Media translation issue

This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.

Problem:
You are experiencing an issue where not all media files are visible in the translated language. Some media items appear in both languages, while others are missing and must be uploaded again in the translated language.
Solution:
We recommend checking the WPML settings for media translation. In WPML > Settings > Media Translation, you can find options to manage how media files are handled across different languages. If the automatic media detection is enabled, WPML will decide which media needs to be synced. You can also access manual settings to sync all existing media by marking the checkboxes for existing content and starting the synchronization process. For using different media files in other languages, please refer to our Media Translation documentation.

If this solution does not resolve your issue or seems outdated, we highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins. If the problem persists, please open a new support ticket.

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Tagged: Documentation request

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Last updated by Andreas W. 2 weeks, 5 days ago.

Assisted by: Andreas W..

Author	Posts
March 17, 2026 at 11:41 am #17904051
denisL-28	We are experiencing an issue where not all media files are visible in the translated language (Italian). Some media items appear in both languages, while others are missing and must be uploaded again in the translated language. Could you please advise where this behavior is configured or controlled? We would like to ensure that all media files are properly available across the translated versions of the site.
March 19, 2026 at 12:51 am #17909596
Andreas W. WPML Supporter since 12/2018 Languages: English (English ) Spanish (Español ) German (Deutsch ) Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)	Hello, Thank you for reaching out! Generally, when it comes to the media library or the WordPress Editor, the media uploads should always and only occur on the site's default content. Ideally, the original content's source language is equal to the site's default language inside WPML. WPML will then use those original media files and use them as the only reference for all languages, but it needs to create connections for each language inside the media library. In the latest version of WPML, it will decide automatically which media needs to be synced and which do not. The settings for this behavior can be found at WPML > Settings > Media Translation. Here you can disable the automatic detection of media and access the manual settings. The manual settings will allow you to sync all the existing media. Mark the checkboxes for existing content and then start the process. This will create all the missing entries for all media files in all languages. If you plan to use different media files in second languages, please use our plugin WPML > Media Translation: https://wpml.org/documentation/getting-started-guide/media-translation/ Let me know if you have any further questions. Best regards Andreas