Joomla can be used in many different languages. When you first install the platform, you can pick which one you want to use in the admin panel. However, what happens should you change your mind after the install? Perhaps you want to use the system in your native language or you want to brush up on something new.
Changing the linguistics of Joomla may also be useful in the event you purchased the website from a third-party who speaks something you don’t know. For whatever the reason, it is possible to change the Joomla admin panel language.
In this tutorial, I’m going to show you just how easy it is to move Joomla from one language to another. All it takes is a bit of patience and access to your admin panel.
Change the Joomla Admin Language
From the Joomla admin panel, click the “Extensions” link in the top toolbar. In this drop-down, click the “Language(s)” link in the bottom of the list.
This screen will show you all of the languages that are currently installed on your Joomla website. If you don’t see your preference listed, click the “Install Languages” button located near the top left.
Joomla comes with a wide range of supported dialects from many different countries. Look for the language you want to install and click the checkbox next to it. You can also install more than one language at a time.
NOTE: Next to each tag is a version number. If this number is in a green box, the file supports your version of Joomla. If it’s in a yellow box, it means that there may be some elements of the language that are missing from the current Joomla installation.
Once you select a language, click the “Install” button on the top left. Once you’ve installed your preferences, go back to Extensions and Language(s).
In this screen, you can select which will be the primary for your entire website. Select the primary language for the site by clicking the “Default” star.
However, this will not change the admin panel. This only controls the appearance of the website itself which visitors will see. To change the admin panel for yourself, click the “Users” link in the top toolbar and click “Manage”. Find the Administrator account and click into it to edit your settings.
NOTE: This will not be listed by username. It will be the name of the individual for the admin account. This will more than likely be your name unless you used something else during the installation process of Joomla.
For this example, I made it easy to find and simply named it Administrator. Click on the “Basic Settings” tab at the top of the account information. Click the drop-down box next to “Backend Language”. This will reveal the list of installed languages you can choose from.
Select the file you wish to use by clicking on it. Click the “Save” button on the top left and your admin screen will adjust to the new language.
Coincidentally, you can also change the frontend language in the same way. The will alter how the actual website looks to you as long as your account is logged into the Joomla system.
Changing the Joomla admin panel language is quite a quick and easy process. The method above will allow several admins to be efficient in the system even if they all come from completely different countries. This is just one of the many ways Joomla web hosting can be customized to build nearly any site you can think of. All it takes is a bit of imagination and a plan of action.
