Translations for all resource types (see list) except ONLINE_STORE_THEME are not unique to the theme and are saved to our database via the Translations API, so persist regardless of theme. Change your theme and your COLLECTION and PRODUCT translations will stay there. As each theme is different, this is the reason theme translations behave this way, currently.
Topic summary
A theme update from Impulse 7.1 to 7.2 caused most translations to disappear, though navigation, pages, and product content remained intact. The issue stems from Shopify’s architecture: theme translations (ONLINE_STORE_THEME) are tied to specific theme IDs and don’t automatically transfer when themes are updated or published via Git.
Workaround Solution:
A staff member provided a detailed method using Google Sheets:
- Export translation CSVs from both old and new themes (one language at a time)
- Filter to only ONLINE_STORE_THEME rows
- Use a VLOOKUP formula to match and copy translations based on source content
- Import the updated CSV into the new theme
Key Limitations:
- Must be repeated for each language separately
- Only works for theme updates with identical section IDs
- Doesn’t capture translations from third-party apps like Ecomposer
- Product, collection, and other resource translations persist automatically via Shopify’s Translations API
Alternative Method:
Directly replace old theme IDs with new theme IDs in exported CSVs before re-importing.
Outstanding Issues:
- Cannot export default language translations as CSV
- Thousands of product images and ALT texts may require manual re-uploading
- Git-based workflows trigger theme ID changes, causing translation loss with no current workaround
Users express frustration that Shopify lacks native solutions for this common scenario.
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