<p>Currently it's not possible to edit a locale from the CP, which means you have to edit it directly in your db.</p>

<p><strong>Edit locale:</strong></p>

<pre class="lang-sql prettyprint-override"><code>UPDATE craft_locales SET locale = 'en' WHERE locale = 'en_us';
</code></pre>

<p><strong>Edit elements:</strong></p>

<p>Each element (entries, assets, users, etc.) which can be translated has a <code>locale</code>-column:</p>

<pre class="lang-sql prettyprint-override"><code>UPDATE craft_categorygroups_i18n SET locale = 'en' WHERE locale = 'en_us';
UPDATE craft_content             SET locale = 'en' WHERE locale = 'en_us';
UPDATE craft_elements_i18n       SET locale = 'en' WHERE locale = 'en_us';
UPDATE craft_entryversions       SET locale = 'en' WHERE locale = 'en_us';
UPDATE craft_sections_i18n       SET locale = 'en' WHERE locale = 'en_us';
</code></pre>

<p><strong>Edit permissions:</strong></p>

<pre class="lang-sql prettyprint-override"><code>UPDATE craft_userpermissions SET name = 'editlocale:en' WHERE name = 'editlocale:en_us';
</code></pre>

<p><strong>Check:</strong></p>

<p>To be sure you've got them all do a sql search for <code>en_us</code>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-03T18:33:01.320Z
Awesome. This worked perfectly. I was able to update all `en_us` entries to `en` and `es_us` entries to `es`. Thanks!
Chad Clark
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-03T12:21:05.433Z
2014-08-03T12:21:05.433Z
Victor
<p>I am in the process of building my first multilingual Craft site.</p>

<p>The site will have two languages:</p>

<ul>
<li>English (default)</li>
<li>Spanish</li>
</ul>

<p>When setting up the site, I chose <code>U.S. English</code> and <code>Spanish - United States</code> as the respective locales.</p>

<p>I am now thinking it might be better to keep the languages less specific to the United States and would like to switch the two to <code>English</code> and <code>Spanish</code>.</p>

<p>My question is if it is possible to do this without losing any content that has already been entered under both <code>U.S. English</code> and <code>Spanish - United States</code>.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<localization>
Converting existing content to a different locale
# Converting existing content to a different locale

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-08-03)

I am in the process of building my first multilingual Craft site.

The site will have two languages:

* English (default)
* Spanish

When setting up the site, I chose `U.S. English` and `Spanish - United States` as the respective locales.

I am now thinking it might be better to keep the languages less specific to the United States and would like to switch the two to `English` and `Spanish`.

My question is if it is possible to do this without losing any content that has already been entered under both `U.S. English` and `Spanish - United States`.

Thanks!

**Tags:** localization


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-08-03. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

Currently it's not possible to edit a locale from the CP, which means you have to edit it directly in your db.
Edit locale:
UPDATE craft_locales SET locale = 'en' WHERE locale = 'en_us';

Edit elements:
Each element (entries, assets, users, etc.) which can be translated has a locale-column:
UPDATE craft_categorygroups_i18n SET locale = 'en' WHERE locale = 'en_us';
UPDATE craft_content             SET locale = 'en' WHERE locale = 'en_us';
UPDATE craft_elements_i18n       SET locale = 'en' WHERE locale = 'en_us';
UPDATE craft_entryversions       SET locale = 'en' WHERE locale = 'en_us';
UPDATE craft_sections_i18n       SET locale = 'en' WHERE locale = 'en_us';

Edit permissions:
UPDATE craft_userpermissions SET name = 'editlocale:en' WHERE name = 'editlocale:en_us';

Check:
To be sure you've got them all do a sql search for en_us.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Awesome. This worked perfectly. I was able to update all `en_us` entries to `en` and `es_us` entries to `es`. Thanks!  

---

