How to make your site available in several languages
In TeleportHQ, you make your site multilingual in two stages. First, click the language button at the top left of the canvas, click Enable internationalization and choose your site's main language. Then add each extra language. The main language is free; every other language needs a language slot, a paid add-on that no plan includes. Once languages are on, code downloads are limited to Next.js and HTML, and the only way back is restoring the backup TeleportHQ makes before it turns them on.
Before you start
- Plan: extra languages need a language slot each, on Pro and on Premium alike. Slots can be bought by Pro and Premium workspaces. A trial can turn internationalization on, but it can't buy a slot, so it can't add a second language. See How to buy extra language slots and the pricing page.
- Code download: once languages are on, your project downloads as Next.js or HTML code only, and an HTML download holds one language at a time. React, Vue, Nuxt and Angular are no longer offered. Web apps can't download their code, languages or not. See Can I download my site's code?
- It's hard to undo. There's no switch to turn internationalization off. The only way back is to restore the automatic backup Before Internationalization Enabled, which also undoes every change made since. TeleportHQ keeps up to 6 automatic backups per project and deletes the oldest when it makes a new one, so that backup doesn't stay forever. For a way back that stays, create a manual backup first, or try languages on a copy of the project. See How to back up and restore your project and How to duplicate a project.
- On a trial, backups aren't included: to go back, write to hello@teleporthq.io and ask support to restore the backup.
- Permissions: you need a role that can edit the project's components.
Steps
1. Turn on internationalization
- Open your project in the TeleportHQ editor.
- At the top left of the canvas, click the language button. It shows a globe and your site's language, for example English.
- In the menu, click Enable internationalization. The Enable internationalization window opens.
- Under Main language of your website, check the language your site is written in now. To pick another one, type its name and choose it from the list, for example
English. "Don't worry, you can change this later." - Read the notes: the export formats that stay available, the price of extra languages, and how to turn the feature off.
- Click Enable. The message "Internationalization enabled" appears.
You can also turn it on from Project settings: click the Project settings cog at the bottom of the left sidebar, then, in the Site group, click Internationalization, and click the Internationalization enabled switch. The same window opens.
2. Add your other languages
- Click the language button again.
- Click Add language, then pick a language. For example,
Spanish. - Follow the window: buy a language slot if you have no free one, choose what to translate with AI, and click Add Spanish.
See How to add a language for the full steps.
3. Let visitors switch languages
When you add a language, TeleportHQ can place a language switcher in your navigation and footer for you: keep Add a language switcher to the navigation and footer on in the add window. To add one yourself, see How to add a language switcher.
Check that it worked
The TeleportHQ language menu (the language button at the top left of the canvas) now shows:
- Your languages. The main language has a Change button while it's the only one, and a house icon once there are more. Change moves your site to another language and can translate it. See How to change the main language or remove a language.
- Manage Content, Glossary and Export / import for translators.
- Auto-translate content and Ignore browser language.
- How many language slots your workspace uses, for example "0 / 1 language slots used" (none in use, one bought), and Add language.
In Project settings → Site → Internationalization, Internationalization enabled is on and greyed out (it can't be turned off), and Languages shows your main language.
On Pro and Premium, the Backups window (the Backups button in the toolbar at the bottom of the canvas) lists Before Internationalization Enabled with an Automated badge.
Troubleshooting
"Additional project languages are only available on paid plans. Upgrade your workspace to enable this feature." Your workspace's trial or subscription has ended. Subscribe to Pro or Premium. See How to subscribe to Pro or Premium.
I enabled internationalization on my trial, and adding a language shows "Failed to purchase language slot. Please try again." A TeleportHQ trial can't buy language slots, so it can't add a language. Subscribe to Pro or Premium, then add the language again.
"Your current role does not have enough permissions to enable internationalization" Your role can't change this project's structure. Ask a workspace owner or admin to change your role, or to turn on languages for you.
"Invalid main language selected. Make sure to select one from the provided list." or "Pick a main language from the list." The language you typed isn't in the list. Start typing and pick a language from the suggestions.
"Failed to enable internationalization" or "Could not enable internationalization" Something went wrong while saving. Reload the editor and try again.
Good to know
What a TeleportHQ multilingual site translates, and where:
- Pages and components: every text, plus image alt text,
aria-label, placeholders,titleattributes and the error messages of form fields. See How to translate your site automatically and How to review and edit translations. - Page titles and descriptions for search engines. See How URLs and SEO work on a multilingual site.
- Blog posts and Help Center articles: each has a Content language tab per language. See How to translate blog posts.
- Store products and categories: the product form has a Content language switch too. See How to add a product.
- Bookable items: their names, descriptions and places are translated when you add a language with Automatically translate booking items on. The item form in the Bookings panel has a Content language switch too.
- Form messages: the success and error alerts of a form have a copy per language, with Translate with AI. See How to choose what happens after someone submits a form.
- Store and account emails are kept in every language and sent in the language the customer used. See Which emails does the store send to you and your customers?
Also:
- Publishing works as before. It's blocked when a project has more extra languages than language slots assigned to it.
- AI translation uses AI tokens. See What uses AI tokens, and how much?
Everything about multilingual sites in TeleportHQ: