Tutorial: Creating a Multilingual Site without the Language Menu App

8 min read
Important:
The article below is about Wix's previous method to build a multilingual site. Wix has an exciting new multilingual solution! To get started, click here.
The following article is designed to walk you step-by-step through the process of building a multilingual site if your language is not included in the Wix Language Menu app. 
If your language is included, click here for instructions.
Begin by creating your main language site from a Wix template or blank template or use a site that you've already created.

Replacing Your Site Menu with Buttons

  1. Click your site menu.
  2. Click Delete on your keyboard.
  3. Click Add on the left side of the Editor.
  4. Click Button.
  5. Choose a button to replace the first menu tab and drag it into your Header.
  6. Right-click the button that you added to your site and deselect the toggle next to Show on All Pages.
  7. Click the button again and click Change Text.
  8. Enter the name of your first page under What does this button say?.
  9. Click the Link icon to link the button to your first page:

    1. Select Page / Anchor on the left.
    2. Click the drop-down menu under Which page? and select your first page from the list.
    3. Click Done.
  10. Repeat steps 3 - 9 for each of your main language site's pages. A button should be added for each page.

    Note: Click the Design icon to change the design of the button.

  11. Copy and paste each button to every main language page on your site:
    1. Right-click the button and click Copy.
    2. Select the next page on your site from the Pages drop-down menu at the top left of the Editor.

    3. Right-click inside the Header of the second main language page and click Paste.
    4. Right-click the button that you pasted and deselect the toggle next to Show on All Pages.
    5. Repeat steps a - d for each button and each of your main language pages.
Important:

You should now have a new menu on your site, made up of buttons. The menu should appear on each of your site's main language pages. Currently, it is not possible to create a drop-down menu for a language site as buttons do not have this option. You can vote for this feature here.

Duplicating and Translating Your Site's Pages

  1. Click the Pages drop-down menu at the top left of the Editor.
  2. Click the Show More icon next to your first main language page.
  3. Click Duplicate.
  4. Enter the name of the first page in your second language and click Done.
  5. Translate all of the content on the page to your second language.
  6. Change the links of the menu buttons so that they link to the corresponding page in the second language.
  7. Repeat steps 1 - 6 for each of your main language pages.

Adding Language Icons (Flags)

Note: You can use any icon, image, text or button to link visitors to the relevant language pages. In this example, we use flag icons.

  1. Add a flag icon to represent each language:
    1. Click the Add icon on the left side of the Editor.
    2. Click Image.
    3. Click Free Wix Clip Art.
    4. Click Flags from the category list on the left.
    5. Scroll through the available flags and choose the one that you want to use for your main language.

      Note: If the flag that you want is not available, click Upload Images to upload your own image. You can also suggest additional flag icons here.
    6. Click Apply.
    7. Repeat steps a - f for your second language.
  2. Drag both of the flag icons and place them in your Header. Resize them to make them fit.
    Note: Make sure that neither of the flag icons overlap the over.
  3. Link each flag icon to the homepage of the corresponding language:
    1. Click the first flag icon and click the Link icon.
    2. Select Page / Anchor on the left.
    3. Click the drop-down menu under Which page? and select the homepage of the corresponding language.
    4. Click Done.
    5. Repeat steps a - d for the second flag.

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