Translate and adapt - geolocation

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Topic summary

A Shopify store owner is experiencing issues with language defaults across European markets. Despite configuring English as the default for European markets and Danish for Denmark (primary market), all visitors see Danish regardless of their location when tested via VPN.

Root Cause:
Shopify likely prioritizes the primary store language or browser settings over geolocation when using subfolders for market segmentation.

Recommended Solutions:

  • Verify Markets Configuration: Check Settings > Markets to ensure English is set as default for all European countries except Denmark
  • Review Language Settings: Confirm automatic location-based redirection is properly configured in Settings > Languages
  • Direct URL Access: Use subfolder URLs explicitly (cungx.dk/da for Danish, cungx.dk/en for English)
  • JavaScript Redirect: Implement custom code in theme.liquid to redirect based on browser language (note: this detects browser language, not actual geolocation)
  • Third-Party Apps: Consider Geolocation by Shopify or LangShop for IP-based location detection

Status: Issue remains unresolved; awaiting testing of suggested solutions. May require Shopify support if configuration conflicts persist.

Summarized with AI on November 1. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

hello,

I am trying to set up english langauge as default on my european markets while on my primary market denmark keep Danish as default.

However, when testing it with VPN it by default shows Danish to all customers regardless of their location in Europe. Anyone knows what i need to adjust?

On Europe market I use subfolders (domain suffix)

The url is. www.cungx.dk

2

Hi @ddcu

I see what you’re trying to do—keeping Danish as the default for Denmark while ensuring English is the default for your other European markets. Right now, it sounds like your store is automatically showing Danish to all visitors, no matter where they’re browsing from. This is likely happening because of how Shopify handles language detection and redirection. Let’s get that fixed!

What’s Happening?

Since you’re using subfolders (domain suffixes) for your European markets, Shopify should be able to serve different languages based on the user’s region. However, by default, Shopify often prioritizes the primary store language or the user’s browser settings instead of geolocation alone.

How to Fix It:#### 1. Check Your Language Settings in Shopify Markets- Go to Settings > Markets

  • Click on your European Market
  • Under Domains and languages, make sure English is set as the default language for all European countries (except Denmark).
  • In your Primary Market (Denmark), ensure Danish is selected as default.

2. Enable Language Redirection (if needed)- Go to Settings > Languages

  • Check if automatic redirection based on location is enabled.
  • If it’s on but still not working, it could be overriding the settings due to how Shopify prioritizes language detection.

3. Force Language Selection via URL

Since you’re using subfolders, Shopify allows users to access the right language directly through URLs. Try these:

If VPN tests always show Danish, try opening www.cungx.dk/en directly to see if it sticks. If not, something might be forcing Danish as the default.

4. Use a Custom Redirect Script (If Needed)

If Shopify’s built-in settings don’t work, you can add a simple script in your theme.liquid file to force language selection based on geolocation. Shopify provides a window.navigator.language method that detects the user’s browser language and redirects accordingly.

Here’s an example of how you can apply it:

:small_blue_diamond: Where to add it?

  • Online Store > Themes > Edit Code
  • Open theme.liquid and paste this inside the section

:light_bulb: Note: This works based on the browser language and not actual geolocation. If you need an advanced solution based on IP location, you might need a third-party app like Geolocation by Shopify or LangShop.

Final Check:- Test again with VPN (or incognito mode) to see if it works properly.

  • If it still shows Danish, clear your cookies/cache and try accessing www.cungx.dk/en directly.
  • If needed, Shopify support can also check if there’s a conflict in your Markets setup.

Let me know if you need more help. Thanks!
Daisy.