Start with your current listing, choose a regional language, and create a translation draft. Then review the wording, check the field limits, and prepare it for the store. This guide walks through each step, including what to give your translator and what to check before publishing.
AppDrift metadata translation keeps your listing fields together and supports 60+ languages. You can follow the same process with an AI tool, a freelance translator, or your own language team.
1. Start with your current listing
Read your current listing before translating it. Remove features you no longer offer and update prices, requirements, and subscription details. Make sure a new reader can tell what the app does and who it helps.
Collect the name, subtitle or short description, full description, keywords, release notes, and screenshot captions. If the original feels unclear, use the description guide to improve it first.
2. Choose a language and explain the context
Specify the regional language, such as Brazilian Portuguese, and describe who will use the app. Share your preferred tone, product names, and terms that should stay unchanged. Include screenshots: “Save” could mean saving a document or saving money, and the translator needs that context.
Start with a market where people already show interest in your app and where you can support them. Leave time for someone fluent in the language to review the copy. The language selection guide can help you compare your options.
3. Keep the store fields separate
| Field | Translation task |
|---|---|
| Name | Preserve recognition and explain the actual function where space allows |
| Subtitle / short description | Explain the main benefit within the field limit |
| Keywords | Find local phrases people use for the task, then research them |
| Description | Preserve features, limits, requirements, and the intended tone |
| Screenshots and release notes | Match the supported interface and the actual changes in this release |
Apple and Google use different fields and limits. Check the character-limit reference, then confirm that the finished text fits in the store console. Pay particular attention to Apple's keyword field: its technical limit is measured in bytes, so some characters take more space than others.
4. Request a draft with a useful brief
Translate this listing into Brazilian Portuguese for freelancers who track project expenses. Use a clear, friendly tone. Keep product names unchanged and preserve prices, requirements, and subscription details. Return each listing field separately. Point out anything unclear, and suggest natural terms people use for these tasks. We will research the keywords and review the draft before publishing.
Try a short section first. Review the wording and the amount of editing it needs before translating the full listing. Keeping fields separate also makes it easier to shorten a subtitle without changing the description.
AppDrift translations use tokens. Check the quote before confirming the job, and budget for language review and screenshot updates as well. Paid plans have usage allowances rather than unlimited translations; see pricing and included usage for the details.
5. Review the wording and local keywords
Ask a fluent reviewer to read the title and opening, then explain what they think the app does. This quickly reveals unclear or exaggerated wording. After shortening any field, read it again in context to make sure the meaning still holds.
- Keep product names and glossary terms consistent.
- Verify numbers, units, currencies, and dates.
- Check that every supported feature and required subscription is described accurately.
- Research whether target terms describe the task locally.
- Remove repetitive or irrelevant keywords instead of targeting a density percentage.
Also check what people see when their language is missing. Google explains how translated listings and fallback languages work in its localization guide.
6. Make screenshots agree with the listing
Translate the captions and use captures of the localized app where you have them. If the interface is still in English, say so in the listing. Check line breaks, text direction, and readability at phone size.
Use the screenshot editor to arrange your app captures and translated captions. You will need to translate the app itself separately; changing a screenshot caption does not change its interface. Check the exported images before uploading them.
7. Review and send the approved version
Save the approved text with its language and app version. In Listing updates, you can prepare the copy, request a review, and copy it to drafts. Sending supported fields to a store is a separate action that requires a paid plan and a store connection.
With the supported Apple setup, screenshot uploads go to an App Store Connect draft. Export Google Play screenshots for manual upload. You still need to complete the store's release process; an upload alone does not publish the update. Apple's editable-property reference explains which fields you can change at each stage.
8. Verify the live result and maintain it
Open the published page with the intended language settings and check the text and images. Record when the update went live. Over time, compare search visibility, listing conversion, and what new users do in the app. Note any campaigns or product changes that could also affect those results.
Update the translations whenever features, prices, or requirements change. Reuse approved wording when it still fits the context. For the next review, keep the localization mistakes guide handy.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is AI translation for store listings?
AI can produce a useful first draft, but quality varies by language and by the context you provide. Have someone fluent in the language review the wording, then check the finished fields in the store console.
Can I translate only the store listing?
Yes. Make clear which languages the app itself supports, since translating the listing does not translate its interface or content.
How much does AI translation cost?
AppDrift shows a token quote for the selected translation. Allow for language review, screenshots, and future updates too. Paid subscriptions include usage allowances, not unlimited translations.
Will translation improve my rankings?
A well-translated listing can match relevant local searches more closely. Rankings also depend on other factors, so research local terms and track the same keywords in the same storefront over time.
