Change app language programmatically in Android

Question

Is it possible to change the language of an app programmatically while still using Android resources?

If not, is it possible to request a resource in an specific lan

Answer 1

If you want to mantain the language changed over all your app you have to do two things.

First, create a base Activity and make all your activities extend from this:

public class BaseActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    private Locale mCurrentLocale;

    @Override
    protected void onStart() {
        super.onStart();

        mCurrentLocale = getResources().getConfiguration().locale;
    }

    @Override
    protected void onRestart() {
        super.onRestart();
        Locale locale = getLocale(this);

        if (!locale.equals(mCurrentLocale)) {

            mCurrentLocale = locale;
            recreate();
        }
    }

    public static Locale getLocale(Context context){
        SharedPreferences sharedPreferences = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);

        String lang = sharedPreferences.getString("language", "en");
        switch (lang) {
            case "English":
                lang = "en";
                break;
            case "Spanish":
                lang = "es";
                break;
        }
        return new Locale(lang);
    }
}

Note that I save the new language in a sharedPreference.

Second, create an extension of Application like this:

    public class App extends Application {

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        setLocale();
    }

    @Override
    public void onConfigurationChanged(Configuration newConfig) {
        super.onConfigurationChanged(newConfig);
        setLocale();
    }

    private void setLocale() {

        final Resources resources = getResources();
        final Configuration configuration = resources.getConfiguration();
        final Locale locale = getLocale(this);
        if (!configuration.locale.equals(locale)) {
            configuration.setLocale(locale);
            resources.updateConfiguration(configuration, null);
        }
    }
}

Note that getLocale() it's the same as above.

That's all! I hope this can help somebody.