---
schema_version: "1"
id: 05b1d34139bce5f14629e1e5967e5af2859ae981c3a47918c352e4aadf88382b
title: Setting the Default Language
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/siteforce_languages_default.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_languages_default.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 5d355233216fa0550ae40917f159b09062fc05ab93eb50511da3da8d2a328ab4
description: The default language is the language in which your site initially displays. By default, it's set to English (US), and it serves as the starting point when you add new languages.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
  - Security
release: "264"
---
# Setting the Default Language

The default language is the language in which your site initially displays. By default, it's set to English (US), and it serves as the starting point when you add new languages.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition">
        <colgroup>
          <col>
        </colgroup>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: Salesforce Classic</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <p>Available for purchase in: <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>,
                and <strong>Unlimited</strong> Editions</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Available (with limitations) in:
                <strong>Developer</strong> Edition
              </p>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table> <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d73322e74">User Permissions
              Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d73322e74 ">To add and manage language options:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d73322e74 ">
              <p><samp class="parmname">Site.com Publisher User</samp> field enabled on the
                user detail page</p>
              <p>AND</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Site administrator or designer role
                assigned at the site level</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

It's important to set the default language before you add any language content to your site. This setting is not associated with the default language setting in your Salesforce organization.

1. Click **Site Configuration** | **Languages** on the Overview tab.
2. Select a language in the Default Site Language drop-down list.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-extend_click-264-0-0-production-enus/5f7d9219-b7b1-4552-8891-f1aba9b289fc/images/icon_note.png)

Note If you decide to change the default language after you add translated content, you must first export the translated content, then change the default language, and finally, import the content back into your site. Otherwise the translated content won't appear for the newly selected default language.

For example, let's say you make English the default site language and add French as a site language. After you add content in both English and French, you decide to change the default site language to French. To preserve the French content, you must first export it. Then, select French as the default site language before importing the French content back into the site.

#### See Also

- [Adding Languages](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_languages_add.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Add the languages you want your site to support.")
- [Setting Language Options](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.siteforce_languages_settings.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "After you add site languages in the Languages view, you can define separate settings for each one.")