Import, select and author language packs

Where: Admin → System → Appearance → Language packs

Before you start

Partial packs fall back to English for missing keys. In beta.156e translation coverage is not complete: chrome/account controls and sign-in/registration are connected; many forum/resource/admin/email strings remain English. A language pack cannot translate hardcoded text by adding a made-up key.

Step by step

Upload a ZIP with root manifest.json and component JSON files. Choose Review the pack and confirm only after its validation summary.
Enable the pack and Make default if it should be the new-reader default.
Test language choice in a separate member/guest session.
Use Roll back to the retained prior pack when an update is wrong; English remains available.
To translate, download the English reference and starter packs, translate values while retaining keys/placeholders/plural forms, then ZIP their contents and review the import.

Settings and behaviour

Use UTF-8 and a correct locale tag/direction. Keep every :placeholder; plural objects need the English-required forms and may include locale-specific additional forms. Component files identify core/addon/theme namespaces. Packs are data-only; PHP/JavaScript archives are refused. Updates keep installed translations outside core replacement paths.

Check the result

Check fallback text, placeholders, chosen locale and RTL direction where relevant. Test an installed addon/theme component separately.

Common questions and troubleshooting

English remains: compare coverage and the actual component key; it may be hardcoded. Import refused: check UTF-8/JSON, root manifest, supported locale and placeholders. Upload unavailable: PHP ZIP extension and writable language storage are required.