How to programmatically change language?

Question

I want to programmatically change the language.

So I have built two xml files.

values-it
-->string.xml

values-en
-->string.xml

This is the code in MainActivity to change the language of the whole application:

//ITALIAN

Resources res = getApplicationContext().getResources();
DisplayMetrics dm = res.getDisplayMetrics();
android.content.res.Configuration conf = res.getConfiguration();
conf.locale = new Locale("it");
res.updateConfiguration(conf, dm);

//ENGLISH

Resources res2 = getApplicationContext().getResources();
DisplayMetrics dm2 = res2.getDisplayMetrics();
android.content.res.Configuration conf2 = res2.getConfiguration();
conf2.locale = new Locale("en");
res2.updateConfiguration(conf2, dm2);

Now if I set the English language (for example) the code is executed with no error, but the label doesn't not change its text.
If I change the orientation of my device, the label changes its text correctly.

Now how can I modify my code to automatically refresh the label?

Hi, here you are a link telling you how to reload changes without closing the activity: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2644377/changing-locale-force-activity-to-reload-resources — Miguel Benitez, May 26 '16 at 07:53
Possible duplicate of [How to refresh activity after changing language (Locale) inside application](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8049207/how-to-refresh-activity-after-changing-language-locale-inside-application) — Jofre Mateu, May 26 '16 at 07:54
conf2.locale and res2.updateConfiguration() are deprecated. :S — baquiax, Mar 21 '17 at 17:26

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered May 26 '16 at 07:48

 AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(DashboardActivity.this);
            builder.setTitle(R.string.languages);
            // Add the buttons
            builder.setPositiveButton(R.string.english, new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
                public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) {
                    String languageToLoad = "en"; // your language
                    Locale locale = new Locale(languageToLoad);
                    Locale.setDefault(locale);
                    Configuration config = new Configuration();
                    config.locale = locale;
                    getBaseContext().getResources().updateConfiguration(config,
                            getBaseContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics());
                    dialog.dismiss();
                    rEditor.putString("language", languageToLoad);
                    rEditor.commit();



                    Intent refresh = new Intent(DashboardActivity.this, DashboardActivity.class);
                    startActivity(refresh);
                    finish();

                }
            });
            builder.setNegativeButton(R.string.gujarati, new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
                public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) {
                    // User cancelled the dialog

                    String languageToLoad = "gu"; // your language
                    Locale locale = new Locale(languageToLoad);
                    Locale.setDefault(locale);
                    Configuration config = new Configuration();
                    config.locale = locale;
                    getBaseContext().getResources().updateConfiguration(config,
                            getBaseContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics());
                    dialog.dismiss();
                    rEditor.putString("language", languageToLoad);
                    rEditor.commit();


                    Intent refresh = new Intent(DashboardActivity.this, DashboardActivity.class);
                    startActivity(refresh);
                    finish();

                }
            });

            builder.create().show();

you have to reload activity to show new language text means restart.

sharedPreference Editor for saving data.https://developer.android.com/training/basics/data-storage/shared-preferences.html — Ramchandra Singh, Jan 10 '17 at 09:59
resource.updateConfiguration is deprecated. Now what is alternative? — Lalit Jadav, Jun 21 '17 at 07:29
check this link... https://stackoverflow.com/questions/40221711/android-context-getresources-updateconfiguration-deprecated/40291570 — Ramchandra Singh, Jun 26 '17 at 12:32
How to check language from SharedPreferences and change language on app start up for not restarting app on start up? At what place it should be done? — Slava, Jul 07 '22 at 07:59

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered May 26 '16 at 07:47

5

you need to refresh your activity to load resources which it does incase of changing the orientation. try this

private void restartActivity() { 
 Intent intent = getIntent(); 
 finish(); 
 startActivity(intent);
}

answered May 26 '16 at 07:47

Wouldn't a call to recreate() be simpler than writing a custom method? – Sam Jul 16 '20 at 11:58

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 21 '17 at 19:28

If you have not solved with your problem yet, you can try this. It works for me, hope so it will help you. You can refer it in future

mSwitch = (Switch) findViewById(R.id.language_switch);

    mSwitch.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
        @RequiresApi(api = Build.VERSION_CODES.JELLY_BEAN_MR1)
        @Override
        public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean isChecked) {
                if (isChecked){
                    mSwitch.setTextColor(Color.GRAY);
                    String languageToLoad = "es";
                    Locale locale = new Locale(languageToLoad);
                    Locale.setDefault(locale);
                    Configuration configuration = new Configuration();
                    configuration.setLocale(locale);
                    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "spanish is set", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                    getBaseContext().getResources().updateConfiguration(configuration, getBaseContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics());
                } else {
                    String languageToLoad = "en";
                    Locale locale = new Locale(languageToLoad);
                    Locale.setDefault(locale);
                    Configuration configuration = new Configuration();
                    configuration.setLocale(locale);
                    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "english is set", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                    getBaseContext().getResources().updateConfiguration(configuration, getBaseContext().getResources().getDisplayMetrics());
                }
        }
    });

Flummox - don't be evil SE · Answer 4 · 2017-01-04T08:12:57.723

2

Best way would be to put all TextView.setText() in a method. Call that method in your onResume(); to set it the first time. Then recall that method when you have reset the language. (the Activity goes trough the onStart() onResume() etc when you change orientation)

edited Jan 04 '17 at 08:12

answered May 26 '16 at 07:48

Flummox - don't be evil SE

2,109
6
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it's not just about the strings ... sometimes directions are important too, RTL or LTR – Muhammad Naderi Jan 07 '17 at 15:06
Good call, this seems a good way to deal with it: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10964488/how-to-make-the-text-direction-from-right-to-left – Flummox - don't be evil SE Jan 07 '17 at 15:27
actually dug around a bit more and found the correct solution, and put it in a gist: https://gist.github.com/muhammad-naderi/0ff264e6cc07df904bc88a9f7efbe57d – Muhammad Naderi Jan 08 '17 at 07:01

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered May 09 '18 at 15:49

0

This is how we do:

com.android.internal.app.LocalePicker.updateLocales(LocaleList locales)

answered May 09 '18 at 15:49

Zbigniew Mazur

653
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11

How to programmatically change language?

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