Select Extensions → Language(s) from the drop-down menu on the back-end of your Joomla! installation or click the icon Language in the control center.
Description
In the Language Manager you can set the default Language for both the Front-end and Back-end of your Joomla! web site.
Screenshot
Column Headers
Click on the column heading to sort the list by that column's value.
Checkbox: Check this box to select one or more items. To select all items, check the box in the column heading. After one or more boxes are checked, click a toolbar button to take an action on the selected item or items. Many toolbar actions, such as Publish and Unpublish, can work with multiple items. Others, such as Edit, only work on one item at a time. If multiple items are checked and you press Edit, the first item will be opened for editing.
Language. Item language.
Language Tag. Language Tag of the Installed Language.
Default. The default language of the site, marked with a yellow graphical asterisk in this column. Note: to every user a language can be assigned (see "User Management"), user from groups "Administrator" and "Super Administrator" can select their preferred language themself at login.
Version. The version number of the installed language.
Date. The creation date of the language.
Author. The name of the language translator is displayed in this column.
Author E-mail. The e-mail address of the translator.
ID. This is a unique identification number for this item assigned automatically by Joomla!. It is used to identify the item internally, and you cannot change this number. When creating a new item, this field displays 0 until you save the new entry, at which point a new ID is assigned to it.
Column Filtering
Above the column headers on the right, there are 2 drop down input fields, Sort Table by: (preset to Language ascending) and a number (preset to 20) to display.
These column sorting input fields shows the current method of sorting applied to the table. Use the drop down field choices and click the column heading name. Alternatively, click on the column heading to sort the list by that column's value. This will also change the value in the drop field to correspond with the column header name. The list will then be sorted in order by that column and a sort icon(up or down arrow) will show next to the column name. Click a second time to reverse the sort, which will change the corresponding drop field.
Ordering: (default). The column in which to sort displayed items in the table. The values are the same as the column heading names.
Ascending (default). Shows ordering of selected column, ascending or descending.
# (default is 20). Shows the number of items to display on one page, default is 20 items. If there are more items than this number, you can use the page navigation buttons located at the bottom of the table. (Start, Prev, Next, End, and page numbers) to navigate between pages.
List Filters
Above the columns you will see the filters below:
Filter by Site or Administrator
Site. Shows the installed Languages for the front-end part. Here you can set the default language for the front-end of your Joomla web site.
Administrator. Shows the installed Languages for the back-end part. Here you can set the default language for the back-end of your Joomla web site.
Search by Language Name
To filter in language, enter part of the Language Name and click Search.
Click Clear to clear the Filter field and restore the list to its unfiltered state.
Automatic Pagination
Page Controls: When the number of items is more than one page, you will see a page control bar as shown below. The current page number being viewed is shaded.
Start: Click to go to the first page.
Prev: Click to go to the previous page.
Page numbers: Click to go to the desired page.
Next: Click to go to the next page.
End: Click to go to the last page.
Toolbar
At the top you will see the toolbar:
The functions are:
Default: Makes the selected language the default language. The default star symbol () will show in the Default column, indicating that this is now the default language.
Options. Opens the Options window where settings such as default parameters can be edited.
Help. Opens this help screen.
Toolbar Links
At the top left you will see the links as shown below:
Installed. Shows the Languages available for the Front-end of the web site or administrator area, depending on the filter location at left that is current.
Overrides. Shows the Language Overrides created for this web site.
Quick Tips
Users can use any Language from the list of installed Languages, either by having it assigned in the User Manager or by filling out a Menu Item Manager - New/Edit - User Form Layout at the Front end. This will cause the Joomla! system prompts to be generated in this Language just for this User. For example, if a User chooses Spanish as their language, then the Search Module will show with prompts in Spanish.
This User's choice is not affected by the Default Language set for the Front-end.
Changing a User's Language or the Default Language does not affect the web site's Articles and other content.
Important: Do not delete the default language files (for example, with FTP). This will create errors on both the Front-end and Back-end.
If desired, you can show the Front-end site in one Language and show the Back-end administration pages in a different Language. Also, individual articles can be configured to use a different language in the Advanced Parameter pane when editing the Article.
) will show in the Default column, indicating that this is now the default language.