Why choose Polylang for a multilingual WordPress site?

Jan. 3, 2026

If you’re looking to create a multilingual WordPress site with Polylang, you may have noticed that the native language selector lacks accessibility. Fortunately, the A11y Language Switcher by Key4 plugin offers a responsive solution that complies with WCAG standards. When paired with Classic Menu in Navigation Block, you’ll get seamlessly integrated multilingual menus, even…

Introduction

Today, having a multilingual website is no longer a luxury but a necessity for reaching an international audience or even a multicultural local audience. WordPress, with its many plugins, makes this task easier. Among them, Polylang stands out as a robust, flexible, and free solution for managing multiple languages on a site. However, for an optimal user experience, it’s often helpful to enhance it with complementary plugins like A11y Language Switcher by Key4 and Classic Menu in Navigation Block, especially if you’re using a FSE (Full Site Editing) theme.

1. Polylang: The comprehensive and intuitive multilingual solution

1.1. Centralized language management

Polylang makes it easy to create and manage multilingual versions of your content: pages, posts, categories, tags, and even media. Each item can be translated and assigned to a specific language, offering great flexibility.

1.2. Compatibility with themes and plugins

Unlike other solutions, Polylang integrates seamlessly with most WordPress themes and plugins, including FSE themes. It does not alter the database structure, ensuring long-term compatibility.

1.3. SEO-friendly

Polylang automatically generates hreflang tags and language-specific URLs, which improves your site’s organic search engine rankings. Each language version is indexed separately, maximizing your visibility.

1.4. Free and extensible

The free version of Polylang already covers most basic needs. For advanced features (such as translating custom content types), a premium version is available, but the free version is still very comprehensive.

2.1. Why is an accessible language selector important?

Polylang's built-in language switcher works well in the PRO version, but not in the FREE version. A11y Language Switcher by Key4 fills this gap by offering a widget or shortcode to display an accessible (WCAG-compliant), customizable, and responsive language switcher.

2.2. Key Benefits

Accessibility: The plugin follows best practices for accessibility, which is crucial for users who are visually impaired or who use screen readers.
Customization: You can choose between a drop-down menu, flags, language names, or a combination of both.
Easy integration: The switcher can be added via a widget, a shortcode, or even directly into your theme using PHP.
Responsive: The design automatically adapts to all screen sizes, which is essential for an optimal mobile experience.

2.3. Example of use

Using the shortcode [a11y_language_switcher]You can place the language selector anywhere on your site: in the header, footer, or even in a sidebar. Here’s a code example for embedding it in a custom HTML block:

<div class="language-switcher">
  [a11y_language_switcher display="dropdown" show_flags="1" show_names="1"]
</div>

3. Classic Menu in Navigation Block: Multilingual and responsive menus with FSE themes

3.1. The Challenge of Menus in ESF Themes

WordPress Full Site Editing (FSE) themes, such as Twenty Twenty-Four, use the Navigation block to manage menus. However, this block can cause compatibility issues with multilingual plugins, particularly when it comes to displaying menus on mobile devices or synchronizing languages.

3.2. Why use Classic Menu in Navigation Block?

This plugin restores the classic menu behavior in FSE themes while maintaining compatibility with Polylang. Here are its main features:

Responsive menus: The hamburger menu works perfectly on mobile devices, even with multiple languages.
Polylang compatibility: Each menu can be translated and assigned to a specific language, just like with classic themes.
Flexibility: You can use the traditional WordPress menus while still enjoying the benefits of FSE.

3.3. How do I use it?

Install and activate the Classic Menu in Navigation Block plugin.
Go to Appearance > Menus and create a menu for each language.
Under Languages > Menus, assign each menu to its language.
In the site editor, add a Navigation block and select the main menu. Polylang and the plugin will take care of the rest!

4. Case Study: A Multilingual Website Optimized with Polylang and Its Plugins

4.1. Basic Configuration

Theme: Twenty Twenty-Four (FSE)
Plugins: Polylang, A11y Language Switcher by Key4, Classic Menu in Navigation Block

4.2. Implementation Steps

Install and configure Polylang: Add your languages, translate your content, and configure the URLs.
Add A11y Language Switcher: Insert the shortcode into your header or footer to create an accessible language switcher.
Set up menus: Create a menu for each language, assign them in Polylang, and use Classic Menu in Navigation Block for seamless integration into the Navigation block.
Test on mobile: Check that the hamburger menu displays correctly and that the language switcher is accessible.

4.3. Result

A 100% multilingual website with intuitive and accessible navigation. See Sub-Saharan 222
An optimal user experience, regardless of device or language.
Improved search engine optimization thanks to hreflang tags and optimized URLs.

Conclusion

Polylang is already a powerful solution for managing a multilingual WordPress site. By adding A11y Language Switcher by Key4 and Classic Menu in Navigation Block, you can create an optimal, accessible, and responsive user experience—even with an FSE theme. These tools allow you to combine modern technology (FSE) with advanced multilingual features, without compromising on quality or accessibility.

What about you? Have you ever used Polylang or these add-on plugins? What has your experience been like? 😊

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