Changing the language settings of your WordPress site is more than just a convenience – it can seriously improve the user experience for both admins and visitors. When it comes to changing the language, you can achieve the following through your dashboard settings, or via a plugin:

• Change the WordPress dashboard language (backend).
• Set a single language for the entire site (both frontend and backend).
• Create a multilingual site for frontend visitors (plugin required).

The dashboard (or backend) language affects menus, settings, and the interface, while the frontend language is what your visitors see, impacting content, visuals, and page navigation.

Best of all, switching up your WordPress site language is easy with a little know-how! This article will equip you with the knowledge to manage your language settings, and explore how translation plugin Weglot simplifies the process of going multilingual.

How to Change Your WordPress Dashboard Language

When working with a multilingual team – or if you simply prefer to navigate the WordPress dashboard in your native tongue – changing the admin language is easy!

If you’re setting up a new WordPress installation, you can select your preferred admin language during the installation process, and you’ll have 60 to choose from. And if WordPress is already installed, each user can set their own admin language by following these steps:

1. Navigate to Users > Profile in the WordPress dashboard, then click on your own user profile.

2. Locate the Language drop-down menu.

3. Select your preferred language from the available options.
4. Click the Update button to save your language preference.

This feature is particularly useful for multilingual teams, as each user can work in their preferred language without affecting others. But it’s important to note that changing the admin language only affects the WordPress dashboard and does not modify the website’s frontend language.

In some cases, WordPress may automatically download the necessary language files when a new language is selected. However, if the desired language is not available, you may need to manually download and install the appropriate language pack before setting your admin language preference.

How to Translate the Entire Site Into a Single Language

Translating your entire WordPress site into a single language may be done as a means of reaching a specific audience. Changing your frontend language is just as easy as changing the dashboard language:

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1. Navigate to Settings > General in your WordPress dashboard.

2. Find the Language option and select the desired language from the dropdown menu. This looks identical to the admin language menu:

3. Click Save Changes to apply the new language to your site’s frontend.

It’s important to note that this method only changes the default language for built-in content like dates and page headings. It won’t automatically translate all site content, such as posts, pages, and custom fields. To fully translate your site, you’ll need to manually translate this content or automate the process through a dedicated plugin like Weglot.  

Create a Multilingual WordPress Site Using Weglot

WordPress does not support multilingual content out-of-the-box, so if you want your website to be accessible to various language users, you’ll need a dedicated plugin. Considering 65% of consumers prefer to read websites in their own language, a multilingual solution can make a huge difference in expanding your website’s reach and engaging users from across the world.

Plugins like Weglot offer full website translation and localization functionality, making the process of creating a multilingual site much more manageable. Weglot provides an integrated, automated solution to take care of all your multilingual needs, as it:

• Full website translation, compatible with all 3rd-party plugins and themes.
• Supports over 110+ languages with a very easy setup process.
• Multilingual SEO support includes language-specific URLs, automatic hreflang tagging,  metadata translation, and a choice of subdirectories or subdomains.
• Automatic content detection and continuous translation ensure that any new or updated content on your website is immediately detected and translated.
• Gives users more options through a customizable language switcher.

Interested in exploring Weglot’s features in action? Read our guide on How to Set Up a Multilingual Site in WordPress for help getting started!

Unlike the previous option of using built-in WordPress features, Weglot ensures that all content is translated through its automated machine capabilities. It provides a first layer of translation, fully translating and displaying the website in a single click. Weglot translates all parts of your site, including posts, pages, menus, widgets, and even SEO metadata like titles, descriptions, and alt texts.

For higher accuracy and cultural relevance, Weglot also has many translation management tools integrated into all plans for collaboration and project management. These include options for manual translation edits and hiring professional translation services directly inside Weglot.

You can refine the automatic translations on your site’s front-end through our Visual Editor, or collaborate with a translation team via the Weglot dashboard. Our plugin allows for easy integration with professional translators and teammates, ensuring top-quality results for your website. Or, choose to leave the automatic translations as is!

As a further boost to the user experience, Weglot provides a handy language switcher for visitors to shift between your site’s available languages. You can also turn on the Auto Switch feature, which changes the language based on the user’s browser language preferences.

Change Your WordPress Language and Transform Your Site Experience

As we’ve seen, it’s easy to transform your site and cater to diverse teams and audiences. Start by changing the WordPress dashboard language for backend convenience, then allow individual user language preferences. When it comes to what your customers see, you can set a single language for your entire site, or use a plugin like Weglot to create a multilingual experience, benefiting both site admins and visitors.

With Weglot on board, you’ll no longer struggle to reach international audiences through your content, nor face the tiring task of manual translations. Our plugin can improve your user experience, increase traffic, and unlock the full potential of your WordPress site.

Install the Weglot plugin with our 10-day free trial, and take your first steps on the road to globalization!