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[Waiting for user feedback] Website built with the classic WordPress editor – what should we do with the new translations?
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Background of the issue:
Our website was initially translated into a second language using the classic WordPress editor.
Now that we want to add more languages, we’d prefer to switch to the advanced translation editor. We’ve already activated the relevant option, but we’ve noticed that products, posts, and pages originally created with the classic editor still open in that format, even when translated via WPML AI.
According to what we’ve read on the forum, this happens because translations inherit the editor type of the original post. For this reason, we’d like to enable the setting that forces the use of the advanced editor, even for older post IDs.
Symptoms:
Questions:
Can you confirm that switching to the advanced editor for older post IDs won’t cause any issues?
We’ve already translated several post IDs using WPML, for a total of around 50,000 credits, so we definitely wouldn’t want to lose them. Even more importantly, we wouldn’t want to risk any problems with the existing translations in the second language—those were done with the classic editor and are currently perfect.
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )German (Deutsch )
Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)
Hello,
Each original post and page has an option for setting the translation method inside the right sidebar of the WordPress Editor.
If the option is still set to "WordPress Editor", it is expected that that the "WPML Translation Editor" will not open. You will need to enable the option "WPML Translation Editon" on each post or page.
Once you switch the option a dialog will allow you to set the same translation method for the current page or post, all post types of the same kind or all the site's content.
IMPORTANT:
Take note, that the WPML Translation Editor will not be able to capture any translations that were created on the WordPress Editor. This means, if you enable the WPML Translation Editor as the translation method, the editor will be empty and you will create completely new translations. Those new translations will overwrite the translations that were earlier created on the WordPress Editor.
Hi Andreas, thank you for the explanation—it was more than thorough. Honestly, I’m feeling a bit disoriented now.
Let’s take a moment to summarise.
We have a WordPress site with the primary language. Years ago, we translated it into a secondary language using the Classic Editor. Both languages are still set to use the Classic Editor by default, as they were back then, and nothing has changed since.
Today, we’re translating the site using WPML AI, using only the primary language as the source. WPML AI is working—we’ve already used over 50,000 credits (and we expect to use many more).
The option to use the Advanced Translation Editor is enabled, as shown in the screenshot we sent previously.
And now we’re discovering that—even with that option enabled in WPML’s settings—if the original post is flagged to use the Classic Editor, then the translation will also use the Classic Editor.
And if we change it later, we lose everything. What?
Honestly, I feel like this should have been stated somewhere really clearly—with a big, visible alert.
That aside, what are we supposed to do now?
Apologies if I sound frustrated—it’s just that we chose WPML to solve our problems, but right now it feels like we’re facing a major one.
I really hope you can advise us on the best way forward so we can continue our translations smoothly.
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )German (Deutsch )
Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)
The translations created with the WordPress Editor are not compatible with the WPML Translation Editor, no matter if you use the old Classic Translation Editor or the new Advanced Translation Editor.
Apart from that I could only repeat what I already wrote in my first comment.
The WordPress Editor will still open for old translations, as this must be the translation method set on the original content. You need to switch it to use the "WPML Translation Editor".
Good morning Andreas, what you explained was very clear—no need to repeat it, honestly. But what I asked is something different, and I’m sorry that didn’t come across.
What I wanted to know is what you recommend for those of us in our situation—namely, with a site that was translated using WPML’s old method, and now needs to continue its work today.
We want to keep using WPML, but you need to tell us how. You can understand we can’t just throw away all our pre-existing translations. But you need to tell us how to make a proper transition—or at least suggest something… I mean, surely you’ve considered the people in our position. Or did you just decide to move forward and leave long-time WPML users behind?
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )German (Deutsch )
Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)
On each original content, you can select the translation method inside the right sidebar of the WordPress Editor. See screenshot.
If you do have old content that was translated with the WordPress Editor then I would suggest sticking to this method.
You can use the Advanced Translation Editor and its features for example the automatic translation or posts and pages that were not yet translated.
You even can use the "Translate Everything automatically" mode and it will only affect posts and pages for which the "WPML Translation Editor" is set as the translation method.
We’ve translated some pages, HTML blocks, and products using WPML AI, but the WordPress Editor has remained active even in the translated versions, since it was selected in the original, primary language version of the page.
What should we do now?
You mentioned that if we now switch to the new editor in these newly translated pages, we’ll lose the translations we just completed with WPML AI.
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )German (Deutsch )
Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)
Now I understand, thank you for the clarification.
You have to send content to automatic translation that currently uses the WordPress Editor as a translation method. This means you have been charged credits and the new translations are waiting inside the translation memory of the WPML Translation Editor to be applied to the content.
This means, that if you now switch the translation method for those contents to WPML Translation Editor, the old translations will be overwritten and lost.
I am not sure at this point what you are planning to do. After all, this is a workflow issue and you should not have sent those pages or posts to automatic translation.
If you insist, I could consult my supervisor to request a refund for the charged credits, which will be refunded in additional credits for your site.
To avoid such issues you might consider using the "Translate Everything automatically" mode, which will make sure that only such posts and pages that use the WPML Translation Editor will be sent to automatic translation.
Andreas, I have to say I’m honestly disappointed that you still don’t seem to fully grasp our situation. I’d kindly ask you to go back and reread the first message I sent—and, if needed, ask whatever questions might help you understand the scenario we’re dealing with.
Let me quickly summarise again:
• We have a site that was translated a few years ago using the Classic WordPress Editor, from the primary language into a secondary one;
• All translations done up to this point have been handled the classic way, with the Editor set to WordPress;
• Today, we want to add 3 new languages and use WPML AI to handle them;
• We’ve started by translating around ten products, but we’re running into various issues—this one included.
Despite using WPML AI for the translation, we still end up with the Classic WordPress Editor in the translated content.
So what should we do?
It feels absurd to be penalised simply because we’ve been using WPML for years, and are still using it faithfully. In fact, we’ve even renewed our trust in you by coming back and paying for credits—we were planning to spend several hundred euros on them, until we realised something wasn’t working right.
I’ll leave it to you to decide whether this issue should be escalated. I’m just trying to figure out how to use WPML in the best possible way.
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )German (Deutsch )
Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)
Verify that the WPML Translation Editor is set as the translation method on the original content inside the right sidebar of the WordPress Editor.
In case the WPML Translation Editor is enabled as a translation method for the affected contents, please name me exact example.
- Title, Permalinks, Job IDs.
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If this will not clarify the issue:
I would like to request temporary access (wp-admin and FTP) to the website to investigate the issue further.
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I can’t give you access to our brand’s site—both for privacy reasons and because it’s a live site, and we can’t afford to risk anything going wrong.
Here’s the current situation:
• All pages in the primary language are set to use the Classic Editor;
• All pages manually translated into the second language back in the day are also using the Classic Editor;
• The few pages we’ve translated into the third, fourth, and fifth languages using WPML AI are also using the Classic Editor (presumably because, as I understand it, the Editor is inherited from the primary language’s setting).
I’ve attached a screenshot showing the WPML settings we currently have.
I think you now have all the information needed to advise us on how to move forward in a way that simplifies things for us long-term.
We need to be able to work with the third, fourth, and fifth languages using WPML AI, but we also need to continue working with the second language—without losing the translations our translators worked on in the past.
Languages: English (English )Spanish (Español )German (Deutsch )
Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)
The pages can only be set to:
"WordPress Editor"
or
"WPML Translation Editor".
If the pages are set to "WordPress Editor" you need to switch the translation method to "WPML Translation Editor" to be able to use automatic translation.
Take note, that this will overwrite any manual translations that were earlier created on the WordPress Editor.
Sorry, but you keep repeating what we already know and what you’ve already said. I asked for a solution regarding the mess created by using WPML. I understand it requires a bit more focus, but this is called support.
