Guide
How to add a language selector to your Shopify store
You can translate an entire store and still have shoppers who never see a word of it, simply because there’s no visible way to switch the language.
First: is the language actually published?
Go to Settings > Languages. A language has to be added and published before shoppers can reach it; added but unpublished is the most common reason a fully translated language seems invisible. If you sell to several countries with Shopify Markets, also check that the language is active for those markets.
Then: turn on your theme’s selector
Most current Shopify themes have a language selector built in, it’s just switched off. Open the theme editor and look in the header and footer sections for a setting like “Language selector” or “Show language selector”. Turn it on, save, done.
If your theme doesn’t have one
Some themes, especially older or heavily customised ones, simply don’t. A developer can add Shopify’s localization form, or you can use an app. Unlost adds a small language and currency selector in a corner of every page through its app embed, without touching your theme’s code. App embeds work on all current Shopify themes; themes from before 2021 can’t show them, although the translations themselves still work there.
Don’t push people into a language
It’s tempting to send every visitor to a language based on where they are. But plenty of people in Germany prefer English, and search engines that mostly crawl from one country may never see your other languages. A visible selector, perhaps with a friendly suggestion, does the job without getting in anyone’s way.
Questions
Why don't my translated pages show up for shoppers?
Usually the language is added but not published, or there is no language selector. Publish the language in Settings > Languages and turn on the selector in your theme.
Does Unlost include a language selector?
Yes, a small language and currency selector you switch on as an app embed in the theme editor.
Try Unlost on your store
Free for one language and up to 50 products. Paid plans keep every language up to date within a minute of a change.
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