Guide

How to localize your App Store and Google Play listing.

TL;DR. Localizing means translating your screenshots and store text into the languages your users search in, not just the app itself. The App Store supports dozens of localizations and Google Play far more; getting the top markets right can lift downloads noticeably. Mokbi translates the whole listing, captions and metadata alike, into 50 App Store languages in one click, and every locale stays editable.

What localizing a listing actually covers

Localization is more than translating your app's interface. Your store listing has two localizable layers, and both matter for conversion:

Screenshots. The captions on your screenshots are the first thing a browsing user reads. A German user scanning the App Store sees German captions or scrolls past.
Metadata. Your app name, subtitle, keywords, description and promotional text all localize per language, and the keywords drive what you rank for in each market.

Translating the app UI but leaving the listing in English is the most common half-measure, and it leaves conversions on the table in exactly the markets you localized the app for.

Which languages are worth it

You do not need all of them on day one. Prioritise by where your installs (or your ambitions) actually are. The consistently high-value App Store localizations are English, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Italian and Russian. Apple can inherit some metadata from a base language, so a strong primary listing covers gaps, but native screenshots and keywords per market always convert better than inherited ones.

How the App Store and Google Play differ

The two stores handle localization differently, and it is worth knowing before you start:

App Store Connect localizes per language. Each localization has its own screenshots and metadata, and you can add or remove languages per app version.
Google Play Console localizes per language too, and additionally lets you target specific countries. Play is more permissive on when you can change listing assets without shipping a new build.

Common localization mistakes

Machine-translating and shipping unreviewed. Automatic translation is a great first pass, but branded terms and marketing phrasing need a human eye per locale.
Ignoring text expansion. German and Finnish run 30 to 40 percent longer than English; captions that fit in English overflow if you do not design for it.
Reusing English keywords. Keyword research is per language. The literal translation of your best English keyword is rarely the term users actually type.

How Mokbi handles it

Mokbi translates the whole listing, screenshot captions and store text, into all 50 App Store languages with one click, using Claude. A live language switcher lets you review each locale before you ship, every translation stays editable, and layouts adjust so longer languages still fit. When you are happy, Mokbi publishes every locale to the App Store and Google Play for you, so you localize once and ship everywhere.

Localize your listing in Mokbi → AI translation