> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.referly.so/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Affiliate portal languages

> Show your Referly affiliate portal in your affiliates' language. Set a default language, turn built-in languages on or off, and upload your own custom translation for any language.

If your affiliates are spread across countries, a portal that only speaks English costs you sign-ups. The **Languages** page lets you choose which languages your affiliate portal is offered in, set which one people see first, and add your own translation for any language that isn't built in.

To find it, open **Settings** from the left sidebar, go to **Affiliate Portal**, then select **Languages**.

The page has three sections: **Default Language**, **Platform Languages**, and **Custom Languages**. Changes here save as you make them, so there's no separate save button.

## Set your default language

The **Default Language** dropdown sets the language an affiliate sees when they haven't chosen one themselves — a first-time visitor, for example.

Only languages you've turned on appear in this dropdown, so turn a language on first if you want it as your default.

<Check>
  When the "Default language updated" message appears, your change is live.
</Check>

## Turn languages on and off

The **Platform Languages** section lists the languages Referly maintains for you, each with an on/off switch. These are already fully translated, so turning one on is all you need to do.

The built-in list covers English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Turkish, Serbian, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, Japanese, and Chinese. Referly adds to this list over time, so you may see more than this.

Turn on every language your affiliates actually speak. Each one you turn on becomes a choice in the language picker on your portal, and becomes selectable as your default.

<Note>
  Your default language can't be switched off — its toggle is greyed out and it shows a **Default** badge. To turn it off, pick a different default first.
</Note>

## Add a custom language

If you need a language that isn't in the built-in list, or a regional variant like Canadian French or Brazilian Portuguese, you can supply your own translation. Select **Add Custom Language** in the **Custom Languages** section.

<Info>
  Custom languages are part of the custom affiliate portal features and need a plan that includes them. If yours doesn't, the **Add Custom Language** button appears locked. See [plans and features](/docs/help-center/billing/plans-and-features).
</Info>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Name the language">
    Fill in **Language Name** as your affiliates should see it, for example "Canadian French". Then set a **Language Code** to identify it, between 2 and 20 characters, such as `fr-ca` or `pt-br`. Optionally add an **Emoji Flag** so it's easy to spot in the picker.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Download the English template">
    Select **Download English Template**. This gives you a file containing every piece of text in the affiliate portal.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Translate the text">
    Open the file and translate the text values into your language. Keep the file's structure and its labels exactly as they are and change only the text on the right-hand side of each line. Changing the structure stops the language from working.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload your file">
    Select **Choose from Content Library** and pick your translated file. You'll see "File loaded successfully" once it's read correctly. If the file has an error, you'll be told it's invalid, so fix it and upload again.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create it">
    Select **Create Custom Language**. It appears in the Custom Languages list, ready to use.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  This is a hands-on task rather than an automatic translation. Referly doesn't translate the file for you, so have a translator or translation tool do the text before you upload.
</Warning>

## Check a custom language for gaps

When Referly adds new text to the portal, a custom language you uploaded earlier won't have a translation for it, and those parts fall back to English. The **Check Translations** button on each custom language finds them for you.

Select **Check Translations**. If everything is covered, you get a "No missing translations found!" message. If anything is missing, the **Fix Missing Translations** window opens and lists each gap with the original English text and a box to type your translation into.

Fill in as many as you want and select **Save Translations**. You don't have to do them all at once — a counter shows how many you've filled, and anything you leave blank stays on the list for next time.

It's worth running this check every few months so nothing quietly reverts to English.

## Edit or remove a custom language

Each custom language row has two more buttons:

* The **pencil** opens **Edit Custom Language**, where you can change the **Language Name**, the **Emoji Flag**, and use the **Enabled** switch to hide the language from your portal without deleting your translation work.
* The **trash** deletes the language for good. This can't be undone, and it's unavailable while that language is your default.

## How affiliates choose their language

Affiliates pick their own language from the globe icon on your portal's login and sign-up pages. It lists only the languages you've turned on, both built-in and custom.

Once someone chooses, their choice is remembered on their device, so they land in their language next time. Anyone who hasn't chosen sees your default.

<Note>
  Text that you wrote yourself stays exactly as you typed it. Your program name, the title and subtitle on your [login page](/docs/help-center/settings/portal/login-and-sign-up), your [announcements](/docs/help-center/engage/announcements/overview), your emails, and the questions in your [onboarding steps](/docs/help-center/settings/portal/onboarding) aren't translated, since Referly can't know how you'd word them. Translation covers the portal's own buttons, labels, and messages.
</Note>

## Related

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Login and sign up" icon="right-to-bracket" href="/docs/help-center/settings/portal/login-and-sign-up" arrow>
    Customize the pages where the language picker appears.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom domain" icon="globe" href="/docs/help-center/settings/portal/custom-domain" arrow>
    Serve your portal from your own web address.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Set up your branding" icon="palette" href="/docs/help-center/getting-started/set-up-program/branding" arrow>
    Match the portal to your brand's logo and colors.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Plans and features" icon="tags" href="/docs/help-center/billing/plans-and-features" arrow>
    See which plan includes custom languages.
  </Card>
</Columns>
