Localization Design
Text Expansion
Translated text is often longer. Plan for it:
| Language | Expansion |
|---|---|
| German | +30-40% |
| French | +15-20% |
| Japanese | -10-20% (but taller) |
| Arabic | -10-20% (RTL) |
| Chinese | -30-50% (but taller) |
Design Rules
- Never hardcode text in images
- Avoid text in buttons that's right at the edge (needs expansion room)
- Don't use flags for language selection (flags = countries, not languages)
- Use auto-layout/flexbox (not fixed widths for text containers)
- Test with the longest translation, not just English
RTL Support
- Mirror the entire layout (not just text)
- Icons that imply direction must flip (arrows, not universal icons)
- Progress bars go right-to-left
- Navigation order reverses
Cultural Considerations
- Date formats: MM/DD/YYYY (US), DD/MM/YYYY (most of world), YYYY-MM-DD (ISO)
- Number formats: 1,000.00 (US/UK), 1.000,00 (Europe), 1 000,00 (France)
- Color meanings vary (red = luck in China, danger in West)
- Gestures: thumbs up is offensive in some cultures
- Name formats: given name first (West) vs family name first (East Asia)