# Getting useContent to return content in the visitor's current locale

Asked by elodie on 2026-10-21. Tags: react, i18n, localization.

my app already keeps the active language in a context, and `useContent` always
comes back in the same language regardless. I want it to return the localized
default that matches whatever locale the visitor is currently on.

How do I pass the active locale through the hook so the right localized default
comes back?

## 2 answers

### Answer from dermot_k (2026-10-22)

Pass the active locale as `preferredLocale` in the `useContent` options. Pull it
from the context you already have and hand it straight in:

```tsx
const {locale} = useLanguage();
const content = useContent('home-hero', {
    preferredLocale: locale,
    fallback: {title: 'Welcome'},
});
```

If you want a baseline for when nothing sets it, `defaultPreferredLocale` on the
provider sets a fallback locale at initialization. One thing to guard: an
unresolved locale falls back to the default content, so a route where the
language has not been resolved yet just gets the default rather than an error.

### Answer from Ingrid M (2026-10-23)

Worth knowing what actually produces the localized variants: per-locale default
content is the localization add-on. So `preferredLocale` selects which locale
you want, but you get distinct content per locale only once that is set up.
Without it the hook still resolves, you just get the single default back for
every locale.

#### Reply from elodie (2026-10-23)

got it, wiring the context locale into preferredLocale now and will look at
the add-on for the per-locale defaults. thanks