HomeDev GuideRecipesAPI Reference
Dev GuideAPI ReferenceUser GuideGitHubNuGetDev CommunityOptimizely AcademySubmit a ticketLog In
Dev Guide

Translate content

Translate existing content in Optimizely CMS 13. Switch languages, view language versions, and translate pages and blocks for a multi-language website.

Translate existing content or create content in a specific language after an administrator enables that language. Content includes pages or blocks on an Optimizely Content Management System (CMS) website or product-related content on an ecommerce site.

📘

Note

An administrator enables languages. Go to Languages for details.

When a language is enabled in CMS, content properties that are not global are available for translation. Administrators set access rights for each language to prevent editors from creating content in the wrong language. Editors create and edit content only in languages they have access to.

The Optimizely Languages gadget extends the translation functionality in CMS.

Translate existing content

The Sites tab displays the languages available for content creation, with the default language at the top. Languages enabled on the website but not enabled for editing display in italics.

Translate a page

Pages in the tree structure display in the Pages tab, including untranslated pages shown in italics. Select Show Content in Current Language Only to see pages for the chosen language only.

To translate a page:

  1. Select the target language for translation under the Sites tab in the navigation panel, such as svenska.

    Screenshot of the Sites tab where you select the target language for translation
    📘

    Note

    Select More > Translate from the page tree as an alternative.

    Screenshot of the More menu in the page tree where the Translate option displays
  2. Click Translate when CMS indicates the content does not exist in the selected language. The add language page displays.

    Screenshot of the notification bar where the Translate option displays for untranslated content
  3. Select Translate content using UI and click Add Language. CMS translates the content automatically.

    Screenshot of the add language page where you select the translation method
  4. Click Compare view to translate in one panel while viewing the original version in the other panel.

    Screenshot of the compare view where the original and translated versions display side by side
  5. Edit the content and follow the content publishing flow to save and publish the translated page.

Translate a block

Access language versions for blocks from Blocks in the assets panel. Untranslated blocks display in italics. Select Show Content in Current Language Only to see blocks for the chosen language only.

To translate a block:

  1. Select the target language for translation under the Sites tab in the navigation panel. The UI reloads.

  2. Expand the assets panel and select Blocks.

  3. Select the block to translate in the block structure, then select Translate from the context menu.

    Screenshot of the block context menu where the Translate option displays
  4. Click Compare view to translate in one panel while viewing the original version in the other panel.

  5. Edit the content and follow the content publishing flow to save and publish the translated block.

Global properties

CMS shares some properties globally across all language versions, depending on your implementation. Edit these properties in the master language only. These properties are marked as non-editable when editing content in another language. Switch to the default language to edit global properties. When editing in the All Properties view, the default language is the first language listed next to Languages in the header.

Screenshot of the All Properties view where global properties display as non-editable in a non-master language