Multi-language Support Guide 

Overview

Reactiv's Multi-Language Support lets you serve your mobile app in more than one language. When enabled, your app automatically displays content in the shopper's device language, creating a localized experience without requiring shoppers to manually select a language.

Currently supported languages: English and French.

How It Works

Multi-Language Support translates three types of content in your app:

- App UI text: Buttons, labels, navigation, and other interface elements throughout the app (e.g., "Add to Cart," "Shop Now," "View All")
- Studio content: Any custom text you've entered in the Reactiv Studio editor, such as section headings, banner copy, and promotional text
- Product and collection metafields: Translated metafield content from your Shopify store is pulled into the app automatically

When a shopper opens your app, Reactiv detects their device language setting and displays the app in that language. If the shopper's device is set to a language your app doesn't support, the app defaults to English.

What Gets Translated Automatically

Some content is sourced directly from your Shopify store and does not need to be translated in the Reactiv Dashboard:

- Product titles and descriptions: These come from Shopify's translation system. As long as you have translations set up in Shopify (via Settings > Languages), they will appear translated in the app.
- Collection titles and descriptions: Same as products, these are sourced from Shopify.
- Product and collection metafields: Translated metafield values from Shopify are automatically reflected in the app.
- Currency formatting: Prices are displayed in the shopper's local currency format.
- Built-in app UI text: Buttons like "Add to Cart," "Search," and "My Account" are pre-translated by Reactiv and do not require manual translation.

What You Need to Translate in Reactiv

The following content must be translated manually in the Reactiv Studio:

- Custom section headings and copy
- Banner and promotional text
- Navigation labels and menu items
- Any custom text entered through the Studio editor

Prerequisites

Before enabling Multi-Language Support in Reactiv, you must first add your target language to your Shopify store:

1. Log in to your Shopify Admin
2. Go to Settings > Languages
3. Click Add language
4. Select French (or your desired language) and click Add
5. Publish the language when you're ready for it to be active on your storefront

Once the language is added and published in Shopify, you can proceed to enable it in the Reactiv Dashboard.

Enabling Multi-Language Support

Step 1: Add a Language

1. Log in to the Reactiv Dashboard
2. Navigate to App Settings > Translations
3. Click Add language
4. Select French
5. Click Save

Step 2: Review Your Translation Health Check

After enabling a new language, the Translations tab displays a health check summary showing:

- Overall completion percentage: How much of your app content has been translated
- Number of untranslated items: The total count of items that still need translation
- Active languages: How many languages are currently enabled for your app

Below the summary, you'll see an itemized list of untranslated sections, organized by which screens they appear on. This makes it easy to identify exactly what still needs attention.

Step 3: Translate Your Content

1. From the itemized list in the health check, click on an untranslated item. This takes you directly to the section that needs to be translated in the Studio editor.
2. In Studio, use the language dropdown to switch from English to French
3. Edit the text content for that section in French
4. Click Save
5. Return to the Translations tab and repeat for the next untranslated item

Important: You must save after each translation edit. Unsaved changes will be lost if you navigate away.

Step 4: Publish Your Changes

Once you've completed your translations (or are satisfied with your progress):

1. Return to the Reactiv Dashboard
2. Click Publish to push your translated content live

Translations will not appear in your live app until you publish.

Managing Translations

Checking Translation Status

You can return to App Settings > Translations at any time to review your translation progress. The health check updates automatically as you add translations, so you can easily track:

- Which sections are fully translated
- Which sections still have untranslated content
- Your overall completion percentage

Updating Translations

To edit an existing translation:

1. Go to App Settings > Translations
2. Find the section you want to update in the itemized list, or navigate directly to it in Studio
3. In Studio, switch to the target language using the language dropdown
4. Make your edits
5. Click Save
6. Click Publish to push the updated translations live

Adding New Content

When you add new sections or content to your app in Studio, those items will appear as untranslated in the health check. Remember to translate new content and publish for it to appear in the non-English version of your app.

Troubleshooting

Carousels or Sections Not Showing Translated Content

If translated content isn't appearing in your app, check:

- Did you switch to the target language using the language dropdown in Studio before editing?
- Did you click Save after making your translation edits?
- Did you click Publish in the Reactiv Dashboard to push the changes live?

Check the health check in App Settings > Translations to verify the item shows as translated.

New Content Added to Studio Not Appearing as Translated

When you add new sections or content to your app in Studio, those items will appear as untranslated in the health check. You must translate them and publish for them to appear in non-English versions of your app.

Need Help?

Contact our support team for assistance with translation setup or Shopify integration questions.

FAQs

How does the app know which language to show a shopper?

The app detects the shopper's device language setting. If the device is set to French and you've enabled French in Reactiv, the app will display in French. If the device language isn't supported, the app defaults to English.

Can shoppers manually switch languages in the app?

The app follows the shopper's device language setting. Shoppers can change their experience by updating their device language in their phone's settings.

Do I need to translate everything before publishing?

No. You can publish at any time, even with partial translations. Any untranslated content will appear in English as a fallback.

Will new languages be available beyond English and French?

Additional languages may be supported in future updates. Contact your Reactiv account team for the latest availability.

Do my Shopify product translations automatically appear in the app?

Yes. Product titles, descriptions, and metafield translations set up in Shopify are automatically pulled into the Reactiv app. You do not need to re-enter these in the Reactiv Dashboard.

What's Next?

Once you've enabled Multi-Language Support and completed your translations, monitor how shoppers in different regions engage with your app. You can always return to App Settings > Translations to update content or add new languages as your business expands.