Joomla! Documentation™

How to Access

Select Extensions → Language(s) from the drop-down menu on the back-end of your Joomla! installation or click the icon Language in the control center.

Description

In the Language Manager you can set the default Language for both the Front-end and Back-end of your Joomla! web site.

Screenshot

Column Headers

Click on the column heading to sort the list by that column's value.

• Language Tag. Language Tag of the Installed Language.
• Default. The default language of the site, marked with a yellow graphical asterisk in this column. Note: to every user a language can be assigned (see "User Management"), user from groups "Administrator" and "Super Administrator" can select their preferred language themself at login.
• Version. The version number of the installed language.
• Date. The creation date of the language.
• Author. The name of the language translator is displayed in this column.
• Author E-mail. The e-mail address of the translator.

Column Filtering

Above the column headers on the right, there are 2 drop down input fields, Sort Table by: (preset to Language ascending) and a number (preset to 20) to display.

These column sorting input fields shows the current method of sorting applied to the table. Use the drop down field choices and click the column heading name. Alternatively, click on the column heading to sort the list by that column's value. This will also change the value in the drop field to correspond with the column header name. The list will then be sorted in order by that column and a sort icon(up or down arrow) will show next to the column name. Click a second time to reverse the sort, which will change the corresponding drop field. Template:Chunk40:colheader Template:Chunk40:colheader Template:Chunk40:colheader

List Filters

Above the columns you will see the filters below:

Filter by Site or Administrator

• Site. Shows the installed Languages for the front-end part. Here you can set the default language for the front-end of your Joomla web site.
• Administrator. Shows the installed Languages for the back-end part. Here you can set the default language for the back-end of your Joomla web site.

Search by Language Name

• To filter in language, enter part of the Language Name and click Search.

Click Clear to clear the Filter field and restore the list to its unfiltered state.

Toolbar

At the top you will see the toolbar:

The functions are: Template:Chunk40:Help screen toolbar icon Default/en Template:Chunk40:Help screen toolbar icon Install Languages/en Template:Chunk40:Help screen toolbar icon Options/en Template:Chunk40:Help screen toolbar icon Help/en

Toolbar Links

At the top left you will see the links as shown below:

• Installed. Shows the Languages available for the Front-end of the web site or administrator area, depending on the filter location at left that is current.
• Content. Shows the Content Languages available for the web site. See Extensions Language Manager Content.
• Overrides. Shows the Language Overrides created for this web site.

Quick Tips

• Users can use any Language from the list of installed Languages, either by having it assigned in the User Manager or by filling out a Menu Item Manager - New/Edit - User Form Layout at the Front end. This will cause the Joomla! system prompts to be generated in this Language just for this User. For example, if a User chooses Spanish as their language, then the Search Module will show with prompts in Spanish.
• This User's choice is not affected by the Default Language set for the Front-end.

• Changing a User's Language or the Default Language does not affect the web site's Articles and other content.

• Important: Do not delete the default language files (for example, with FTP). This will create errors on both the Front-end and Back-end.

• Additional Languages can be added using the Install Languages Screen.

• If desired, you can show the Front-end site in one Language and show the Back-end administration pages in a different Language. Also, individual articles can be configured to use a different language in the Advanced Parameter pane when editing the Article.

Related Information

• To install more Languages: Install Languages Screen.
• To uninstall a Language: Extension Manager - Manage
• To change the Language for a User: User Manager - New/Edit
• To set the Language of an Article: Article Manager - New/Edit - Parameters - Advanced