How to Change the Frontend Language in WordPress Without Affecting the Admin Interface
WordPress is the world's most popular content management system, powering over 40% of all websites on the internet. One of the key features of WordPress is its ability to be translated into multiple languages, making it accessible to a global audience. However, in some cases, you may want to have a different language displayed on the frontend (the public-facing part of your website) compared to the admin interface (the backend where you manage your website).
In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the step-by-step process of changing the frontend language in WordPress without affecting the admin interface. We'll also explore some popular WordPress translation plugins that can help you manage and maintain your multilingual website.
Step 1: Obtain the Language Pack
The first step is to obtain the language pack for the desired language. You can download the .mo file from the WordPress.org website, which contains the translations for the specific language you want to use.
If the language pack is not available as a standalone download, you can also find the .mo file bundled in the WordPress ZIP file for your desired language. This file is typically located in the wp-content/languages
directory.
Step 2: Move the .mo File to the Correct Location
Once you have the .mo file, you need to move it to the wp-content/languages
directory of your default (English) WordPress installation. This will ensure that WordPress can access the language pack and use it to display the frontend in the desired language.
Step 3: Update the WPLANG Constant in wp-config.php
Next, you need to update the WPLANG
constant in your wp-config.php
file. This constant tells WordPress which language to use for the frontend. Replace the existing value with the new locale you want to use, for example, de_DE
for German or es_ES
for Spanish.
define('WPLANG', 'de_DE');
Step 4: Implement a Filter to Keep the Admin Interface in English
To ensure that the admin interface remains in English, even when the frontend is in a different language, you need to add a filter in your functions.php
file. This filter will check if the user is accessing the admin area and return the en_US
locale if that's the case.
add_filter('locale', 'wpse27056_setLocale');
function wpse27056_setLocale($locale) {
if (is_admin()) {
return 'en_US';
}
return $locale;
}
This code ensures that the admin interface will always be displayed in English, even if the frontend is in a different language.
Verifying the Language Change
After implementing these steps, you should see the frontend of your WordPress website displayed in the new language you selected. To verify that the admin interface is still in English, simply log in to your WordPress dashboard and check the language settings.
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Exploring WordPress Translation Plugins
While the steps above provide a manual way to change the frontend language in WordPress, there are also several WordPress plugins available that can make the process easier and more flexible. Here are a few popular options:
-
Codestyling Localization: This plugin allows you to manage translations for your WordPress site, including the ability to create custom translations and override the default translations.
-
User Language Switch: This plugin gives your users the ability to switch the language of your website on the frontend, without affecting the admin interface.
-
WPML: The WPML plugin is a comprehensive solution for creating multilingual WordPress websites. It allows you to translate content, menus, and other elements, and provides advanced features like content synchronization and language switching.
-
Polylang: Polylang is another popular WordPress translation plugin that enables you to create a multilingual website. It offers features like language switchers, translation management, and SEO optimization for multilingual content.
Using these plugins can simplify the process of managing and maintaining a multilingual WordPress website, and provide additional features and functionality beyond what's possible with the manual approach.
Conclusion
Changing the frontend language in WordPress without affecting the admin interface is a useful technique for creating a more accessible and user-friendly website. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily implement this change and ensure that your website's content is displayed in the desired language for your visitors.
Remember, maintaining a multilingual website requires ongoing effort, including translating new content and keeping up with WordPress updates. Consider using one of the WordPress translation plugins mentioned to streamline the process and provide a better experience for your global audience.
For more information on WordPress localization and translation, be sure to check out the WordPress Codex for comprehensive resources and documentation.
Flowpoint.ai can help you identify all the technical errors that are impacting conversion rates on your WordPress website and directly generate recommendations to fix them, including language-related issues.