---
schema_version: "1"
id: 1997d14fee92e928ec1ee18885de2a2d50bd8ddcf274db33d849f8fee4028404
title: Export Metadata Translation Files
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/workbench_export.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.workbench_export.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 0b952f25a22e1ec8ee670010303d5f6e25e5d14c9aa7fcce259e4f23de35179a
description: To easily translate your metadata, create files for your translators that contain your Salesforce org’s translatable metadata. Examples of translatable metadata include custom field labels, report type names, and picklist values.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
  - Security
release: "264"
---
# Export Metadata Translation Files

To easily translate your metadata, create files for your translators that contain your Salesforce org’s translatable metadata. Examples of translatable metadata include custom field labels, report type names, and picklist values.

### Required Editions

Before you can export metadata translation files, you must enable Translation Workbench.

<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 and Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>Professional</strong>, <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions</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="d50415e78">User
              Permissions Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e78 ">To export or import translation files:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e78 ">
              <p>Manage Translation</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">AND</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">Create Documents</p>
            </td>

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

![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 You need the Manage Translation AND Create Documents user permissions to import or export translation files. If you attempt either operation without both user permissions, it’s possible to navigate to the import or export page, but the operation itself fails.

Exported files count toward your file storage limit. Before exporting, review the file storage limits for your org.

1. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Export, and then select **Export**.
2. If data translation is enabled in your org, select the **Metadata** translation type.
3. Select the Salesforce Setup components and date filters that you want to export. <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
          <tbody><tr class="">
            <th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e138-option" id="d50415e142">
              <strong class="uicontrol">All Setup Components</strong>
            </th>

            <td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e138-desc d50415e142">Used as the default filter for creating translations.<p>Includes all Salesforce
                Setup components in the translation files.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e138-option" id="d50415e156">
              <strong class="uicontrol"> Selected Setup Components</strong>
            </th>

            <td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e138-desc d50415e156">Used to filter Salesforce Setup components. <p>Add and remove available
                Salesforce Setup components to the translation files.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e138-option" id="d50415e170">
              <strong class="uicontrol">All Time</strong>
            </th>

            <td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e138-desc d50415e170">Used as the default date filter for creating translations.<p>Includes text from
                all time.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e138-option" id="d50415e184"><strong class="uicontrol">Source Last Modified Date</strong></th>

            <td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e138-desc d50415e184">Used as a date filter for creating translations.<p>Includes text from a date
                range of when the source text was last modified.</p>
              <p>To include all records that
                were modified after the start date, omit the end date. To include all records that
                were modified before the end date, omit the start date.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody></table>
4. Select the export type. <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small ">
          <tbody><tr class="">
            <th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e203-option" id="d50415e207">
              <strong class="uicontrol">Source</strong>
            </th>

            <td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e203-desc d50415e207">Used as the initial source for creating translations. <p>Creates a single file
                that contains a list of all your translatable customizations.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e203-option" id="d50415e221">
              <strong class="uicontrol">Outdated and untranslated</strong>
            </th>

            <td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e203-desc d50415e221">Used to make updates. <p>Creates a set of files that contain only metadata
                labels that haven’t been translated, including new and modified labels.</p>
              <p>One
                file is created for each language. These files are then compressed into .zip
                files.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e203-option" id="d50415e237">
              <strong class="uicontrol">Bilingual</strong>
            </th>

            <td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e203-desc d50415e237">Used for reference and reviewing all your untranslated and translated
              customizations. <p>Creates a list of all the translatable metadata labels in their
                current translated or untranslated state.</p>
              <p>One file is created for each
                language. These files are then compressed into .zip files.</p>
              <p>The content in each
                file is divided into Untranslated and Translated sections. Each translatable label
                is in the Untranslated or the Translated section, according to its translation
                state. The Translated section includes the out-of-date status for each
                label.</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody></table>
    
    ![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 Exported translation file content is in your org’s default language.
5. If you selected **Outdated and untranslated** or **Bilingual**, select the languages to include in the output text file.
    
    ![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 Inactive status controls only what users see: it doesn't affect exports or imports. Inactive languages are still included in exported translation files and remain available for translators to work on.
6. Select a format.
    
    Salesforce recommends the XML Localization Interchange File Format (XLIFF) because it contains more information than the .stf format, such as the field width.
7. Click **Export**.
    
    A status message tells you that the export is being processed. Wait for it to finish before you submit another export request. When the export is complete, an email is sent to the address specified in your profile.
8. Locate the exported .stf, .xlf, or .zip file. You can retrieve exported metadata translation files from either the My Personal Documents folder in Salesforce Classic or a link that’s emailed to you.
    
    - In Salesforce Classic, go to **Your name** | **Documents** | **Document Folders** | **My Personal Documents** | **Go!**.
    - In the email sent to you, click the link.
    
    The names of the exported files indicate the export option and include a timestamp. Individual files end with a .stf or .xlf extension. Multiple files are grouped into .zip files.
    
    Find the exported files under the sort letter.
    
    <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small "><tbody><tr class=""><th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e341-option" id="d50415e345">B</th><td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e341-desc d50415e345">Bilingual export option, for example: <samp class="filepath">Bilingual_2020-01-23_11:20.zip</samp>.</td></tr><tr class=""><th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e341-option" id="d50415e357">S</th><td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e341-desc d50415e357">Source export option, for example: <samp class="filepath">Source_en_US_2020-01-23_11:20.stf</samp>.</td></tr><tr class=""><th style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e341-option" id="d50415e369">O</th><td style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d50415e341-desc d50415e369">Outdated and untranslated export option, for example: <samp class="filepath">Outdated_and_untranslated_2020-01-23_11:20.zip</samp>.</td></tr></tbody></table>
    
    When you retrieve the files from My Personal Documents, each uncompressed file is limited to 5 MB. If your org’s metadata translations exceed 5 MB, then the metadata is exported into multiple files, and each file name is timestamped and numbered. For example, Outdated and untranslated 2020–09–20 05:13\_part 1 of 2.zip.
    
    When you retrieve the files from the emailed link, each export request is limited to 1 GB of data and 100,000 records. Individual uncompressed files are limited to 25 MB each. If your org’s metadata translations exceed 25 MB, the metadata is exported into multiple files, and each file name is date-stamped and numbered. For example, Bilingual\_zh\_CN\_2025-05-08 1036\_1.xlf, Bilingual\_zh\_CN\_2025-05-08 1036\_2.xlf.
9. Save the files for translation by your translators or translation agency. Click **View** | **Save File** | **OK**.
    
    The file is saved to the location specified by your browser. For example, C:/Users/username/Downloads.
10. Send the files to your translators or translation agency for bulk translation.

Use **Import** to update your labels.

#### See Also

- [Translation Workbench](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.workbench.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Use Translation Workbench to maintain translated values for metadata and data labels in your Salesforce org. Specify languages for translation and assign translators for each language. Manage translated values for any Salesforce supported language. Translators can maintain translations directly through the workbench, or you can export translation files for bulk translation imports.")
- [Gaps Betwee Salesforce Classic and Lightning Experience](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.lex_considerations_intro.htm&language=en_US)
- [Salesforce Developer Doc: Translations](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api_meta.meta/api_meta/meta_translations.htm)