Photos, can make a big difference.
A safety note for elders
Fraudsters often target older people with calls about pensions, KYC or "digital arrest". Whatever language the phone is in, the rules are the same: never share OTPs, PINs or Aadhaar details on a call, and never install an app because a stranger asked. Our guide to common online scams in India is worth reading together.
Frequently asked questions
Will changing the language delete anything?
No. Your apps, photos, contacts and messages stay exactly as they are. Only the language of the menus changes, and you can switch back at any time.
Some apps still show English after I changed the language. Why?
Each app decides which languages it supports. If an app has no version in your language, it will show English. Many banking, government and shopping apps offer Indian languages in their own settings menu.
Voice typing makes mistakes with my accent. What can I do?
Speak a little slower, in a quiet place, with the phone close to your mouth, and check that the keyboard language matches the language you are speaking. Accuracy usually improves when the microphone has a clear sound.
I turned on TalkBack or VoiceOver by mistake. How do I turn it off?
On Android, try holding both volume keys for about three seconds, which works if the volume-key shortcut was set up. On iPhone, ask Siri "Turn off VoiceOver" or triple-click the side or Home button. If those do not work, go to Settings, Accessibility, and switch it off using a tap to select and a double-tap to activate.
What is next
Try this today: add your mother tongue to the keyboard, send one message using voice typing, and make the text a size bigger on a parent's phone. In the next part of Tech for Beginners, we start a new section on internet connections, beginning with mobile data: plans, GBs, recharges and how to save data.
