---
title: "Changing Text in Joomla 3.1 using Language Overrides"
description: "In our last tutorial, we gave you a brief introduction about Joomla 3.0 language files. If you remember, there are three basic things involved: Language (such as English or Spanish) Constant (such as..."
url: https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/edu/joomla/joomla-3/overrides/
date: 2012-10-18
modified: 2021-11-19
author: "Brad Markle"
categories: ["Joomla", "Joomla 3"]
tags: ["Joomla v3"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Changing Text in Joomla 3.1 using Language Overrides

In our last tutorial, we gave you a [brief introduction about Joomla 3.0 language files](/support/edu/joomla/joomla-3/language-files/). If you remember, there are three basic things involved:

1. **Language** (such as *English* or *Spanish*)
2. **Constant** (such as *COM_CONTENT_WRITTEN_BY*)
3. **Value** (such as *Written by* or *Excrito por*)

 

## Can I modify standard text in Joomla?

[![written-by](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/edu_joomla-3_language_overrides_written-by.jpg)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/edu_joomla-3_language_overrides_written-by.jpg)

If you refer to the screenshot to the right, you can see how Joomla shows the author of an article by displaying under the title, **Written by ***Super User*.

**Question:**
What if you didn’t want it to say, *Written by*? What if instead you wanted it to read, *Article author*?

You could edit the language file and change *Written by ***to ***Article author*, but if you upgraded Joomla, you run the risk of losing those changes if any of the language files get overwritten.

**Answer:**
Joomla 3.0 includes a feature called **Language Overrides**. Using language overrides allows you to change the Value (*Written By*) of a Constant (*COM_CONTENT_WRITTEN_BY*) without editing any Language Files (*language/en-GB/en-GB.com_content.ini*).

 

## Using Language Overrides in Joomla 3.0

In the following steps, we’ll show you how to use language overrides. We will change *Written by ***to ***Article Author*.

1. [Log into your Joomla 3.0 Admin Dashboard](/support/edu/joomla/joomla-3/how-to-log-in-to-administrative-dashboard/)
2. In the *top menu*, click **Extensions** and then click **Language Manager**
3. In the *left menu*, click **Overrides**
4. In the *top left of the page*, click **New**
5. **Find the Constant or Value to change** [![creating-a-new-language-override](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/edu_joomla-3_language_overrides_creating-a-new-language-override.jpg)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/edu_joomla-3_language_overrides_creating-a-new-language-override.jpg) Under *Search text you want to change* and next to *Search for* choose **Value**. Then, type in the text you want to change (**Written by** in our example) and click **Search**. Under *Search Results*, click on the only result. This will automatically fill in the details for you under *Create a New Override*.
6. **Change the Text** Under *Create a new Override* and next to *Text*, you’ll see the Value. In this case it reads *Written by %s*. Change this to the text your prefer, in our case **Article Author: %s**.
7. [![language-overrides-example](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/edu_joomla-3_language_overrides_language-overrides-example.jpg)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/edu_joomla-3_language_overrides_language-overrides-example.jpg) Click **Save** in the top left of the page and then test your results! As you can see in the screenshot to the right, the *Written by* text has been changed to *Article Author*.