Default Languages: Managing Interface Languages (Not Message Languages)

Language settings in RapidPro.app control how your workspace and flow editor display languages, how you manage translations, and how flows can deliver messages in the best available language for each contact. These settings work together with flow default languages and each contact’s preferred language, so your content can scale cleanly across multilingual audiences. In this guide, you’ll learn how to set your default workspace language, add additional languages for translations, choose a default language per flow, and understand how contact language preferences affect outgoing messages.
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6–7 min read
Category
Getting Started
Scope
Updated on: 17/12/2025

Configure workspace languages in a few steps

If you just need the essentials, follow this:

  1. Open Workspace settings (gear icon at the bottom of the sidebar)
  2. Go to the Language section
  3. Set your default workspace language (editor language)
  4. Add additional languages you want to translate flows into
  5. Choose the default language for each flow when needed
  6. Make sure contacts have the right preferred language for correct message delivery

You’re done. Your workspace can now support clean translation workflows, and contacts can receive messages in the most appropriate language when translations exist.

Step-by-Step Process

1
Open your language settings
  1. Log in to your RapidPro.app workspace.
  2. In the left-hand sidebar, scroll down.
  3. Click the Settings gear icon at the bottom to open Workspace settings.
  4. In the settings menu, look for Language section.

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Tip: If you have multiple workspaces (demo, staging, production), double-check you’re editing language settings in the correct workspace.

2
Set your default workspace language
  1. In the Language section, find the Default language field.
  2. Choose the language your team uses to build and maintain flows (for example: English, French, Spanish).
  3. Save your changes.

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Technical Detail: The default workspace language controls the language labels you see in the flow editor and which language appears first in the flow language bar (until overridden at the flow level). It does not determine the language a contact receives—delivery depends on contact preference and available flow translations.

3
Add additional languages for translations
  1. In the Language section, look for an Additional languages area.
  2. Use the dropdown to add the languages you want to support in flows.
  3. Save the updated list of languages.

Once added:

  • These languages appear in the flow editor beneath the Start button and settings menu.
  • The flow’s default language typically appears first; other languages show beside it.
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Tip: Only add languages you truly plan to translate. Too many unused languages can clutter the flow editor and confuse builders.

4
Choose the default language for a specific flow
  1. When creating a new flow, click New Flow in the Flows tab.
  2. In the New Flow dialog, find the Language dropdown.
  3. Select the language you want as the default for that flow.
  4. Create the flow as usual.

In the flow editor:

  • You’ll see a language bar beneath the Start button and settings menu.
  • The leftmost language is the default language for that flow.
  • The language shown in black typically indicates which language you’re currently editing.

⚙️
Technical Detail: A flow’s default language can differ from the workspace default. This is a per-flow choice and does not change the workspace’s global default.

5
Understand how contacts receive messages

The language a contact receives is not determined only by workspace or flow defaults. It depends on the contact’s preferred language and whether translations exist.

  • Each contact can have a preferred language.
  • If a flow is translated into multiple languages, RapidPro.app can send messages in the contact’s language when available.
  • If a translation is missing, behavior may fall back to the flow’s default language.

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Tip: For multilingual projects, set a sensible default flow language, translate key flows into the languages your audience uses, and ensure imports or sign-up flows correctly set each contact’s preferred language.

Common Issues & Quick Fixes

Problem: The flow editor is not in the language my team expects.

Fix: Open Workspace settings → Language , update the Default language, save, then reopen the flow editor to see the change.

Problem: Contacts receive messages in the wrong language.

Fix: Verify the contact’s preferred language is set correctly, confirm the flow has translations for the target languages, and ensure the flow default language makes sense as a fallback. Test with a few contacts per language.

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Tip: Use a small test group with clearly set language preferences to validate multilingual flows before going live.
Problem: I added additional languages but don’t see them in the flow editor.

Fix: Make sure you saved the additional languages in settings, then close and reopen the flow editor. For new flows, verify the language list first, then create/refresh the flow.

Problem: The default language of a flow is different from my workspace language.

Fix: Check the language bar under the Start button. The leftmost language is the flow default. Remember the New Flow dialog can set a flow default that differs from the workspace default. Duplicate/recreate the flow if you need a different default.

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Tip: For complex projects, it can be intentional to use a different flow default (e.g., a flow built primarily in French in a workspace whose default is English).
Problem: I can’t find where to change language settings.

Fix: Click the Settings gear icon at the bottom of the left sidebar and look for Language. If it’s missing, check your role—workspace-level changes may require Editor or Admin permissions.

Related Resources
Settings Overview: The Core of Your Workspace
Setup: Defining Your Timezone and Date Format
User Management: Adding and Managing Team Roles
Setting the Contact’s Preferred Language (via the Contact Record)