Translate WordPress into Spanish

WordPress lets you install and change the language from its dashboard; you do not need to download .mo files or define WPLANG in wp-config.php.

1. Go to Settings > General.
2. In Site Language, select Español.
3. Save the changes. WordPress will download the language pack if it is not installed yet.
4. Open Dashboard > Updates and click Update Translations if that option appears.

The site language applies to the default content and the dashboard. Each user can also choose a different language for their own interface from Users > Profile, without changing the website's public language.

In a Multisite network, the super admin sets the default language in Network Admin > Settings, and each site can then select its own in Settings > General.

The WPLANG constant has been considered obsolete for this purpose since WordPress 4.0. If a modern installation still defines it, remove it after confirming that the right language is selected and works from the dashboard.

What changes and what you need to translate

The pack translates the available strings of the core and of components that have a translation. It does not automatically translate posts, pages, products or texts you have written. For a multilingual website you need to manage versions of the content and their URLs with a compatible solution.

If a plugin or theme stays in English, check whether it has a translation for your variant of Spanish and whether there are pending packs. Also check the profile language before assuming the change was not saved.

If WordPress cannot download the pack, keep the error and check the connection, disk space and permissions on the languages directory. Do not reinstall the whole site just to fix a missing translation, or overwrite custom translations without a backup.