Reaching customers worldwide is an exciting opportunity for any Shopify store owner, but language barriers can hinder your potential sales. Imagine how much easier it would be for your customers to complete their purchases in their own language!

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the simple steps to change your checkout language on Shopify, making your store more accessible and user-friendly for customers worldwide.

Method 1: Change Your Theme’s Language

Many Shopify themes come with a built-in translation feature that lets you translate your whole store, even the checkout. This is the simplest way to change the checkout language, especially if you’re looking for basic translations.

Changing the Default Language of Your Online Store

You can easily switch the default language of your store by following these steps

1.

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Languages.

2.

In the Published languages section, tap … next to the current default language and then click Change default

3.

Select the new default language from the menu, and click Save.

Adding New Languages to Your Online Store

If the language you want isn’t readily available in the published list, you’ll need to add it manually. Keep in mind that adding a language provides checkout translations for supported themes only. Here’s how to do it:

1.

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Languages.

2.

Click Add Language, then select your desired language from the drop-down menu. Once selected, click Add.

3.

Use the Translate & Adapt app, a Shopify-built app to import your translations into Shopify, or visit the Shopify App Store to install a translation app. Follow the app’s instructions to translate and publish the new languages.

4.

Click Preview to see how your store appears in different languages.

5.

Once you’ve added a language, you can publish it to make it available to your customers:

• In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Languages.
• In the Unpublished languages section, click Publish beside the language you want to make available.

• Click Publish to confirm

Note: Without additional translations, only the default translations for the theme and checkout will be displayed, while all other content will revert to the default language.

Create Your Own Translations for Your Theme

If your theme doesn’t have the language you need, or if you want to adjust the default translations, you can create your own translations. Here’s how you can do it:

Create Your Own Translations Using the Shopify Translate & Adapt app

1. Install the Shopify Translate & Adapt app
2. Go to Theme default content > Checkout & system
3. Replace the text with its equivalent in the other language then click Save

If you spot angled brackets ( < > ) around words or phrases within a text block, it means you can edit the HTML code. Click on it and translate only the relevant text.

For example, if the HTML shows <strong>Checkout</strong>, focus on translating just the word “Checkout”. I’ll translate it into Vietnamese here to <strong>Thanh toán</strong>

Adding language translations using CSV files

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Languages.
2. Click Export.
3. Select the language that you want to export.
4. In the downloaded CSV file, add your translations to the Translated content column. Save your changes. You don’t need to modify the values in any of the other columns in the CSV file.
5. Return to Settings > Languages.
6. Click Import
7. Click Add file and select your translated CSV file.
8. Check Overwrite any existing translations if you want the translated language content in your CSV file to replace any existing translations. Uncheck Overwrite any existing translations if you want to import only the new translated content and not replace any existing translations.
9. Click Upload and continue.
10. Review the import information and click Import.

You’ll receive a confirmation email listing any failed or skipped translations. If your CSV file has errors, the import will stop and the errors will be displayed on the page.

Method 2: Changing The Wording In Your Checkout

This method allows you to directly edit the text fields within your theme’s settings, giving you more control over the specific wording used in the checkout process and making it more aligned with your brand.

1.

From your Shopify admin, navigate to Settings > Checkout.

2.

Scroll down and see the “Checkout language” section, click on Manage checkout language.

3.

Modify the text in the checkout fields to better suit your brand’s voice.

4.

Once you’ve made your edits, click Save to apply them.

Additional Tips and Considerations

When selecting a new checkout language on Shopify, there are several additional tips and considerations to keep in mind to ensure a smooth and effective process:

1. Support for Multiple Languages: If your store serves a diverse, international audience, you might need to offer multiple language options for your checkout. Shopify allows the use of language-switching apps, which enable customers to choose their preferred language during the checkout process.

2. Choosing the Right Tools: It’s essential to choose a tool that not only supports multiple languages but also integrates seamlessly with your store’s existing setup.

3. Comprehensive Testing: After setting up a new language, conduct thorough testing to ensure that everything functions correctly. This includes verifying that all aspects of the checkout process, from product descriptions to payment gateways, are accurately translated and clear to users.

Bottom Line

A localized checkout process isn’t just about translation—it’s about building trust and making every customer feel valued, no matter where they’re from.

By taking the simple steps to change the language at checkout, you’re creating a welcoming environment for international shoppers. This small change can make a big difference in boosting your sales and fostering customer loyalty

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