--- title: "Localization and Multi-lingual Knowledge base" slug: "localization-getting-started" description: "Localize your website and add multiple language versions of your knowledge base using machine translation and multi-lingual extension" tags: ["Localization", "Translation", "Multi-lingual", "Multi-lingual knowledge base"] updated: 2026-08-17T08:48:24Z published: 2026-08-17T08:48:24Z canonical: "docs.document360.com/localization-getting-started" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.document360.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Localization - Getting started Localization in Document360 is the process of adapting your knowledge base's content, visuals, and behavior to a specific language or region, so readers experience it as if it were built natively for them. Document360 does this by storing a separate version of each article for every language you add to a workspace, rather than translating pages as readers view them. Localization goes beyond translating text, and can also cover visual styling, regional formats, and automatic language detection. :::(Info) (NOTE) If you are comparing this with a browser translation widget, or moving to Document360 from a platform where one was in use, see [Google Translate vs native localization](https://docs.document360.io/docs/google-translate-vs-native-localization). ::: --- ## What complete localization includes Complete localization in Document360 covers more than translated article text: - **Article content** — each article exists as stored, editable content in every language you add to the workspace. - **Titles and metadata** — article titles, category titles, and meta titles are translated alongside the article body. - **Interface text** — [localization variables](https://docs.document360.io/docs/localization-variables) let you translate the labels and controls on your Knowledge base site. - **Visual customization** — graphics, color, aesthetics, fonts, and images can be adapted per language. - **Regional formats** — units of measure, currencies, and address and date formats can be localized to match the reader's region. - **Automatic language detection** — Document360 can detect and load a reader's preferred language based on their login location or browser language settings. - **Cultural relevance** — a fully localized knowledge base incorporates the nuances that make it feel native, rather than simply machine-translated. --- ## When to use localization Use localization when: - Your customer base spans multiple countries or language groups, and a single-language knowledge base creates friction for non-English readers. - You want to reduce support ticket volume by letting readers self-serve in their native language. - You need search and Ask Eddy AI to work in each reader's language, not only the displayed page text. - Your brand needs region-specific visuals, formats, or terminology to feel credible to local customers. - You are entering a new market and want readers there to find your documentation in their own language. --- ## How to set up localization 1. Enable a multilingual workspace and add the languages you want to support. See [Multilingual Knowledge base](https://docs.document360.io/docs/getting-started-with-multi-lingual-knowledge-base). 2. Translate your content using one of the following: - [Translate with Eddy AI](https://docs.document360.io/docs/translate-with-eddy-ai) for AI-powered translation from the portal. - [Crowdin](https://docs.document360.io/docs/crowdin) if you work with an external translation vendor. - Manual translation, by editing the article in each language. 3. Translate your site interface using [localization variables](https://docs.document360.io/docs/localization-variables). 4. Standardise product terminology across languages using [glossary terms](https://docs.document360.io/docs/editing-and-deleting-glossary-term). 5. Set review reminders on source articles, so translations are flagged for updating when the source changes. --- ## Limits and behaviour to know | Behaviour | What to expect | |---|---| | **Fallback** | Untranslated articles fall back to the default language content, so partial coverage is a valid state to publish in. | | **Translation direction** | Translate with Eddy AI translates from the workspace default language into secondary languages, not between two secondary languages. | | **Deletion** | Deleting an article in the default language deletes it in all languages. Hiding it in the default language does not hide it in the others. | | **Translation credits** | Translate with Eddy AI is metered by character volume, consumed on the initial translation and on every re-translation after an edit. See [Translate with Eddy AI](https://docs.document360.io/docs/translate-with-eddy-ai) for details. | | **Browser widgets** | Document360 does not support embedding a browser translation widget on your Knowledge base site. | --- ## Best practices - **Prioritise high-traffic content first.** You don't need every article translated on day one. Start with the articles your readers access most and expand coverage over time. - **Draft new content in the default language first.** Translate with Eddy AI translates outward from the default language, so keeping it as your single source avoids extra workflow later. - **Use machine translation as a first pass, then review manually.** It produces a working draft quickly; human review confirms accuracy and preserves intended meaning, particularly for domain-specific terminology. - **Keep translated content in sync with the source.** Use the **Review reminder** feature so a source edit prompts a translation update, rather than letting translations drift out of date silently. - **Localize all customer-facing content, not just articles.** Include FAQs, user guides, smart bars, cookie consent text, and interface controls, so the experience is consistent end to end. - **Add languages incrementally.** Each language multiplies your maintenance load. Confirm you can sustain one before adding the next. --- ## FAQ

What is the localization of a knowledge base?

Localization is the process of adapting and translating your documentation's content, visuals, and behavior to suit the language, culture, and preferences of a target audience in a specific region.

What content should be localized in a knowledge base?

All customer-facing content should be localized for consistency, including articles, FAQs, user guides, smart bars, cookie consent text, and interface controls.

Do I have to translate every article before publishing a new language?

No. Untranslated articles fall back to the default language content, so you can add a language, translate your highest-traffic articles first, and expand coverage over time.

Does using Translate with Eddy AI replace the need for human review?

No. Translate with Eddy AI is a strong starting point for a first-pass translation, but human review is recommended afterward to confirm accuracy and preserve the intended meaning. See Translate with Eddy AI for setup and credit details.

## Related - [Multilingual Knowledge base](/getting-started-with-multi-lingual-knowledge-base.md)