FAQ: Do I need a Loco account to use the WordPress plugin?

No.

You don't need an account and you don't need to pay.

Having a Loco account will not unlock any features of the plugin. They are separate.

The Loco platform (here at localise.biz) is an entirely separate product from our WordPress plugin. We appreciate this can be confusing (and we plan to fix that) but for now registering for a Loco account will not unlock any special features of the plugin, and will not entitle you to a higher level of plugin support.

• If you registered unnecessarily, you can delete your account any time.
• If you unnecessarily paid for a Pro plan, you can cancel it and we'll refund you.

Deleting your Loco account will not affect your use of the WordPress plugin, but make sure you download your data from the Loco platform if you want to keep it.

Why are they separate?

Version 1.0 of our WordPress plugin was created in 2013, partly as an experiment, and partly as a promotional tool to demonstrate the browser based translation editor that we'd developed. We anticipated that developers would sign up for the main platform to gain access to more advanced features when developing themes and plugins. However, as the years went by, the plugin gained more interest from WordPress users looking to translate their own websites, often with no technical knowledge of WordPress localization. As such, the focus shifted to building new features directly into the plugin.

We do plan to join the platform and the plugin together, but a Loco account will always be optional, and there will always be a version of the plugin that's 100% free to use.

Can I use the two products together?

Yes, but it's not the recommended route unless you have a specific reason to do so.

The Loco platform can be used to collaborate on translations and download Gettext file formats, but to install translations into your WordPress site will require a higher level of technical knowledge than simply using the WordPress plugin on its own. Our recommendation for most WordPress users is to translate in WordPress admin via the plugin only.

How do I get files from my Loco account into WordPress?

If you've already made translations via the online platform, you can download your project as a PO file and upload it to your server. Then open the uploaded file in the WordPress-based editor and save it again to generate the binary MO file that WordPress requires.

The easiest way to download your PO files from Loco is to click the corresponding Export button in the main dashboard; choose a single locale; then select "Gettext" under the file format dropdown; and finally click the :Download icon:. You will probably have to rename the downloaded file.

Files uploaded to your WordPress must be in the correct locations and have the the correct names. If you're unsure where your files should live, use Loco Translate to generate new files; note their locations and simply overwrite them.