> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://modutheme.gitbook.io/helix/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://modutheme.gitbook.io/helix/how-to-guides/how-to-translate-the-theme.md).
# How to translate your theme
Helix reads all of its wording from Shopify, so you translate your store in Shopify admin — never by editing theme files. Shopify's free **Translate & Adapt** app does the work.
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## Step 1 — Set up the translation app
1. Open [Shopify Translate & Adapt](https://apps.shopify.com/translate-and-adapt) on the App Store and click **Install**.
2. In Shopify admin, go to **Apps → Translate & Adapt**.
The app is free and can auto-translate up to two languages with Google Translate. Beyond that you can add as many translations as you like by typing them in yourself.
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## Step 2 — Turn on a second language
1. In Shopify admin, go to **Markets**.
2. Open the market you sell to, then **Languages and domains**.
3. Click **Add languages** and pick your language.
4. Go to **Settings → Languages**, find it under **Unpublished languages**, click **··· → Publish**, then **Save**.
{% hint style="info" %}
An unpublished language stays hidden from customers even when it is fully translated — handy while a translation is still half-finished.
{% endhint %}
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## Step 3 — Work through the translations
1. In **Translate & Adapt**, choose your language.
2. Open the **Theme** section and work down the side-by-side editor. Changes save as you go.
3. Repeat for **Products**, **Collections**, **Pages**, **Policies**, and **Navigation** — the theme is only part of what a customer reads.
Any field you leave blank falls back to your default language, so you can start with the pages that matter most. Where a field contains HTML or Liquid, translate only the visible words and leave the tags exactly as they are.
{% hint style="warning" %}
Theme translations are stored against the theme they were made in, not the store. If you duplicate Helix or install an update as a separate theme, that copy starts without them — check it before publishing.
{% endhint %}
{% hint style="info" %}
To let customers switch language for themselves, add the selector to your header, footer, or mobile menu — see [Localization block](/helix/theme-blocks/utilities/localization.md).
{% endhint %}
***
{% hint style="info" icon="headset" %}
**Need help?**
Whether you have a question, run into an issue, or just need some guidance, our support team is here to help.
Chat with us Submit a ticket
{% endhint %}