The Ultimate Guide to iOS Localization | Ios App Localization | Mobile App Localization

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How to Localize Your iOS App Using Localizable.xcstrings

If you’re building an iOS app and want to make it multilingual, Apple’s Localizable.xcstrings is your go-to. It’s the modern, structured way to manage translations — and it works perfectly with third-party tools like App Localizer.

Here’s how to do it step-by-step.

Step 1: Create the Localization File

  1. In Xcode, go to File → New → File…

  2. In the template search box, type String.

  3. Select Strings File (this will create a .xcstrings file).

  4. Name it Localizable.xcstrings and add it to your project.

Once you’ve done this, build your project.
Xcode automatically collects all string references (from your UI and code) and places them inside Localizable.xcstrings.





Step 2: Export the File to Your iPhone

After the build completes, you’ll see Localizable.xcstrings in your project’s directory.
Export or share this file to your iPhone — you’ll need it for the next step.


 


Step 3: Use App Localizer for Translation

Download the App Localizer app from the App Store:
👉 App Localizer – App Translation This app makes localization painless.

  1. Open App Localizer and create a new project.

  2. Choose one or multiple target languages.

  3. Import your exported Localizable.xcstrings file.

💡 If the app doesn’t recognize the file, simply rename the extension from .xcstrings to .json — it works the same way.

  1. Tap Auto Translate and let the app work its magic.
    It’ll automatically translate all your app strings into the selected languages using machine translation.

Step 4: Reimport Translations into Xcode

When the translations are ready, export them from App Localizer and share them back to your Xcode project.You’ll now have localized versions of your app for each selected language.

Final Thoughts

That’s it — no tedious manual string editing, no confusing plist juggling.
With Localizable.xcstrings and App Localizer, you can handle full app localization in minutes instead of hours.

It’s simple, automated, and developer-friendly — the way localization should be.


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