# General Translation Platform: Apply Glossary
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-GB/docs/platform/context/apply-glossary.mdx
---
title: Apply Glossary
description: Push glossary changes into existing translated files
---

When you update glossary terms, existing translations do not change automatically. **Apply** updates only files that contain selected terms, which makes it more targeted than retranslating every file.

![Screenshot: Apply Glossary Dialogue](https://assets.gtx.dev/platform/context-apply-glossary.png)

<Callout type="info">
  **Note:** Apply is available from the project Context page, not the organisation context library. The project needs at least one connected branch for Apply to appear.
</Callout>

## Apply vs other actions

| Action                              | What it does                                                                      |
| ----------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Translate** (glossary toolbar)    | Uses AI to generate translations for glossary term definitions and locale columns |
| **Apply** (glossary toolbar)        | Updates existing project files that contain the selected glossary terms           |
| **Retranslate** (Translations page) | Regenerates an entire translated file                                             |

Use **Translate** when you&#39;ve added new terms and need their per-locale glossary entries filled in. Use **Apply** when terms already exist and you want existing translated content to pick up the changes.

## How to apply glossary changes

1. Open **Context** in the project sidebar
2. Select a context group and open the **Glossary** tab
3. Make your glossary edits and save
4. Click **Apply** in the toolbar
5. In the dialogue:
   * Select the glossary terms to apply
   * Choose target locales to update
   * Choose branches (if your project has multiple)
6. Click **Apply** to start background retranslation

Only files containing the selected terms are updated. If no files contain the selected terms, the dialogue reports that no matches were found.

## Progress and completion

Apply runs as background jobs. The dialogue shows progress by file and locale count. You can close the dialogue and navigate away while jobs continue.

When complete, affected translations appear updated in the Translations page. Use [Locadex](/docs/locadex) to sync changes back to your repository.

## Next steps

* [Glossary](/docs/platform/context/glossary)
* [Retranslate content](/docs/platform/translations/retranslate)
* [Locadex Agent](/docs/locadex)