Edlio sites can include a Google Translate widget that lets visitors view your site in their preferred language. The widget is opted-in per site design — if your site doesn't have it yet, get in contact with Edlio Support to discuss what's controllable, and how to request changes.
How it works
When enabled on your site, the Google Translate widget appears in your site's header (most common placement). When a visitor selects a language from the widget, Google Translate displays an on-the-fly machine translation of your page. The original content stays in English in the admin panel — nothing changes for you as the editor.
Visitors can:
Choose from the languages your widget offers (Edlio can either present all Google-supported languages or a specifically tailored list — see "Requesting changes" below)
Switch back to the original (English) at any time
Translate the entire page, including navigation, news, and event content
💡 Where it appears: The widget is usually placed in the header on Edlio sites. Visitors interact with it on the public site — there's no admin panel for it.
Important limits of machine translation
Google Translate is automated. It works well for general content but has known limitations:
Translation quality varies by language. Spanish, French, and Chinese tend to translate well; less common languages can be rough or awkward.
Names, brand terms, and idioms may not translate well. School names, mascot names, and program-specific terms can come out strangely.
Images and PDFs aren't translated. Text inside an image or a PDF stays in its original language. If you have important content for non-English-speaking families, consider providing translated versions of key PDFs alongside the original. This is a key part of website accessibility for many needs your school community may have. Read more about Accessibility and your Edlio website.
Forms and dates can behave oddly. Dropdown menus, calendar widgets, and form validation messages sometimes display in mixed languages.
⚠ For legal or compliance-critical communication (enrollment forms, special education notices, FERPA disclosures, etc.), don't rely on machine translation. Use human-translated documents or contact your district's translation services.
Requesting changes to the widget
The Google Translate widget is configured by Edlio at the site level. To enable, disable, or change it, open a support ticket via Eddy:
Common change requests
Add the Google Translate widget if your site doesn't have one yet
Remove the widget from your site
Move the widget from the header to the footer (or vice versa)
Restrict which languages appear (e.g. only show Spanish and Mandarin in the language dropdown — Edlio can configure a tailored language list using Google Translate's
includedLanguagessetting)Change the widget style (button vs dropdown, inline vs floating)
In your Eddy ticket, include:
Your school or district name and website URL
What change you want (enable / disable / restrict languages / reposition)
If restricting languages, the exact list you want available (e.g. "Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic")
Where on your site the widget should appear (header, footer, both)
For the full Eddy walkthrough, see How to submit a support ticket via Eddy.
Alternatives to machine translation
If your school community needs reliable translations for specific audiences (parent newsletters, key policies, emergency communications), consider:
Posting human-translated PDFs alongside the original English documents.
Creating dedicated pages in the most-spoken languages of your community (e.g. a Spanish-language enrollment page next to the English one).
Working with your district's translation services for critical communications. Google Translate is a quick first step, not a complete solution.