Locale Code

A locale code is a short identifier (like en-US, de-DE, ja) that tells the App Store or Google Play Console which market and language a piece of content belongs to. Apple and Google use slightly different formats.

A locale code is the technical identifier for a language and region pairing used by Apple App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Examples include en-US (American English), en-GB (British English), pt-BR (Brazilian Portuguese), and ja (Japanese). Locale codes determine which screenshots, descriptions, and keywords show to users in which markets.

Why It Matters

Using the wrong locale code causes silent failures. Upload "Spanish" screenshots under es-ES (Spain) when you meant es-MX (Mexico) and Mexican users see your default English instead. Locale code mistakes cost more conversions than any other technical localization error.

Example

A startup uploads Brazilian Portuguese screenshots tagged as pt-PT (European Portuguese). Brazilian users see the default English page while Portuguese users see slightly off Brazilian phrasing. Both audiences experience friction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are App Store and Google Play locale codes the same?

Mostly, but not always. Both use ISO 639 language codes and ISO 3166 country codes, but Apple sometimes uses just the language code while Google requires language plus country. Always double-check using a locale code lookup.

Do I need to support every locale my app supports?

No. Start with the locales where you actually plan to drive traffic or expect organic visibility. Localizing into a market you have no campaign for is usually wasted work.

What happens if I use the wrong locale code?

Your localized assets attach to the wrong market or silently fail to attach. Users in the intended market see your default content. There is no error message, just lost conversions.

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Related Terms

Text Expansion

Text expansion is the increase in character count when translating from one language to another. German is ~30% longer than English, while Japanese is often shorter but visually denser.

RTL (Right-to-Left)

RTL refers to languages that read from right to left, like Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Urdu. Apps targeting RTL markets must mirror their entire UI layout, not just translate text.

ASO (App Store Optimization)

ASO is the process of optimizing an app store listing to rank higher in search and convert more downloads. It covers keywords, screenshots, ratings, and retention signals.

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