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## Introduction

### Goal

Add a new channel in the Experience manager.

### Role Required

This task requires the [Site Admin](🔗) role.

### Background

Users with Site Admin privileges can add new channels in the [Experience manager](🔗) app.

Channels are created either from [out-of-the-box channel templates](🔗) or by [copying an existing channel](🔗) and can be localized by specifying a country and language.

## Add a new channel

Open the [Experience manager](🔗) app and make sure the main channels overview is visible.

Click on the _+ Channel_ button in the top right:



The _New channel_ wizard will appear. In the first step, you must select a template to bootstrap the new channel:



You can choose to start with an out-of-the-box channel template (either blank or for one of the supported [storefronts](🔗)), or a copy of one of your existing channels.

### Using an out-of-the-box channel template

If you want to use a blank or out-of-the-box channel template to create the new channel, choose the appropriate option in the _New channel_ wizard and click on _Next_ to go to the next step.

In the _Channel properties_ step, you must specify a _Name_, a _Language_ and a _Country_ (together these will form the External locale), and either a _Badge color_ or an _Icon_.

Optionally, you can select a [_Translation group_](🔗) or create a new one to add the new channel to.



When choosing the _Icon_ option, you must specify the [data URI for a base64 encoded image](🔗). For example, the URI below is for the Bloomreach logo:



Use an online base64 image encoder (for example <https://elmah.io/tools/base64-image-encoder/>) to generate the data URI for your icon.

Once you have specified all the properties, click on the _Create channel_ button and the new channel will be added to the channels overview.
### Copying an existing channel
If, instead of using a blank or out-of-the-box storefront template, you want to make a copy of an existing channel, choose _Existing channel_ in the _New channel_ wizard:

Click on _Next_ to go to the next step.

In the _Source channel_ section, select the _Source channel_ you want to make a copy of and choose one of the following three options:
  • _New channel is a translation of source channel_
Use this option to add a translated channel in a different language than the source channel.
    • All pages, documents, and folders in the source channel will be copied to the new channel.
    • All copied pages, documents, and folders will be automatically [linked as translations](🔗) to the corresponding originals in the source channel. 
    • The new channel will be automatically added to the same translation group as the source channel.
    • The new channel is set up to disable the [_Update content during page sync_ setting](🔗) by default when adding a page-specific components to a page.
  • _New channel is a localization of source channel_
Use this option to add a localized channel in the same language as the source channel.
    • All pages and folders in the source channel will be copied to the new channel.
    • Any documents in the source channel will not be copied.
    • All copied pages and folders will be automatically [linked as translations](🔗) to the corresponding originals in the source channel. 
    • The new channel is set up to re-use documents from the source channel but they can be [localized](🔗) for the new channel as needed. 
    • The new channel will be automatically added to the same translation group as the source channel.
    • The new channel is set up to enable the [_Update content during page sync_ setting](🔗) by default when adding a page-specific components to a page.
    • **Please note that if the source channel uses any [shared components](🔗), it must be configured by site developers to [Share Content Between Channels](🔗).**
  • _New channel is independent from source channel_
Use this option to make a carbon copy of the source channel that is not linked to the source channel.
    • The new channel is set up to disable the [_Update content during page sync_ setting](🔗) by default when adding a page-specific components to a page.
If you are not sure which option to pick, have a look at the table below.
"Existing channel" creation optionsExplanationUse case example
New channel is a **translation** of source channelThis option allows for creating a new website that will have the same content structure as the source one which can be translated.I have a website for the US market in English.
I want to create new, identical website and translate its content to Spanish.
New channel is a **localization** of source channelThis option allows for sharing content between websites without the need of creating separate documents.  I have a website for the US market in English.
I want to create a new, identical website for Canada, which will be also in English, that will have not only identical pages, but also content (unless specifically localized).
New channel is **independent** from source channelA new channel will be an independent, carbon copy of the source channel.I want to reuse an existing website for testing purposes. 
From here, the _New channel_ section requires the same properties to be specified as when [adding a new channel using an out-of-the-box channel template](🔗).
Once you have specified all the properties, click on the _Create channel_ button and the new channel will be added to the channels overview.

Only published documents will be copied from the source channel.

Depending on the size and complexity of the source channel, it might take up to several minutes to create the new channel. Please don't refresh your browser while waiting for the channel to be created.
## Next steps
### Configure frontend app
Once a channel has been added, it will use a generic, hosted, and shared frontend application to render the preview in the [Experience manager](🔗). This way the channel is immediately functional and users can explore the out-of-the-box pages and components.
Typically your organization will [develop](🔗) (or have previously developed) their own unique frontend app to render the channels. You must configure the newly added channel(s) to use this frontend app in the _Channel settings_. Make sure to coordinate with your organization's Site Developers.