> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://codebeans-cb-checkout-rules.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Error messages and languages

> Write the message customers see, translate it, and choose where it appears.

When a customer breaks a rule, Shopify stops the checkout and shows your message. Write it so the customer knows exactly what to change.

## Write a good message

> [card] Do
>
> "Please add your apartment or unit number in Address line 2."

> [card] Avoid
>
> "Validation failed."

* Say what is wrong and how to fix it.
* Keep it to one short sentence.
* Avoid technical words like "regex" or "field value".

## Languages

The editor shows one message box for each language published in your store, up to the number your plan allows. Your store's primary language comes first. **English (Primary)** is always required.

You can write messages in these languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Arabic, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), Korean and Hindi.

At checkout, the customer sees the message in the language their checkout is shown in. If you didn't write a message for that language, they see the English message.

| Plan | Languages per message |
| - | - |
| Free | 1 |
| Starter | 2 |
| Growth | 5 |
| Enterprise | Unlimited |

> [!NOTE]
>
> To add a message for a new language, first publish the language in your Shopify admin under **Settings → Languages**. It then appears in the rule editor, as long as your plan allows another language.

## Where the message appears

Preset rules show the message next to the field they check. For example, **Missing House Number** shows it next to **Address line 1**.

In a custom rule, you choose the location for each rule block, under **Target**:

![The four places an error message can appear: top of the checkout page, contact fields, shipping address fields and billing address fields.](https://mintcdn.com/codebeans-cb-checkout-rules/9lVKcptiAqYAtTXj/images/error-targets.svg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=9lVKcptiAqYAtTXj\&q=85\&s=a9aa64adc5c8bd007778847a4978423b)

* **Top of the checkout page**
* **Contact fields**: email or phone
* **Shipping address** fields: country, first name, last name, company, address line 1, address line 2, city, province or state, ZIP or postal code, phone
* **Billing address** fields: the same fields as the shipping address

> [!TIP]
>
> Show the message next to the field the customer needs to change. Use **Top of the checkout page** when the problem isn't about a single field, such as the cart total.

## Placeholders in character limit messages

In **Character Count Limit** messages, you can use `{{min_length}}` and `{{max_length}}`. They are replaced with the limits you set.

```text theme={null}
Address line 1 must be between {{min_length}} and {{max_length}} characters.
```


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