06.02.2025 TRANSLATION
Shopify Translate and Adapt: App, Translation, and Help Center
Translate your online store content and boost international sales. Use the Adapt app to localize content and improve multilingual SEO. Get translation help!
Multilingual storefront development is critical for a brand diversifying into a global market where users use a language other than their default language. People want to see content in the language they understand and can read well, and companies that do not translate their content correctly are likely to see fewer interactions and lower conversion rates. Shopify Translate and Adapt can fill this requirement by providing a native, trustworthy system that allows merchants to scale up translation without unnecessary complications.
As Shopify’s native translation tool, Translate and Adapt works seamlessly with Shopify themes and the broader Shopify ecosystem. Merchants can generate automatic translations, manually refine text, and adapt messaging for specific regions—all without needing a Shopify developer. The app supports many types of translatable resources, so product descriptions, navigation, app content, and editorial copy remain consistent across markets with different languages. This makes it easier to maintain a consistent customer experience across different areas.
Beyond content accuracy, Shopify’s “Translate and Adapt” also supports international SEO best practices through language-specific URLs and automatically managed hreflang tags. When merchants translate the content with precision and optimize it for local search behaviour, they improve visibility, strengthen trust, and enhance performance in global markets where the language differs. This guide will walk you through how this app works, how to set up your multilingual store, and how to apply best practices for effective localization.
We provide certified multilingual Shopify translations to keep your store accurate, consistent, and SEO-ready across all languages. Contact us today for a quote for product pages, theme content, and full-store translations. For complete Shopify translation support, submit a request on this special page.
As Shopify’s native translation tool, Translate and Adapt works seamlessly with Shopify themes and the broader Shopify ecosystem. Merchants can generate automatic translations, manually refine text, and adapt messaging for specific regions—all without needing a Shopify developer. The app supports many types of translatable resources, so product descriptions, navigation, app content, and editorial copy remain consistent across markets with different languages. This makes it easier to maintain a consistent customer experience across different areas.
Beyond content accuracy, Shopify’s “Translate and Adapt” also supports international SEO best practices through language-specific URLs and automatically managed hreflang tags. When merchants translate the content with precision and optimize it for local search behaviour, they improve visibility, strengthen trust, and enhance performance in global markets where the language differs. This guide will walk you through how this app works, how to set up your multilingual store, and how to apply best practices for effective localization.
We provide certified multilingual Shopify translations to keep your store accurate, consistent, and SEO-ready across all languages. Contact us today for a quote for product pages, theme content, and full-store translations. For complete Shopify translation support, submit a request on this special page.
Introduction to Shopify Translate and Adapt
What is the Shopify Translate and Adapt App?
The Translate and Adapt app is Shopify’s native translation tool that allows store owners to translate content directly from the Shopify admin. It integrates seamlessly with Shopify's multilingual system, and while third-party translation apps also integrate through Shopify’s Translations API, Translate & Adapt provides a built-in, streamlined option without requiring external services.
Importance of Language Translations in E-commerce
Language translation is essential for e-commerce because it helps businesses connect with people around the world. If you offer your online store in more than one language, you'll be able to connect with more customers, build trust, and improve your SEO. This will help you reach more people and make more sales in Shopify markets.
Overview of Key Features
The Translate and Adapt app from Shopify offers many features, such as:
- Automatic translations
- Manual translation options
- The ability to adapt content for different areas
How to Use Shopify Translate for Effective Localization
Steps to Add Language to Your Shopify Store
To offer your store in multiple languages:
5. Publish the language so it becomes visible to customers and, if your store is accessible and SEO-ready, indexed by search engines.
- Go to Settings → Languages in your Shopify admin.
- Click Add language and select the languages you want to make available.
- Open the Translate & Adapt app to:
- Generate automatic translations (must be triggered inside the app), or
- Manually edit content for accuracy, tone, and brand alignment.
5. Publish the language so it becomes visible to customers and, if your store is accessible and SEO-ready, indexed by search engines.
Using the Language Selector for Customers
To help customers switch languages easily:
- In the Theme Editor, which is usually found under header or footer settings, you can turn on the language selector for your Online Store 2.0 theme.
- Make sure the selector is clearly visible for seamless switching.
- Test the selector to confirm that switching between languages works smoothly.
- Note: If a theme doesn't come with the selector by default, you may need to add it manually or use a custom-coded solution.
Understanding Default Language Settings
Key points about your default language:
- Set the primary display language in Settings → Languages.
- The default language is shown to visitors who haven’t chosen an alternative.
- Shopify automatically generates language-specific URLs and hreflang tags for published languages using its native multilingual system.
- A consistent default language helps keep SEO stable and gives your customers a consistent experience across all markets.
Translation Options Available in Shopify
Automatically Translate Store Content
Shopify’s Translate & Adapt app makes it easy to translate your store using machine translation. You can automatically translate:
- Product titles and descriptions
- Collections
- Blog posts and pages
- Navigation and theme content
- App-provided content (if compatible)
Manually Translate Content for Precision
You can manually change translations in Shopify or through the Translate & Adapt app to have full control. This method lets you:
- Capture every nuance of your messaging
- Maintain your brand voice across languages
- Ensure that product descriptions, promotions, and critical content are precise
Using Third-Party Apps for Enhanced Features
While Shopify’s native app provides a solid foundation, third-party apps from the Shopify App Store can add advanced functionality, such as:
We provide professional translation services to support your expansion into global markets. Contact us for more information. For full multilingual Shopify translation support, submit a request on this special page.
- More advanced options for machine translation
- Glossary management for consistent terminology
- Integration with professional translation services
We provide professional translation services to support your expansion into global markets. Contact us for more information. For full multilingual Shopify translation support, submit a request on this special page.
Key Limitations of the Translate and Adapt App
Common Issues Faced by Users
Shopify's Translate & Adapt app has some issues, although it has some good features. Users may have problems when certain app content or custom theme elements don't automatically translate. This mostly affects third-party apps or themes that have been heavily changed and don't work well with Shopify's Translations API. Standard Shopify content—like product descriptions, blog posts, navigation, and theme content—is generally supported and translates reliably. Understanding these limitations is essential for store owners who want a comprehensive translation strategy. In some cases, using a third-party translation app may be necessary to handle unsupported content.
Limitations in Language Support
The app supports 30+ languages, aligned with Shopify Markets’ expanding language availability. However, it still may not include every language needed for highly specialized or less commonly spoken markets. Merchants targeting niche audiences may need third-party translation apps or professional translation services for languages not supported by Shopify.
SEO Considerations for Translated Content
SEO is a critical factor when using the Translate & Adapt app. Shopify automatically generates language-specific URLs (such as /fr or /es) and hreflang tags for published languages, helping search engines identify multilingual content. However, indexing still depends on the store being live, accessible, and crawlable. Merchants should ensure core SEO elements—like sitemaps, canonical tags, and correct publishing—are properly implemented to maximize visibility. While the app supports technical setup, translations alone do not guarantee stronger rankings; they must be supported by broader multilingual marketing strategies that align SEO with content, audience targeting, and global growth goals.
Best Practices for Using Shopify Translate
Optimizing Translations for Local Markets
Simply translating text isn’t enough—your content should feel natural and culturally relevant in each target market. Use Shopify’s Translate & Adapt app to:
- Customize product descriptions, pages, and other translatable content for each market.
- Adapt language to reflect local idioms, expressions, and cultural nuances.
- Ensure that all content resonates with your audience and feels native to the region.
Maintaining Consistency Across Multiple Languages
To keep your brand identity across languages, you need to be consistent. Here are some best practices:
- Creating a glossary of key terms to ensure important brand elements are translated uniformly.
- Using the manual translation feature to review and fine-tune content after automatic translation.
- Checking for mistakes that might happen when more than one translator or automatic translation is used on a regular basis.
Utilizing Customer Feedback for Improvements
Customer feedback is an invaluable tool for refining your multilingual content:
- Ask customers to give you feedback if the translations aren't clear or are hard to understand.
- Monitor reviews and comments in different languages to identify areas for improvement.
- Use insights from customer feedback to make manual adjustments in Translate & Adapt.
Bring Your Shopify Store to the World With Accurate, Reliable Translations
Ready to expand your store into new markets or improve the quality of your multilingual content? We provide full-service translation support to make simple and stress-free—from translating product pages and navigation to refining your brand voice across every language. Whether you’re launching your first international market or managing a fast-growing global catalogue, we’ll ensure your store is clear, consistent, and culturally aligned for every audience you want to reach.
Avoid confusing machine-generated copy and missed sales opportunities by investing in precise, professional translations. Contact us today for expert help and set your Shopify store up for success in every language you serve.
Avoid confusing machine-generated copy and missed sales opportunities by investing in precise, professional translations. Contact us today for expert help and set your Shopify store up for success in every language you serve.
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