Software translation · App localisation & i18n

App Translation & Localisation Services

Make every screen feel natural to users in another language. From interface strings and onboarding to app-store copy and linguistic QA, Locate Translate helps product teams prepare content for international launches.

  • iOS, Android & cross-platform
  • Market-specific terminology
  • Project-based linguistic QA
LOCALISATION PREVIEWUI STRINGS
Source · English

Welcome back

Continue where you left off and manage your account.

Continue
Target · Français

Bon retour

Reprenez là où vous en étiez et gérez votre compte.

Continuer
Illustrative interface text. The final localisation is reviewed for your product, audience and chosen locale.
What we translate

Every word that shapes the user journey.

A reliable app localisation project covers more than the home screen. We look at text across the product and its publishing channels.

01 / USER INTERFACE

App strings and menus

Navigation, buttons, forms, validation text, settings and reusable UI components.

02 / USER EXPERIENCE

Onboarding and workflows

Instructions, permissions, account journeys, confirmations and important error states.

03 / STORE PRESENCE

App Store and Google Play

Descriptions, listings, campaign wording and image text tailored to each market.

04 / ENGAGEMENT

Notifications and email

Push notifications, transactional messages, reminders and in-app announcements.

05 / HELP CONTENT

Support and documentation

FAQs, help articles, product tutorials and customer-facing knowledge-base text.

06 / QUALITY ASSURANCE

In-context language review

Optional screenshot and build-based review for terminology, text expansion and display issues.

Why localisation matters

Translation that works inside the actual app.

A good translation still needs to fit on a real screen, preserve the meaning of an action and respect how languages work. That is why we ask about product context, locales and the technical export — not only the number of words.

Product teams keep control of integration and software releases, while our agreed linguistic scope can include preparation, translation, revision and language-quality reporting.

Language and engineering have different roles. Translation can help identify a misleading string or right-to-left issue; parser checks, app functionality, security testing and release approval must be assigned explicitly.
Glossary and terminology
Variable and placeholder safety
Plural and gender forms
Regional language preferences
Dates, numbers and currencies
Text expansion and truncation
Right-to-left layout review
Accessibility wording and labels
A practical workflow

How our app translation process works.

We build the language brief around the files you use, the markets you are targeting and the quality checks your release needs.

STEP 01

Share the product scope

Send target languages, sample string files, screen context, terminology and planned release dates. We assess format and review requirements.

STEP 02

Translate and review

Qualified language specialists work with agreed terminology, variable rules and any independent revision or queries in the scope.

STEP 03

Handover and QA

Receive the agreed files. If requested, in-context language QA can flag truncation, inconsistent text or ambiguous screen messages.

Planning an international launch?

Translate the UI. Keep the customer journey clear.

Tell us the markets, language pairs, platform, file types and release schedule. We will confirm a practical scope and price.

Send your app brief
Technical handover

Formats and frameworks we can assess.

Send a representative export before ordering so the translation boundaries, import constraints and QA responsibilities are clear.

JSON

Keys, nested values and protected placeholders

CSV / spreadsheets

String IDs, context columns and character limits

XLIFF

Structured segments and bilingual file workflows

iOS string catalogs

Apple string and plural resources, subject to file review

Android XML

Localisable text and resource identifiers

Web app strings

Frontend text bundles and translation resources

UI screenshots

Context for short labels and screen-level feedback

Test builds

Optional linguistic checks after integration

Platform guidance: Apple’s string localisation guidance and App Store Connect metadata localisation. These illustrate why app resource translation and store listings require different handover steps.
Specialist localisation scenarios

Real product problems need context, not generic strings.

Explore practical considerations for specific app categories and release workflows. These are planning guides, not claims that separate testing or regulatory approval is automatically included.

Learning apps and assessments

In education products, translated instructions and answer choices must preserve what learners are actually asked to do. Supply the target French or Arabic locale, age level, item IDs, scoring rules and approved terminology. Language reviewers can flag ambiguity, while the assessment owner must approve test meaning and any specialist psychometric validation.

Travel and booking experiences

Include itinerary search, ticket types, booking confirmations, changes, cancellation messages and alerts. Preserve dynamic dates, times, currencies and booking references, and review the entire journey so translated statuses do not promise an action that has not happened. Promotional destination copy may need a separate transcreation brief.

E-commerce checkouts and returns

Review basket, payment, dispatch, delivery, returns and refund messages in the actual context of the customer journey. Distinguish a requested refund from a completed refund. Provide variables, error states, screenshots and approved policy language; the merchant retains responsibility for transaction logic and legal terms.

Fortnightly product releases

For ongoing updates, export source-string changes by stable key and build version. Agree when a change in screen context triggers a new review, even when the string itself is unchanged. Request a versioned translation handover, terminology decisions, unresolved-query log and a clear correction or retest window.

Healthcare and patient apps

Clinical warnings, negation, units, medicine information and patient instructions need carefully scoped terminology review. Use de-identified test data and have the product's clinical and regulatory owners approve content that could affect patient decisions. Linguistic QA is not a substitute for medical, accessibility or device-software compliance assessment.

JSON resource-file integrity

Provide an example of the actual resource schema and mark which strings may be translated. Preserve resource keys, nested paths, data types, variables and protected markup. Request valid locale files plus key/placeholder checks, then have the development team run parser and in-app import tests before release.

Multimarket app-store launches

Plan the app interface, store title and descriptions, screenshots and onboarding content by locale. Localised metadata in App Store Connect is distinct from localising the app binary. Marketing claims, creative copy and platform uploads require product-owner review and sign-off, not just linguistic translation.

Short iOS and Android UI strings

Single-word labels such as 'Save', 'Close' and 'Continue' can be ambiguous without their screen and action context. Provide screenshots, character limits, accessibility labels and source-key comments. Test longer translated text on representative device sizes and review truncated or misleading buttons.

Arabic right-to-left applications

For Arabic interfaces, verify text direction, mixed Arabic–Latin strings, currency amounts, dates, account references and accessibility reading order. Language QA should include representative layouts and interaction states. Financial authorisations, security and regulatory disclosures remain with the product owner.

Wellness apps in Spain and Japan

Localise onboarding questions, goal-setting language, reminders and app-store messaging for each market. Confirm the intended Spanish locale and Japanese tone, preserve dynamic values, and distinguish motivational copy from any clinical claims. Test notifications and navigation after integration.

Push notifications and alerts

Notification strings need context: trigger, action, urgency, placeholder values, length constraints and destination screen. Check text across short and expanded views and do not let marketing-friendly wording alter a safety or transaction status. Agree engineering validation of delivery and deep links separately.

Multilingual accessibility review

A translated interface should still identify language correctly, communicate errors and labels, and support text expansion and accessible navigation. Use platform-appropriate accessibility checks with real device or emulator scenarios. A language review alone cannot certify WCAG or overall application accessibility.

Related language services

Support beyond the app interface.

Some product launches also need software documentation, transcreation or broader multilingual content support.

Questions answered

App translation and localisation FAQs.

What does an app translation service include?

App translation covers user-facing text such as navigation, buttons, forms, notifications, onboarding instructions and help messages. A broader localisation project can also include store listings, terminology management, image text and in-context language testing.

What is the difference between translation and app localisation?

Translation adapts the words. Localisation also considers the market, terminology, cultural expectations, display constraints, plural forms, date and currency formatting, and sometimes right-to-left interface behaviour. Product engineering and functional QA remain distinct responsibilities.

Can you translate iOS and Android app strings?

We can review resource exports used by iOS, Android and cross-platform products, then agree a suitable translation and delivery format. Provide sample files and any framework-specific rules before the quotation.

Will you preserve JSON keys and placeholders?

The brief should identify keys, variables, markup and other protected syntax that must not be changed. We can scope file-level checks, and your development team should run parser, import and integration tests against the actual application.

Can you check translations in the app interface?

We can discuss linguistic QA using screenshots or an accessible test build. This may include context, truncation, terminology, text direction and language display. Functional and security testing are separate services unless expressly agreed.

Can you translate the App Store and Google Play listing?

Yes, store titles, descriptions, keywords and promotional copy can be scoped as separate content assets. Platform language availability and field limits depend on the publishing platform; final upload and approval remain with your app owner.

How much does app translation cost?

The quote depends on language pairs, locales, word and string counts, content complexity, file type, review stages, in-context QA access and update cadence. Provide a sample string export and target markets to receive a scoped proposal.

Can you support regular app releases?

Recurring localisation can be planned around versioned string changes, approved terminology and agreed review windows. We will confirm language availability, capacity, file handover and any additional in-build QA for each release schedule.

Tell us about your app localisation project

Share the app platform, target markets, languages, string format, approximate volume and deadline. We will confirm the review scope and next steps. You can also contact hello@locatetranslate.co.uk.