How to Translate Your HelpDocs Knowledge Base (Complete Guide)

HelpDocs has supported multilingual knowledge bases since 2017. The platform lets you maintain articles in multiple languages, complete with language switchers and SEO-optimized URLs for each locale.

But there's a catch: HelpDocs doesn't translate your content for you. You're responsible for creating and maintaining every translated version yourself.

This guide covers how to set up multilingual HelpDocs, the best workflows for translation, and tools that can speed up the process.

Setting Up Multilingual in HelpDocs

Before you start translating, you need to enable multilingual support in your HelpDocs account.

Step 1: Enable Multilingual

1. Go to Settings > General in your HelpDocs dashboard
2. Toggle on Multilingual Support
3. Select your default language (your primary content language)
4. Add secondary languages you want to support

Your default language is the base. All articles must exist in the default language before you can create translations.

Step 2: Add Languages

HelpDocs supports most major languages. When you add a secondary language, customers will see a language selector in your knowledge base navigation.

Need regional variants like UK English or Canadian French? Contact HelpDocs support to set these up.

Step 3: Configure Language Switching

HelpDocs automatically adds a language selector to your knowledge base template. The exact placement depends on which template you use.

When a customer switches languages, they'll see:

• Translated articles where available
• The default language version where translations don't exist

How Translation Works in HelpDocs

HelpDocs uses a branching model for translations. Here's how it works:

Articles Branch From Default

Every translation is a "branch" of the original article. When you create a translation:

1. HelpDocs creates a copy of the article in the new language
2. You replace the content with the translated version
3. The translation lives independently but is linked to the original

This means changes to your default article don't automatically update translations. You need to update each language version separately.

Category Translation

Categories need translation too. When you switch to a secondary language in the dashboard, you'll see which categories have been translated and which haven't. Untranslated categories appear with labels indicating they need attention.

URL Structure

HelpDocs creates separate URLs for each language version:

• Default: docs.yoursite.com/article/getting-started
• Spanish: docs.yoursite.com/es/article/getting-started
• French: docs.yoursite.com/fr/article/getting-started

This is good for SEO. Each language version gets indexed separately.

Translation Workflow Options

Since HelpDocs doesn't include built-in translation, you have several options for actually translating your content.

Option 1: Manual Translation (In-House)

If you have bilingual team members, they can translate directly in HelpDocs:

1. Open an article in the default language
2. Switch to the target language in the dashboard
3. Click to create a translation
4. Replace the content with translated text

Pros: Full control over quality and terminology
Cons: Time-intensive, requires bilingual staff

Best for: Small knowledge bases (under 20 articles) or companies with multilingual teams.

Option 2: External Translation Services

Hire professional translators and manage the process manually:

1. Export your HelpDocs content
2. Send to translators
3. Receive translated content
4. Paste into HelpDocs

Pros: Professional quality
Cons: Expensive, slow turnaround, manual import process

Best for: Companies prioritizing quality over speed for major languages.

Option 3: AI Translation Tools

Use AI translation services to speed up the process:

1. Copy article content from HelpDocs
2. Run through DeepL, Google Translate, or similar
3. Edit for accuracy and terminology
4. Paste into HelpDocs

Pros: Fast, cheap
Cons: Requires human review, formatting can break

Best for: Getting a first draft quickly, then polishing.

Option 4: Translation Management Systems (TMS)

Tools like Lokalise, Crowdin, or Phrase can manage the workflow:

1. Export content to the TMS
2. Translate (via AI, human, or hybrid)
3. Import back to HelpDocs

Pros: Centralized management, translation memory
Cons: Additional cost, learning curve, manual import/export

Best for: Large knowledge bases or companies already using a TMS for product localization.

The Manual Translation Challenge

HelpDocs' approach to translation has a fundamental limitation: it's entirely manual.

What This Means for You

No automation: Every article must be translated and pasted individually. There's no API for pushing translations in bulk.

Sync problems: When you update the default version, you need to manually update every translation. With 50 articles in five languages, that's 250 articles to maintain.

Formatting risk: Copy-pasting from translation tools often breaks formatting. Images, links, and code blocks need manual attention.

When Translations Lag

Many HelpDocs users start with good intentions. They translate their top 10 articles into Spanish and French. But then:

• New articles get published only in English
• Updates to originals don't propagate to translations
• Customers in secondary languages get outdated information

After six months, your French knowledge base is three versions behind your English one. Customers notice.

Best Practices for HelpDocs Translation

If you're committed to multilingual HelpDocs, these practices help manage the complexity.

1. Start Small

Don't try to translate everything. Focus on:

• Your top 10 most-viewed articles
• Critical onboarding content
• Common troubleshooting guides

You can track which articles get the most views in HelpDocs analytics.

2. Create a Translation Schedule

Set a regular cadence:

• Review default articles for changes weekly
• Update translations monthly
• Audit coverage quarterly

Consistency matters more than speed.

3. Use Translation Memory

Even if you're translating manually, keep a glossary of common terms. This ensures consistency across articles and speeds up future translations.

4. Prioritize High-Traffic Languages

Check your customer data. If 80% of international customers speak Spanish, focus there first. Perfect Spanish coverage beats mediocre coverage in five languages.

5. Track What's Out of Sync

HelpDocs doesn't alert you when translations are outdated. Create your own tracking system:

• Spreadsheet with article IDs and last-updated dates
• Comparison between default and translation versions
• Regular audits for drift

HelpDocs vs. Other Platforms

How does HelpDocs' translation approach compare to alternatives?

Platform	Translation Model	AI Translation	API Support
HelpDocs	Manual branching	No	Limited
Intercom	Manual per-language	No (native)	Yes
Zendesk	Multi-locale articles	Google Translate	Yes
Freshdesk	Separate articles	No	Yes
Help Scout	No native multilingual	No	No

HelpDocs is similar to most platforms: multilingual support exists, but actual translation is your problem.

Tools That Can Help

Several tools integrate with or complement HelpDocs for translation:

DeepL

Best-in-class AI translation. Copy content from HelpDocs, paste into DeepL, get high-quality translations. Still requires manual import.

Cost: Free tier available, Pro from €7.49/month

Crowdin

Translation management platform that can handle your HelpDocs content via manual export/import.

Cost: Free for open source, paid from $40/month

Smartcat

Combines AI translation with human translator marketplace. Good for hybrid workflows.

Cost: Pay per word

Weglot

Website translation layer. Doesn't integrate directly with HelpDocs, but could translate the published knowledge base.

Cost: From €150/year

When to Consider Alternatives

If translation is a major pain point, it's worth evaluating whether HelpDocs is the right platform.

Signs You've Outgrown Manual Translation

• You're maintaining more than 50 articles in 3+ languages
• Translations are consistently outdated
• Translation is taking significant team time
• Customers complain about language coverage

Platforms With Better Translation Support

Intercom with tools like TranslateDesk offers workflow automation for help center translation. You can translate entire collections with AI, maintain sync, and preserve formatting.

Zendesk includes built-in Google Translate integration for draft translations.

If you're growing internationally, consider platforms where translation is streamlined rather than purely manual.

Conclusion

HelpDocs provides solid multilingual infrastructure: language switching, SEO-friendly URLs, and organized article management. But the platform leaves the actual translation work entirely to you.

For small knowledge bases, manual translation in HelpDocs works fine. For larger operations or companies expanding internationally, the manual overhead adds up quickly.

Before committing to a translation workflow, assess your real needs:

• How many articles need translation?
• How many languages do you need?
• How often does content change?
• What's your budget for translation?

The answers will tell you whether HelpDocs' manual approach fits or whether you need a platform with more translation automation.

FAQ

Does HelpDocs have automatic translation?

No. HelpDocs provides the infrastructure for multilingual content (language switching, separate URLs) but doesn't translate content automatically. You must create and maintain all translations yourself.

How many languages does HelpDocs support?

HelpDocs supports most major languages. Regional variants (like Canadian French or UK English) can be added by contacting HelpDocs support.

Can I import translations via API?

HelpDocs has a limited API. Bulk import of translations isn't well-supported. Most teams copy-paste translated content into the editor manually.

What happens when I update an article?

Translations don't update automatically. When you change the default language version, you need to manually update each translation to reflect those changes.

Is HelpDocs good for multilingual knowledge bases?

HelpDocs is adequate for small multilingual knowledge bases where you have bilingual team members or don't need frequent updates. For larger or more dynamic documentation, the manual translation overhead can become significant.