--- title: Translate content slug: cms-12/docs/translate-content docTags: createdAt: 2026-08-10T15:55:53.000Z --- :::hint{type="info"} **Note** An administrator enables languages; see [Manage website languages](docId\:NtcXDHpZPMMG7_jNk5cTU). ::: When a language is enabled, you are ready to translate existing content or create content in a specific language. Content here can be, for example, pages or blocks on an Optimizely Content Management System (CMS) website or product-related content on an ecommerce site. When a language is enabled in CMS, content properties that are not **global** are available for translation. See also [Global properties](docId\:c0Dlt6GiGyPFGT0O_lUpD). :::hint{type="info"} **Note** To prevent editors from accidentally creating content in the wrong language, an administrator can set access rights differently for different languages. If implemented, you can only edit and create content in languages you can access. ::: See also the [Optimizely Languages](docId\:vKU2-nQv1hNV16PCIpBbI) app to extend the functionality in CMS for translating content into multiple languages. ## Switch language and viewing language versions To switch the language in **CMS**, go to the **Sites** tab in the navigation panel and select the desired language to work with. The user interface reloads, displaying the page tree in the selected language. ![Switch language and viewing language versions](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/YMuB_mSBkn4hX2DHKs06z-20260720-145525.png) If your master language is English and you switch to Swedish, pages not yet translated into Swedish are displayed in italics in the page tree and with the language code (*en* for English; *de* for German). Pages that exist in Swedish are displayed in normal font. ![If your master language is English and you switch to Swedish, pages not yet translated into Swedish are displayed in italics in the page tree](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/RZwTh-euLjy_qOg30Cn4b-20260720-145526.png) To view only translated pages, select **Show Content in Current Language Only** from the page tree's **Settings** button. This filters out other language versions. You can also use this option in the assets panel and the Versions gadget to view blocks and versions only in the current language. Click **Show All Languages** to see the entire content tree again. ![view only translated pages](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/r87o5ARr8xFb46SDDjIlO-20260720-145525.png) :::hint{type="info"} **Note** When you only show content in one language, you can move pages to another location in the page tree structure by drag and drop or copy and paste, but you cannot sort pages. Sorting is disabled because sorting in one language, where you may not see all pages, can cause unexpected results in other languages. ::: The setting **Show Content in Current Language Only** is enabled individually for each panel or gadget instance. This means that you, for example, can add the [Versions gadget](docId\:wv4E12dJGXVlrYYjDEQIi) twice and display only the current language in one of the instances and languages in the other. You can also switch languages by selecting the desired language in the **Header** when editing translated content in the **All Properties** view. The user interface reloads, displaying the content in the selected language. You can use the Versions gadget to see the different language versions when you translate content. By selecting a language in the version list, you can switch to editing in another language using the switch option in the notification bar. ![use the Versions gadget to see the different language versions when you translate content](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/3GsBbsMxA2BK_p-PwjS9Y-20260720-145525.png) You can search for language versions for some content by typing a keyword in the search field for **Pages** or **Blocks** in the assets panel. ### Preview content in different languages Click **View** to [preview](docId\:q4HhINW0rTUAwtdaBrhqp) and edit content in one of the languages available for translation on the website. ![preview and edit content in one of the languages available for translation on the website](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/ngEeOk0S_Amxv1i7UIsHm-20260720-145526.png) ### Delete language versions Select **More** > **Delete Version** or **More** > **Delete All** **\[*****language*****]** **Versions** in the **Versions** gadget to delete one or more language versions for content. ![Delete language versions](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/87_ctNpKfuvBz1iVvxhvP-20260720-145525.png) :::hint{type="danger"} **Warning** Deleting one or more language versions cannot be undone. ::: ## Translate existing content The **Sites** tab displays the languages available for content creation, with the default language for the website at the top. Languages that are enabled on the website but are not enabled for editing are shown in italics. ### Translate a page By default, pages in the tree structure are displayed in the **Pages** tab, including those not translated. These are shown in italics. Select **Show Content in Current Language Only** to see pages for the chosen language. Do the following to translate a page: 1. Under the **Sites** tab in the navigation panel, select the desired target language for translation. The interface reloads, and you are taken to the **Pages** tab. 2. Select the desired page to translate in the page tree, and then click **Translate** in the notification bar at the top. Or, select **Translate** in the context menu for the page in the page tree. 3. Click the [compare](docId:4fWBt34aEsBWEDV88AKpi) view icon to translate in one panel while simultaneously seeing the original version in the other panel. 4. Edit the content and follow the content publishing flow to [save and publish](docId\:wv4E12dJGXVlrYYjDEQIi) the translated page. ### Translate a block You can access language versions for blocks from **Blocks** in the assets panel. By default, all blocks are displayed, including those not translated; these are shown in italics. Select **Show Content in Current Language Only** to see blocks for the chosen language. To translate a block: 1. Under the **Sites** tab in the navigation panel, select the desired target language for translation, and the interface reloads. 2. Expand the assets panel and select **Blocks**. 3. Select the desired block to translate in the block structure and then the **Translate** option in the context menu. ![Select the desired block to translate in the block structure and then the Translate option in the context menu](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/yacpt6Y6oRUr9lWxtOh1f-20260720-145525.png) 4. Click the **Compare view** icon to translate in one panel while simultaneously seeing the original version in the other panel. 5. Edit the content and follow the content publishing flow to [save and publish](docId\:wv4E12dJGXVlrYYjDEQIi) the translated block. ## Global properties Depending on your implementation, some properties may be globally shared, and you can edit them in the master language. These properties are marked as **non-editable** when editing the content in another language. Switch to the default language if you need to edit these. When editing in the **All Properties** view, the default language is usually the first language listed next to Languages in the header. ![Global properties - the default language is usually the first language listed next to Languages in the header](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/tiRprk2-IcvdtRmnawVSv-20260720-145525.png "Image: Global properties") ## Create content in another language To create content in a language other than the master language, select the desired language under the **Sites** tab. Then select the page branch or folder where you want to create the content and create a page or a block. Add content and follow the content publishing flow to [save and publish](docId\:wv4E12dJGXVlrYYjDEQIi). ## ![Optimizely Customized Commerce icon](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/dmsAZjrPzdbNdUels1klz-20260720-145525.svg "Optimizely Customized Commerce") Optimizely Commerce Connect and multiple languages See [Multi-language management](../../commerce-connect/manage-content/manage-languages-for-catalogs.mdx) in the Optimizely Commerce Connect section for information about working with multiple languages if you have Optimizely Commerce Connect installed.