Locales in messaging

After adding locales to your workspace, you can target users in different languages all within a single email message.

Prerequisites

To edit and manage multi-language support, you must have the “Manage Multi-Language Settings” user permission. To add the locale to a message, you’ll need permissions for editing campaigns.

Using locales

To use locales in your messaging, compose an email campaign or Canvas. Select either the HTML editor or drag-and-drop editor, then follow the steps based on your editor.

• html editor
• drag-and-drop editor

Any changes to the IDs or locales in the CSV file will not automatically update in your message. To update the translations, update the CSV file and re-upload the file.

Preview your locales

In the Preview & Test section, select Multi-language User to check if your message translates as expected.

Managing translations

Editing translations for launched campaigns and Canvases

After a campaign or Canvas has been launched, you can still modify translations when you’re in draft mode. This applies whether you’re editing translations directly in the composer, by CSV upload, or through the API.

Before making any translation updates, the campaign or Canvas must first be saved as a draft.

1. Select Edit campaign/Canvas and then make your edits in the composer.
2. Select Save as draft, and then select Yes in the modal.
3. Go to the Review Summary step and select Update campaign/Canvas.
4. Select Update campaign/Canvas in the modal.

For more details on managing campaigns and Canvases after launch, refer to Editing launched campaigns and Canvas drafts and post-launch editing.

Duplicating Canvas steps or campaigns, and translations

When duplicating a Canvas step or a campaign, whether in the draft mode after launch or during initial creation, the translations associated with that step won’t be carried over. Any necessary translations need to be added to the new step or campaign. Be sure to review and update translations accordingly when making modifications to your Canvas or campaign.

Using the multi-language API with Canvases

To use the multi-language API with Canvases, you must include the workflow_id, step_id, and message_variation_id in the parameter list.

Canvas steps added to post-launch drafts

When using the multi-language API with Canvas steps that were created after the Canvas has been launched, the message_variation_id that you pass into the API will be empty or blank.

Frequently asked questions

I want to make a change to the translated copy in one of my locales. How can I do that?

Make the edit in the CSV, then upload the file again to make a change to the translated copy.

Can I nest translation tags?

No.

Can I use locales in my email templates?

No. Locales are only supported in the email editor for campaigns and Message steps in Canvas only.

Can I add HTML styling in the translation tags?

Yes. However, be sure to check that the HTML styling is not translated with the content.

What validations or extra checks does Braze do for translations?

Scenario	Validation in Braze
A translation file is missing locales associated with the current message.	This translation file won’t be uploaded.
A translation file is missing text blocks, such as a text within Liquid translation tags, from the current email message.	This translation file won’t be uploaded.
The translation file includes the default text that doesn’t match the text blocks in the current email message.	This translation file won’t be uploaded. Fix this in your CSV before attempting to upload again.
The translation file includes locales that don’t exist in Multi-Language Support settings.	These locales will not be saved in Braze.
The translation file includes text blocks that don’t exist in the current message (such as the current draft at the time the translations are uploaded).	The text blocks that don’t exist in your current message will not be saved from the translation file to Braze.
Removing a locale from the message after that locale has already been uploaded to the message as part of the translation file.	Removing the locale will remove any translations associated with the locale in your message.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a change to the translated copy in one of my locales?

Yes. First, make the edit in the CSV, then upload the file again to make a change to the translated copy.

Can I nest translation tags?

No.

Can I add HTML styling in the translation tags?

Yes, but be sure to check that the HTML styling is not translated with the content.

What validations or extra checks does Braze do?

Scenario	Validation in Braze
A translation file is missing locales associated with the current message.	This translation file won’t be uploaded.
A translation file is missing text blocks, such as a text within Liquid translation tags, from the current email message.	This translation file won’t be uploaded.
The translation file includes the default text that doesn’t match the text blocks in the current email message.	This translation file won’t be uploaded. Fix this in your CSV before attempting to upload again.
The translation file includes locales that don’t exist in Multi-Language Support settings.	These locales will not be saved in Braze.
The translation file includes text blocks that don’t exist in the current message (such as the current draft at the time the translations are uploaded).	The text blocks that don’t exist in your current message will not be saved from the translation file to Braze.
Removing a locale from the message after that locale has already been uploaded to the message as part of the translation file.	Removing the locale will remove any translations associated with the locale in your message.