A Discourse admin, anon23840344, wanted to know if it was possible to set a user’s interface language for them, as some users in their global network of activists have limited English proficiency. pfaffman initially suggested visiting the user’s profile and modifying their preferences, but anon23840344 found that enabling site settings for locale was not effective.
pfaffman then suggested manually taking the steps to change the language from the user’s profile page. However, anon23840344 found this solution impractical for instructing users in another language.
The admin eventually discovered the solution by clicking on “show public profile” and then accessing the user’s interface language preferences through /u/USERNAME/preferences/interface. anon23840344 thanked the community for their help.
I’ve created a Discourse for usage by a global network of activists. Most of us speak fluent English, but some speak only a little.
Is there a way for me, as an admin, to change a user’s interface language for them?
I’ve looked through the admin controls, and I don’t see this is possible. My alternative is to create a visual worksheet with a series of marked up screenshots, which I’d rather avoid.
Thank you.
You can visit their profile and modify their preferences.
If you search the site settings, you’'ll find set locale from accept language header which should obviate the need for you to fuss with people’s preferences. (Oh, it says “anonymous users”, so maybe it doesn’t quite do what I thought.)
Thanks for replying. I think you mean these two settings:
I’ve enabled both, but it’s not helping. The login page is shown in the user’s browser’s language, but every other page is shown in default/English. They then must click their avatar, a downward pointing caret, a “preferences” tab, an “interface” tab, a “language” dropdown, search for their language, click their choice, click the “save” button, and then refresh their browser. That’s a lot of steps!
Darn. Sorry. Well, then you can just take those same steps, starting from their profile page. I’m surprised that there isn’t a way for the locale to default to the browser one, but it must be harder to to that than I think, otherwise, I think it would be in place already.
I can take those ten steps, but can I instruct someone else to do so, over email, and in another language? It seems like I’m missing something here.
Where are your users coming from?
US, Portugal, Spain, France, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Russia.
A solution has been found. Previously I was clicking hamburger, admin, users, USERNAME, and it took me to /admin/users/INDEX/USERNAME, where I saw a list of many settings for the user, but nothing about their preferred language.
But instead, I’m apparently supposed to click onward from that page on show public profile, preferences, interface, and it takes me to /u/USERNAME/preferences/interface, and there I can set the user’s interface language.
Thank you.
