Title: Did update WP: Admin language changed! Last modified: August 21, 2016 --- # Did update WP: Admin language changed! * [gregersen](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gregersen/) * (@gregersen) * [12 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/did-update-wp-admin-language-changed/) * I just updated WP to 3.7.1 but the admin interface language changed, its no longer English! So, how do I get back to English language? There’s no options within WP to change this. Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total) * [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/) * (@esmi) * [12 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/did-update-wp-admin-language-changed/#post-4299755) * Edit your wp-config.php file and change: * ``` define ('WPLANG', 'xx_XX'); ``` * to: * ``` define ('WPLANG', ''); ``` * Thread Starter [gregersen](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gregersen/) * (@gregersen) * [12 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/did-update-wp-admin-language-changed/#post-4299764) * esmi, * I’m only interested in having the WP interface language in English. So, no matter what language I have in the site the admin will always be in English. The .po and .mo files can vary based on the languages I have in the site but I don’t want this to affect what admin language I have. After I updated WP to 3.7.1 all of a sudden my WP interface became the same as my site language, but it was not like that in the prior version. * Could something like this plugin fix this problem? * [http://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-native-dashboard/](http://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-native-dashboard/) * [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/) * (@esmi) * [12 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/did-update-wp-admin-language-changed/#post-4299767) * The suggestion I gave above should switch your site’s admin area back to English. * Thread Starter [gregersen](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gregersen/) * (@gregersen) * [12 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/did-update-wp-admin-language-changed/#post-4299777) * No, that will change the site language. A corresponding MO file for the chosen language must then be installed to wp-content/languages. That’s a theme localization and I don’t want that. As an example I have a Norwegian site language (‘WPLANG’,‘ nb_NO’); but if I changed that to English it would become a theme localization. * [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/) * (@esmi) * [12 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/did-update-wp-admin-language-changed/#post-4299779) * It has absolutely nothing to do the theme localisation! * Thread Starter [gregersen](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gregersen/) * (@gregersen) * [12 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/did-update-wp-admin-language-changed/#post-4299782) * esmi, * It doesn’t work. When the WPLANG code is changed it affects the site language too. I’ve made heaps of translations on this particulate site, not only trough localization alterations in the php files but also within the theme I’m using. I thought maybe that’s why plugin like this were invented? * [http://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-native-dashboard/](http://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-native-dashboard/) * I haven’t yet tried it in fear of making the problem even worse. Wanted to see if anyone had any other suggestions. As mentioned this all worked fine before I updated the WP version. When looking at the WPLANG codes its exactly the same as before I updated! So, this is a nightmare. * [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/) * (@esmi) * [12 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/did-update-wp-admin-language-changed/#post-4299788) * > When the WPLANG code is changed it affects the site language too. * No. It only affects WordPress core and your admin area. Most of the other localisation for the front end of your site is carried out via _your theme_ and it’s separate language file(s). * If you have been using plugins to change the language on your site (front or back end), then you need to contact the developers of those plugins. * Thread Starter [gregersen](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gregersen/) * (@gregersen) * [12 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/did-update-wp-admin-language-changed/#post-4299791) * I haven’t used any plug-ins to translate or localize my theme, I have used .mo and .po files generated by poedit, a stand alone application. When changing the WPLANG codes it affects the site language, not just the WP admin interface. That is as I’m trying to explain the issue here. * By the way, here is a sample from the WP localization guide: * “you’ll need to make sure your wp-config.php file matches your language files. For example, if you’re using a French translation, you’ll need to add the fr_FR. po and fr_FR.mo files to your theme folder, then set your language in wp-config. php, like this: * define (‘WPLANG’, ‘fr_FR’); * So, according to this if you change the WPLANG language code the translation will be affected. That doesnt correspond with my first install cause I had a Norwegian WLPANG with an English WP admin language. My localization files were nb_NO.mo and nb_NO.po and the language in the wp-config.php was (‘WPLANG’, ‘nb_NO’); I had an English program version of WP and the interface was English. That all changed after I updated as mentioned. I had a look at the wp-config.php file and it’s unchanged. * So, it all worked fine before the update and it didn’t after the update. Beats me. If I change the (‘WPLANG’, ‘nb_NO’); to (‘WPLANG’, ‘en_US’); it affects the site language, in other words the localization. Just as the above localization guide suggests. Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total) The topic ‘Did update WP: Admin language changed!’ is closed to new replies. * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 8 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [gregersen](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gregersen/) * Last activity: [12 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/did-update-wp-admin-language-changed/#post-4299791) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics