diff --git a/backend/app/api/handlers/v1/v1_ctrl_locales.go b/backend/app/api/handlers/v1/v1_ctrl_locales.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e93e841e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/app/api/handlers/v1/v1_ctrl_locales.go
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package v1
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"github.com/hay-kot/httpkit/errchain"
+	"github.com/sysadminsmedia/homebox/backend/internal/core/services"
+	"github.com/sysadminsmedia/homebox/backend/internal/data/repo"
+	"github.com/sysadminsmedia/homebox/backend/internal/web/adapters"
+)
+
+type Locales struct {
+	Locales []string `json:"locales"`
+}
+
+// HandleLocalesGetAll godoc
+//
+//	@Summary  Get All Locales
+//	@Tags     Locales
+//	@Produce  json
+//	@Success  200 {object} []Locales
+//	@Router   /v1/locales [GET]
+//	@Security Bearer
+func (ctrl *V1Controller) HandleLocalesGetAll() errchain.HandlerFunc {
+	fn := func(r *http.Request) ([]Locales, error) {
+		// TODO: get a list of locales from files
+		return []Locales{}, nil
+	}
+
+	return adapters.Command(fn, http.StatusOK)
+}
+
+// HandleLocalesGet godoc
+//
+//	@Summary  Get Locale
+//	@Tags     Locales
+//	@Produce  json
+//	@Param    id  path     string true "Locale ID"
+//	@Success  200 {object} interface{}
+//	@Router   /v1/locales/{id} [GET]
+//	@Security Bearer
+func (ctrl *V1Controller) HandleLocalesGet() errchain.HandlerFunc {
+	fn := func(r *http.Request, ID uuid.UUID) (interface{}, error) {
+		// TODO: get the current locale
+		return interface{}, nil
+	}
+
+	return adapters.CommandID("id", fn, http.StatusOK)
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/app/api/main.go b/backend/app/api/main.go
index 6247fe6a..c7571ed4 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/main.go
+++ b/backend/app/api/main.go
@@ -254,6 +254,19 @@ func run(cfg *config.Config) error {
 		}
 	}))
 
+	// TODO: read from env var0 GOOS=linux go build
+	if true {
+		runner.AddPlugin(NewTask("locale-update", time.Duration(24)*time.Hour, func(ctx context.Context) {
+			log.Debug().Msg("running locale update")
+			err := app.services.BackgroundService.UpdateLocales(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Error().
+					Err(err).
+					Msg("failed to update locales")
+			}
+		}))
+	}
+
 	if cfg.Debug.Enabled {
 		runner.AddFunc("debug", func(ctx context.Context) error {
 			debugserver := http.Server{
diff --git a/backend/internal/core/services/service_background.go b/backend/internal/core/services/service_background.go
index 1af8e1ba..ea2b9b12 100644
--- a/backend/internal/core/services/service_background.go
+++ b/backend/internal/core/services/service_background.go
@@ -79,3 +79,20 @@ func (svc *BackgroundService) SendNotifiersToday(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (svc *BackgroundService) UpdateLocales(ctx context.Context) error {
+	log.Debug().Msg("updating locales")
+	// fetch list of locales from github
+	// is it worth checking if any changes have been made?
+	// download locales overwriting files in static/public/locales
+
+	// curl -H "Accept: application/vnd.github.v3+json" \
+  //    -H "If-Modified-Since: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 09:59:02 GMT" \
+  //    -o /dev/null -s -w "%{http_code}\n" \
+  //    https://api.github.com/repos/sysadminsmedia/homebox/contents/frontend/locales
+  // keep track of last modified date
+
+	
+
+	return nil
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/plugins/i18n.ts b/frontend/plugins/i18n.ts
index f6994dcb..412914c2 100644
--- a/frontend/plugins/i18n.ts
+++ b/frontend/plugins/i18n.ts
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ import type { CompileError, MessageContext } from "vue-i18n";
 import { createI18n } from "vue-i18n";
 import { IntlMessageFormat } from "intl-messageformat";
 
-export default defineNuxtPlugin(({ vueApp }) => {
-  function checkDefaultLanguage() {
+export default defineNuxtPlugin(async ({ vueApp }) => {
+  async function checkDefaultLanguage() {
     let matched = null;
-    const languages = Object.getOwnPropertyNames(messages());
+    const languages = Object.getOwnPropertyNames(await messages());
     const matching = navigator.languages.filter(lang => languages.some(l => l.toLowerCase() === lang.toLowerCase()));
     if (matching.length > 0) {
       matched = matching[0];
@@ -25,20 +25,24 @@ export default defineNuxtPlugin(({ vueApp }) => {
     fallbackLocale: "en",
     globalInjection: true,
     legacy: false,
-    locale: preferences.value.language || checkDefaultLanguage() || "en",
+    locale: preferences.value.language || await checkDefaultLanguage() || "en",
     messageCompiler,
-    messages: messages(),
+    messages: await messages(),
   });
   vueApp.use(i18n);
 });
 
-export const messages = () => {
+export const messages = async () => {
   const messages: Record<string, any> = {};
-  const modules = import.meta.glob("~//locales/**.json", { eager: true });
-  for (const path in modules) {
-    const key = path.slice(9, -5);
-    messages[key] = modules[path];
-  }
+  // const modules = import.meta.glob("~//locales/**.json", { eager: true });
+  // for (const path in modules) {
+  //   const key = path.slice(9, -5);
+  //   messages[key] = modules[path];
+  // }
+  console.log('Fetching translations...');
+  const en = await (await fetch('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sysadminsmedia/homebox/refs/heads/main/frontend/locales/en.json')).json();
+  console.log('Fetched translations.');
+  messages['en'] = en;
   return messages;
 };