iOS Localization: Native Swift and SwiftUI Translation Workflows
iOS uses String Catalogs (Xcode 15+) and .strings/.stringsdict files to manage translations. SwiftUI views are automatically localized through the Text() initializer, and Xcode handles extraction, pluralization rules, and export to XLIFF for translators. With String Catalogs, you get a visual editor that tracks translation state across every supported locale.
iOS Localization Features
iOS Localization in Practice
SwiftUI views are automatically localized when you use string literals in Text(). String Catalogs manage pluralization and device variations in a single file.
// SwiftUI - Automatic localization
struct WelcomeView: View {
let name: String
var body: some View {
VStack {
// Automatically looks up "Welcome to %@" in String Catalog
Text("Welcome to \(name)")
// Pluralization via String Catalog
Text("^[\(itemCount) item](inflect: true)")
// Date formatting respects locale
Text(Date.now, format: .dateTime.month(.wide).day())
}
}
}
// Localizable.xcstrings (String Catalog)
// Managed in Xcode - supports:
// - Automatic extraction from SwiftUI
// - Pluralization rules per locale
// - String variation by device
// - Translation state trackingRelated Guides
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