SharePoint is designed to support multiple languages, making it an ideal platform for global organizations. It can render pages in different languages based on several settings and preferences. Understanding how SharePoint decides the language to display can help ensure your site meets the needs of a diverse user base. This blog will explain the various factors that influence the language in which a SharePoint page is rendered.
It combines SharePoint Site Language, User profile language, and Browser preferred language. Which can be seen from these areas.
1. User Profile Language Preferences
Each SharePoint user can set their language preferences in their profile settings. These preferences are the primary factor in determining the language of the SharePoint UI.
- Profile Language Settings: Users can access their profile settings to select their preferred languages..
2. Browsers Preferred language
The place where you can set your lanuage from browser settings. If a user has not set specific language preferences in their SharePoint profile, the browser’s language settings are used to determine the UI language.
- Checking Browser Language Settings:
- Users can find and set their browser’s language preferences in the advanced settings or preferences menu.
- SharePoint reads these settings and matches them with the available language packs to render the UI.
3. Site Language Settings
SharePoint sites and site collections can have default languages set by administrators. These default settings are used when no user-specific or browser-specific preferences are available. The supported languages on the Sharepoint site. URL: https://<Site>/_layouts/15/muisetng.aspx
- Setting Default Site Language:
- Administrators can set the default language during site creation.
- Alternate languages can also be enabled to allow users to switch between different languages.
The following flow will help you understand the process used to determine which UI language will render the SharePoint page.
Conclusion
SharePoint’s ability to render pages in different languages is crucial for global organizations. By considering user language preferences, browser settings, site settings, and installed language packs, SharePoint determines the most appropriate UI language. Understanding these factors allows administrators to configure SharePoint to support a multilingual user base effectively, improving the overall user experience.