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Use hyperlocalise lokalise upload translations --poll to import an existing locale file and wait for Lokalise to finish processing it. Without --poll, a successful command means the import was queued, not completed.

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Before you start

Install Hyperlocalise and set LOKALISE_API_TOKEN for a token with project access. Use a project with the source file already uploaded and a French target locale. Prepare locales/fr.json with translated values. Replace your-project-id below with the real project ID.
Use the returned language iso value as --target-locale. Lokalise matches files by name: use the same naming pattern as the source. A completely different name can create a second file.

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Preview, then import

The dry run checks local files and flags without queuing or polling an import. Run the upload after checking the plan:
The command waits for the process to reach finished. The default poll timeout is 30 seconds; 10m gives CI more time. A timeout does not establish that the remote import was cancelled. Check the process in Lokalise before retrying an upload.

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Will this replace existing translations?

By default, --replace-modified is off, preserving translations that Lokalise classifies as modified. This is not a promise that every existing key stays unchanged. Add --replace-modified only when you intend to replace those modified translations with values from the uploaded file. The command reports modified_translations=preserved or modified_translations=replaced. Waiting with --poll changes completion timing, not this replacement policy.

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Verify the import

Review the imported locale in Lokalise. You can also export it to a new file:
Compare the export with the intended translations. --target-locale determines the import language even when the filename suggests another locale. Run a separate upload for each target language; repeat --file for multiple files in one language. See Lokalise CLI workflows for comparison with lokalise2 and JSON translation to generate drafts locally.