---
title: "How to: Use a ResourceDictionary to Manage Localizable String Resources"
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
dev_langs: 
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "resources [WPF], packaging string resources"
  - "packaging string resources [WPF]"
  - "ResourceDictionary [WPF]"
  - "localization [WPF], packaging string resources"
ms.assetid: 19e7d9a5-20df-4ad3-b157-fe6515902e5e
---
# How to: Use a ResourceDictionary to Manage Localizable String Resources
This example shows how to use a <xref:System.Windows.ResourceDictionary> to package localizable string resources for Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) applications.  
  
### To use a ResourceDictionary to manage localizable string resources  
  
1. Create a <xref:System.Windows.ResourceDictionary> that contains the strings you would like to localize. The following code shows an example.  
  
     [!code-xaml[StringLocalizationSample#StringResourceDictionary](~/samples/snippets/csharp/VS_Snippets_Wpf/StringLocalizationSample/CSharp/StringResources.xaml#stringresourcedictionary)]  
  
     This code defines a string resource, `localizedMessage`, of type <xref:System.String>, from the <xref:System> namespace in mscorlib.dll.  
  
2. Add the <xref:System.Windows.ResourceDictionary> to your application, using the following code.  
  
     [!code-xaml[StringLocalizationSample#ReferencingStringResourceDictionary](~/samples/snippets/csharp/VS_Snippets_Wpf/StringLocalizationSample/CSharp/App.xaml#referencingstringresourcedictionary)]  
  
3. Use the string resource from markup, using [!INCLUDE[TLA#tla_xaml](../../../includes/tlasharptla-xaml-md.md)] like the following.  
  
     [!code-xaml[StringLocalizationSample#GetLocalizedResourceFromMarkup](~/samples/snippets/csharp/VS_Snippets_Wpf/StringLocalizationSample/CSharp/MainWindow.xaml#getlocalizedresourcefrommarkup)]  
  
4. Use the string resource from code-behind, using code like the following.  
  
     [!code-csharp[StringLocalizationSample#GetLocalizedResourceFromCode](~/samples/snippets/csharp/VS_Snippets_Wpf/StringLocalizationSample/CSharp/MainWindow.xaml.cs#getlocalizedresourcefromcode)]
     [!code-vb[StringLocalizationSample#GetLocalizedResourceFromCode](~/samples/snippets/visualbasic/VS_Snippets_Wpf/StringLocalizationSample/VisualBasic/MainWindow.xaml.vb#getlocalizedresourcefromcode)]  
  
5. Localize the application. For more information, see [Localize an Application](how-to-localize-an-application.md).