Localizing Strings Inside the iOS Info.plist File

28 February 2025 Stephan Petzl Leave a comment Xcode

When developing iOS applications, it’s crucial to provide a seamless user experience across different languages. One aspect of this is localizing strings within the Info.plist file, particularly for keys like NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription, which require user-facing text.

Steps to Localize Info.plist Strings

To localize strings in the Info.plist file, follow these steps:

1. Create an InfoPlist.strings File:
   • In Xcode, navigate to File > New > File.
   • Under the Resource section, choose Strings File and name it InfoPlist (ensure both ‘I’ and ‘P’ are capitalized).
2. Add Localizations:
   • Select the InfoPlist.strings file in the project navigator.
   • Click on the Localize button in the file inspector.
   • Add the desired languages by selecting your project in the project navigator, then navigating to the Info tab, and adding languages under the Localizations section.
3. Define Localized Strings:
   • Open the InfoPlist.strings file and add the keys and their localizations. For example:

   "NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription" = "Description of this";

Testing Localizations

To ensure that your localizations are correctly implemented, change the language settings on your iOS simulator or device. This will allow you to verify that the appropriate localized strings are displayed.

Common Pitfalls and Solutions

• Ensure the InfoPlist.strings file is correctly named and located in the appropriate .lproj directories for each language.
• Do not include quotes around the key names in the InfoPlist.strings file.
• Verify that the CFBundleLocalizations key in the Info.plist file contains the correct language codes.

Enhancing Your Development Workflow

Localizing strings in your iOS application is just one part of creating a comprehensive internationalization strategy. If you’re looking to streamline your development and testing processes, consider using Repeato, a no-code test automation tool that supports iOS, Android, and web apps.

Repeato simplifies the creation, execution, and maintenance of automated tests through its intuitive test recorder and editor. It supports advanced testing techniques like data-driven and keyword-driven testing, which can be particularly beneficial for ensuring your localized strings appear correctly across different user scenarios.

By leveraging AI and computer vision, Repeato offers a practical alternative to traditional tools, enabling faster test execution and enhanced version control through its text and JSON format storage. For more information on how Repeato can help improve your app testing strategy, visit our blog.

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