Title: Theme localization doesn't work
Last modified: August 19, 2016

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# Theme localization doesn't work

 *  [brucio](https://wordpress.org/support/users/brucio/)
 * (@brucio)
 * [15 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/theme-localization-doesnt-work/)
 * I did a 1-click install of WP 3.0.1 in English, but wanted the front-end in Spanish;
   so I uploaded the .po & .mo files for es_ES to /wp-content/languages. Some of
   the front-end was still in English, so I did a clean install of the pre-localized
   Spanish version. This time, more of the front-end was in Spanish. Then I changed
   the theme to one called Notepad, which produced a little more English.
    After
   looking around, I found [help](http://blog-en.icanlocalize.com/installing-wordpress-for-multiple-language-blogs/how-to-localize-wordpress-themes-and-plugins-with-gettext/)
   and made .po/.mo files for the theme. I installed these in /themes/notepad/languages
   and added `<?php load_theme_textdomain('notepad'); ?>` to the functions.php file
   in the /notepad directory. I have tried dozens of different configurations (placing
   multiple .po/,mo files in multiple directories, putting the <php loadtheme>in
   different files, etc), and I still can’t get my localization to work with the
   theme. I run a couple of Joomla sites, I’ve localized a number of different sourceforge
   projects, but I’m a WordPress noob and I’m about to give up. Any suggestions?

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  Thread Starter [brucio](https://wordpress.org/support/users/brucio/)
 * (@brucio)
 * [15 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/theme-localization-doesnt-work/#post-1711634)
 * I have read all the “localization” posts in the forum and have come to the conclusion
   that WordPress is not at all elegant in this area, that is to say for all of 
   it’s good qualities, internationalization sucks. Why don’t templates use the 
   main dictionary?
 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [15 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/theme-localization-doesnt-work/#post-1711637)
 * Because every theme is different and uses different words/phrases. Plus some 
   people prefer to have a back end in 1 language and the front end in another. 
   Or even 2 or more different languages.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The topic ‘Theme localization doesn't work’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [Localization](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/localization/)

 * 2 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * Last activity: [15 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/theme-localization-doesnt-work/#post-1711637)
 * Status: not resolved

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