# Lightweight WPML Language Switcher Shortcode

> Adds a [wpide_wpml_switcher] shortcode that prints an accessible list or dropdown of your WPML languages, with native names, codes or flags, anywhere you can place a shortcode.

- Type: PHP
- Runs: Run everywhere
- Category: [Multilingual](https://wpide.com/library/category/multilingual/)
- Tags: wpml, language-switcher, shortcode
- Author: WPIDE Team
- Installs: 0
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Page: https://wpide.com/library/wpml-language-switcher-shortcode/

## Code

```php
add_shortcode( 'wpide_wpml_switcher', function ( $atts ) {
    if ( ! defined( 'ICL_SITEPRESS_VERSION' ) ) {
        return '';
    }

    $atts = shortcode_atts( array(
        'style'        => 'list',
        'show'         => 'native',
        'flags'        => '0',
        'hide_current' => '0',
        'skip_missing' => '0',
    ), $atts, 'wpide_wpml_switcher' );

    $languages = apply_filters( 'wpml_active_languages', null, array( 'skip_missing' => $atts['skip_missing'] ? 1 : 0, 'orderby' => 'custom' ) );

    if ( empty( $languages ) || ! is_array( $languages ) ) {
        return '';
    }

    $label = function ( $lang ) use ( $atts ) {
        if ( 'code' === $atts['show'] ) {
            return strtoupper( $lang['language_code'] );
        }
        return 'translated' === $atts['show'] ? $lang['translated_name'] : $lang['native_name'];
    };

    if ( 'dropdown' === $atts['style'] ) {
        $id   = wp_unique_id( 'wpide-wpml-ls-' );
        $html = '<form class="wpide-wpml-switcher" onsubmit="return false"><label class="screen-reader-text" for="' . esc_attr( $id ) . '">' . esc_html__( 'Language' ) . '</label>';
        $html .= '<select id="' . esc_attr( $id ) . '" onchange="if(this.value){window.location.href=this.value;}">';
        foreach ( $languages as $lang ) {
            $html .= sprintf(
                '<option value="%1$s" lang="%2$s"%3$s>%4$s</option>',
                esc_url( $lang['url'] ),
                esc_attr( $lang['tag'] ?? $lang['language_code'] ),
                selected( ! empty( $lang['active'] ), true, false ),
                esc_html( $label( $lang ) )
            );
        }
        return $html . '</select></form>';
    }

    $html = '<nav class="wpide-wpml-switcher" aria-label="' . esc_attr__( 'Language' ) . '"><ul style="list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0;display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:.75em">';
    foreach ( $languages as $lang ) {
        $current = ! empty( $lang['active'] );
        if ( $current && $atts['hide_current'] ) {
            continue;
        }
        $flag  = $atts['flags'] && ! empty( $lang['country_flag_url'] ) ? '<img src="' . esc_url( $lang['country_flag_url'] ) . '" alt="" width="18" height="12" style="vertical-align:middle;margin-inline-end:.35em"> ' : '';
        $html .= sprintf(
            '<li><a href="%1$s" hreflang="%2$s" lang="%2$s"%3$s>%4$s%5$s</a></li>',
            esc_url( $lang['url'] ),
            esc_attr( $lang['tag'] ?? $lang['language_code'] ),
            $current ? ' aria-current="true" style="font-weight:700"' : '',
            $flag,
            esc_html( $label( $lang ) )
        );
    }

    return $html . '</ul></nav>';
} );
```

## Notes

Attributes: style="list|dropdown", show="native|translated|code", flags="1", hide_current="1", skip_missing="1" (hide languages without a translation of the current page).

## How to use it

Install the free WPIDE plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpide/), find "Lightweight WPML Language Switcher Shortcode" in its snippet library and add it in one click; or create a new PHP snippet in WPIDE (or any code snippets plugin) and paste the code above. More snippets: https://wpide.com/library/