Changing the language

The gallery currently comes in German and English. Switching takes exactly one tap, applies right away – and your choice is remembered for your next visit.

You have three ways to do it: the language button in the footer, the profile menu in the top right, or directly via the address (URL). The language selector is always available – no matter which event you visit and whether you are signed in. What differs from event to event is only how languages are split into main languages and additional languages (more on that below).

Option 1: The language button in the footer

The quickest way from any gallery page.

1. Scroll all the way down to the footer. There you will find a button with a globe icon and the current language next to it (e.g. “🇬🇧 English”).

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   The language button at the bottom of the footer always shows your current language.

2. Tap it. The language dialog opens with the available languages.

3. Tap your language. The gallery switches right away and the dialog closes automatically.

Tip

On mobile the button sits just above the bottom navigation bar – if it looks hidden, scroll the last bit down until the footer is fully visible.

Option 2: Via the profile menu

This way works from anywhere, without scrolling to the bottom of the page.

1. Tap your profile picture (the avatar) in the top right. The profile menu opens.

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   In the profile menu you will find the Language entry under Profile Options.

2. Under Profile Options choose Language. A small flag icon in a cyan circle shows which language is currently active.

3. In the language dialog, tap the language you want – done.

Note

The Language entry appears in the profile menu for everyone: guests, signed-in users, moderators and admins. The extra entries in the Management section (Moderation, Admin Portal) depend on your role – see Navigation for more.

The language dialog in detail

No matter how you open it, the language dialog always looks the same. Its title is Language Selection and its subtitle is Choose your preferred display language for the interface.

• Current language: Your currently selected language is marked with a colored border and a checkmark. Tapping it again simply closes the dialog – nothing else happens (no reload).
• Selecting: Tap another language. The switch usually happens instantly. Only if saving takes a moment does a small spinner appear next to the row, with the other entries (including the Cancel button) briefly greyed out.
• Cancel: In the bottom right, the red text button Cancel closes the dialog without changing anything.

Main languages vs. additional languages

If the host set up several languages for the event, the dialog splits the choices into two groups – marked with small badges:

• Main Languages with a green Full badge: These are the languages the host configured for this event. Here the content is translated too – gallery title, about text and challenge texts, not just the interface.
• Additional Languages with a grey UI Only badge: These are extra languages for the interface only. Menus and buttons switch to your language, but the event content stays in its original language.

A divider separates the two groups. If the host set up only a single language, there are no separate groups with badges – the available languages simply appear in one list.

Tip

Choose an additional language (UI Only) if you prefer to use the app in your native language and can live with untranslated event content. Choose a main language if you want everything – including challenge texts and descriptions – in your language.

What exactly gets translated

It helps to know what moves with a language switch and what does not:

• Interface (menus, buttons, system texts): always switches to the chosen language – even for “UI Only” languages.
• Event content (gallery name, about text, challenge texts): only translated if the host has provided a translation for that language. So: main language = fully translated, additional language = interface only.
• Text entered by guests (comments, nicknames, challenge answers): always stays in the original and is never translated automatically.

Your choice is remembered

• In the address (URL): The current language sits right in the address, for example photogala.net/en/@wedding-demo versus photogala.net/de/@wedding-demo. When switching, the dialog only swaps the language segment (/en/ ↔ /de/) and leaves the rest of the link untouched.
• On your first visit: If you open a gallery without a language segment, PhotoGala automatically detects your browser language or a previously remembered language.
• On your next visit: Your last chosen language is saved on your device – the gallery then starts in the same language again.
• Signed-in users: Your choice is also saved to your account, so it carries across devices on your next login. If saving ever fails, the interface still stays in the chosen language.

Note

If you share a gallery link with /en/ in the path, it opens in English for the recipient at first. They can of course switch at any time. See Sharing for more.

For hosts and moderators

Note

This section is for hosts and moderators, not guests.

• Set up main languages: In the Admin Portal under Settings → General, tick the Enable Multiple Languages checkbox (“Add support for international guests”). Below it, use Additional Languages to pick the extra languages. (Note: this switch lives under General, not under “Features”.)
• Premium: The switch is locked on plans without the entitlement – the event then stays single-language.
• Translate content: You provide event-content translations under Settings → General → Gallery Content and directly in the challenge editor per challenge.
• You reach the Admin Portal via the profile menu in the top right → Admin Portal (visible to admins only).

When something goes wrong

Caution

• I do not see the language button: The footer button is at the very bottom of the page – scroll to the end. Alternatively: avatar in the top right → Language. Both are always available.
• I only see one or two languages: That is normal. Only German and English are active right now; more languages are not yet rolled out.
• My language only appears under “Additional Languages”: Then the host did not configure it as an event language. The interface switches, but the event content stays in the original.
• Challenge texts are still in English even though I chose German: Either German is an “additional language” (UI Only) for this event, or the host has not provided a translation for that particular text.
• The language jumps back: This can happen with an invalid language code in the URL – the gallery then falls back to the event’s default language. Just pick your language again via the footer or menu.

Related topics

• Solving challenges – challenge texts are translated in the main languages.
• Sharing – shared links include the language prefix.
• Account & sign-in – as a signed-in user your language is remembered in your account.
• Your profile – how to reach the profile menu in the top right.
• Navigation – overview of the footer, profile menu and role-based areas.