# Change default language code

**URL:** <https://forum.getkirby.com/t/change-default-language-code/35379>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Tags:** v5\
**Created:** [April 22, 2026, 12:58pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/change-default-language-code/35379 "2026-04-22T12:58:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![matuvu](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/matuvu/32/3938_2.png) [@matuvu](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/matuvu)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 12:58pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/change-default-language-code/35379/1 "2026-04-22T12:58:25Z")

</div>

It has probably been answered before, but I am not sure.

I’ve installed the site, installed the panel (and set it to my language) and then started filling the boilerplate install.  
Except for: I forgot to remove the default English and install the new Dutch.  
So the whole site is now in Dutch with the language set to English.

Can I just change the language files?

So basically change en.txt to nl.txt

```auto
<?php

return [
    'code' => 'en',
    'default' => true,
    'direction' => 'ltr',
    'locale' => [
        'LC_ALL' => 'en_US'
    ],
    'name' => 'English',
    'translations' => [

    ],
    'url' => '/'
];

```

to

```auto
<?php

return [
    'code' => 'nl',
    'default' => true,
    'direction' => 'ltr',
    'locale' => [
        'LC_ALL' => 'nl_BE'
    ],
    'name' => 'Nederlands',
    'translations' => [

    ],
    'url' => '/'
];

```

or will I be in trouble?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![texnixe](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/texnixe/32/5754_2.png) [@texnixe](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/texnixe)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 4:36pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/change-default-language-code/35379/2 "2026-04-22T16:36:55Z")

</div>

You need to be careful. Make a backup before you try anything.

But let me get this right. So you have currently two languages defined in `/site/languages`, de and nl? Which sort of content file extension has the Dutch content now?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![matuvu](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/matuvu/32/3938_2.png) [@matuvu](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/matuvu)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 9:08pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/change-default-language-code/35379/3 "2026-04-22T21:08:57Z")

</div>

Only one language. My panel language was set in Dutch, but the site settings were still in English (I forgot to change those). In the meanwhile I filled the site with Dutch content. I don’t want to start over 🙄. I know changing languages is delicate on Kirby. So I wanted to check before I do so. So one language in site/languages: en. But should be nl.

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**Author:** ![texnixe](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/texnixe/32/5754_2.png) [@texnixe](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/texnixe)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 1:42pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/change-default-language-code/35379/4 "2026-04-23T13:42:33Z")

</div>

Ok, thanks, but what I really wanted to know is what language extension the content files have, not language code, en.txt?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![matuvu](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/matuvu/32/3938_2.png) [@matuvu](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/matuvu)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 2:26pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/change-default-language-code/35379/5 "2026-04-23T14:26:57Z")

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example:  
layout.en.txt

Which at this point I can still change one by one if needed.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![texnixe](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/texnixe/32/5754_2.png) [@texnixe](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/texnixe)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 3:03pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/change-default-language-code/35379/6 "2026-04-23T15:03:10Z")

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Yes, that would then be the way forward, change all content filenames to use the extension nl.txt instead of en.txt and change the language file in site/languages to `nl`

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![matuvu](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/matuvu/32/3938_2.png) [@matuvu](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/matuvu)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 5:49pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/change-default-language-code/35379/7 "2026-04-23T17:49:47Z")

</div>

Thanks for your help!