Title: Cannot remove language
Last modified: April 14, 2026

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# Cannot remove language

 *  [phonyroyal](https://wordpress.org/support/users/phonyroyal/)
 * (@phonyroyal)
 * [1 month, 3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-remove-language/)
 * I cannot remove English (South Africa) from the language list at Settings -> 
   General -> Site Language. the site was installed using the EN-ZA (English South
   Africa) version of WordPress some years back, but English (United States) has
   now been selected.
   All the .MO and .PO files in wp-content/languages and sub-
   directories were deleted but that didn’t remove English (South Africa), so all
   the JSON and any other files in the tree have been deleted and still English (
   South Africa) is listed in Settings -> General -> Site Language.How does one 
   remove all traces of a language and use the default language settings? Where 
   else do language options and settings reside for WordPress, themes and plugins?
    -  This topic was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by [phonyroyal](https://wordpress.org/support/users/phonyroyal/).

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  [franrival](https://wordpress.org/support/users/franrival/)
 * (@franrival)
 * [1 month, 3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-remove-language/#post-18880186)
 * English -South Africa- isn’t being “loaded” from files anymore, it’s stored in
   the database and WordPress language registry, not just in /wp-content/languages.
 * You need to check in database., If you see: en_ZA – Change it to: en_US.
 * wp-config.php > define(‘WPLANG’, ‘en_ZA’); -to- define(‘WPLANG’, ‘en_US’); 🙌
 *  Thread Starter [phonyroyal](https://wordpress.org/support/users/phonyroyal/)
 * (@phonyroyal)
 * [1 month, 3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-remove-language/#post-18880199)
 * Thanks, but there’s no language line in wp-config.phpd despite the comment at
   the top that says:
 * This file contains the following configurations: Localized language
 * Shouldn’t the EN-ZA database entries rather be deleted than renamed? Aren’t these
   orphaned entries?
 * Is there any manual process to fully delete a language? I’m sure there used to
   be a Delete option in the General drop-down language list some years back.
 *  Moderator [threadi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/threadi/)
 * (@threadi)
 * [1 month, 3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-remove-language/#post-18880325)
 * You must delete all files with this structure:
 *     ```wp-block-code
       Language_Code.moadmin-Language_Code.moadmin-network-Language_Code.mocontinents-cities-Language_Code.moadmin-Language_Code.l10n.phpadmin-network-Language_Code.l10n.phpcontinents-cities-Language_Code.l10n.phpLanguage_Code.l10n.php
       ```
   
 * For `en_za` it should be these files:
 *     ```wp-block-code
       en_za.moadmin-en_za.moadmin-network-en_za.mocontinents-cities-en_za.moadmin-en_za.l10n.phpadmin-network-en_za.l10n.phpcontinents-cities-en_za.l10n.phpen_za.l10n.php
       ```
   
 * If even one of them remains, WordPress will continue to recognize it as a locally
   available language.
 * The JSON files play no role in this recognition, nor do the .po files. I would
   still recommend deleting them as well, since otherwise they will just sit around
   as unused files on your hosting server.
 * Source: [https://github.com/WordPress/WordPress/blob/master/wp-includes/l10n.php#L1473](https://github.com/WordPress/WordPress/blob/master/wp-includes/l10n.php#L1473)
 *  Moderator [Yui](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fierevere/)
 * (@fierevere)
 * 永子
 * [1 month, 3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-remove-language/#post-18880692)
 * ^^
   also note that WPLANG constant is not used since WP 4.0, only presence of 
   mo/po is used to detect whether language is needed. You also have to ensure that
   no users are using that language in their user profile settings.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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## Tags

 * [language](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/language/)

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 4 replies
 * 4 participants
 * Last reply from: [Yui](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fierevere/)
 * Last activity: [1 month, 3 weeks ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-remove-language/#post-18880692)
 * Status: not resolved

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