Translation customer notification code edit wont switch to proper language

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Topic summary

A user reports that when editing email notification templates in Shopify, switching the template language to a secondary language (English) and clicking ‘Edit Code’ incorrectly loads the default store language (French) instead of the selected language.

Reproduction steps:

  • Navigate to Settings → Notifications
  • Change template language to secondary language
  • Click ‘Edit Code’
  • Code editor displays default language instead of selected language

A Shopify staff member clarified this is intentional UX design, not a bug. The ‘Edit Code’ function only works for the default language. The language selector in notifications affects preview only. To edit translations, users must use the ‘Translate & Adapt’ app, CSV import, or API.

The original poster finds this workflow cumbersome, requiring multiple steps between ‘Translate & Adapt’ and theme modifications to preview changes. They requested Shopify consider adding preview support for non-default language code edits or submitting this for further development consideration.

Summarized with AI on November 11. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hi Folks,

Their is a problem with Email notifications editing with code view. When we switch the language of the email template, its loading properly the overview down, but when we click ‘Edit Code’ Shopify reload the default store language template file. The problem is if we use Translate & Adapt, we can’t preview the code modification like with this section. When you modifiy the code and add some html or liquid things, we can preview with it. Not with Translate & adapt.

My store main language are in French;
Second language English;

To reproduce;

  1. Go to Settings;

  2. Go to Notifications;

  3. Change your template language to the second language;

  4. Click on Edit Code;

The source code will load in French either if i select the english language.

To reproduce change the language of the template and click edit code.
To reproduce change the language of the template and click edit code.1086×789 70.3 KB

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2024-03-14_15h18_37.png1097×1154 94.3 KB

The Source Code is show in French instead of English.

2024-03-14_15h19_58.png
2024-03-14_15h19_58.png1116×961 73.3 KB

I also try something else;

Change my language in English instead of French into my account, reload the settings, change the language and load back the email, same.

Its just a bug with Shopify, without using Localisation translation.

See capture:

Thanks.

2

Hi @8ternity this is a UX thing rather than a technical bug. You can only edit default language content in admin, not translations. Translations can only be edited in an app, or via CSV / API. What’s happening here is you’re changing the preview language to English, and then (understandably) expecting when you click ‘Edit code’ it edits the English code. However that’s not what’s happening -the language selector here is jsut for the preview. Edit code is just for the default language. To edit English translations, click Localize which will open Translate & Adapt.

3

Hi!

Thanks for the update. Could be good because to preview, you need to go into ‘Translate & Adapt’ return back to Theme modification to preview again the email. It’s a lot fo step to modify, return back to get a preview. Maybe have a support there for modify the template for other language will be a quick fix.

Could you please submit has further development?