How to Fix SharePoint Navigation Not Translating Between Languages
Question details
Users are experiencing an issue where the top navigation menu on a translated SharePoint communication site does not change when switching to another language.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A user or administrator is trying to view a multilingual SharePoint communication site and switch between available languages.
- Observed behavior
- The translated SharePoint page content displays correctly, but the top navigation menu remains in the default language and fails to update.
Ensure that the multilingual features are properly enabled in your SharePoint site settings and that translations for the specific navigation nodes have actually been provided by the site administrators.
Clear Browser Cache Using InPrivate or Incognito Mode
Test the SharePoint site in a private browsing window to determine if cached data is preventing the navigation menu from updating to the selected language.
Web browsers often cache site navigation data to improve load times. By using an InPrivate or Incognito window, you force the browser to load the most recent navigation translations directly from the server without relying on local cache.
Launch your preferred web browser and open a new InPrivate or Incognito window (usually accessible via the browser's menu or by pressing Ctrl+Shift+N / Cmd+Shift+N).
Navigate to the URL of the affected SharePoint communication site and log in with your credentials.
Use the language dropdown selector on the site to switch to a different translated language. Observe if the top navigation menu now correctly reflects the translated terms.
Contact Microsoft 365 Support for Advanced Diagnostics
If caching is not the issue, administrators will need to escalate the problem to Microsoft Support with diagnostic logs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does SharePoint page content translate but not the navigation?
This discrepancy usually occurs because the browser has cached the navigation nodes in the default language, or because the specific translations for the navigation menu were never manually updated in the site's language settings by the administrators.
How do I generate a HAR log for Microsoft Support?
Open your browser's Developer Tools (F12), navigate to the Network tab, check the 'Preserve log' option, and reproduce the language switching issue. Once done, right-click the list of network requests and select 'Save all as HAR with content'.
Can standard users submit a support ticket for SharePoint translation issues?
No, only users with Microsoft 365 Administrator privileges are permitted to create a support request within the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. Standard users must escalate the problem to their internal IT support team.
