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How to Translate Media with WPML

Amir
Updated
August 27, 2025

With WPML, you can translate the metadata for images, videos, and PDFs. You can also display different media in each language.

How to Translate Media Meta Information

The core WPML CMS plugin can translate media texts like:

  • Alternative (alt) text
  • Captions
  • Descriptions
  • Titles

This applies to all media types, including images, videos, and PDFs in your content.

To translate this metadata for media files:

  1. Go to WPML → Translation Dashboard
  2. Select the post or page that includes the media
Sending a page with an image for translation
Sending a page with an image for translation
  1. Send it for translation

WPML will translate your media texts along with the rest of your content, with clear labels displayed in the Advanced Translation Editor.

Translating image meta information in the Advanced Translation Editor

Making Sure Media Meta Information Gets Translated Automatically

WPML includes a smart setting that automatically sends the correct media texts, like alt text, titles, and captions for translation.

As long as this option is on, you don’t need to configure any extra settings. Media texts get translated with the rest of your content, and your database stays clean.
By default, this setting is enabled for new sites. To make sure your site is using it:

  1. Go to WPML → Settings
  2. Scroll to the Media Translation section
  3. Make sure Automatically detect best options for translating image texts is turned on

How to Display Different Media per Language

WPML also lets you display different images, videos, or PDFs for different languages. This is useful when you want your visuals to show regional or cultural differences.

To display different images per language, install and activate the WPML Media Translation add-on.

Download WPML Media Translation

Once it’s activated, follow the prompts to set up WPML Media Translation. You only need to click a button and WPML does the rest. Then:

  1. Go to WPML → Translation Dashboard and send the content with your media for translation.
  2. Go to WPML → Media Translation and click the plus icon under the language you want to use different media for.
  3. Upload the different media, adjust your meta information, and save.
Replacing media in Media Translation

Your content will now display different media in each language. 

Recipe in English
Recipe in Spanish

Frequently Asked Questions

Does WPML duplicate images?

WPML does not duplicate image files. Sometimes, it duplicates the media texts (like alt text, captions, and titles) after translation.

Whether WPML needs to duplicate media text depends on how the media is used in your content:

– If your page builder pulls the image’s texts from the Media Library (like in Elementor, Divi Gallery, or Beaver Builder), WPML duplicates the media texts during translation.
– If the texts are stored inside the page (like in Gutenberg blocks, Divi’s Image module, or WooCommerce product images), WPML doesn’t duplicate them and just translates the media texts directly.

When the Automatically detect best options for translating image texts option is enabled, WPML decides whether media text duplication is necessary. You don’t need to worry about it.

Can I turn off the “Automatically detect best options for translating image texts” setting and control media translation settings manually?

Yes, you can—but it’s not recommended.

When this smart option is enabled, WPML checks how each image is used, duplicates media texts only when necessary and only during translation, and sends the correct texts for translation.

If you turn this off, you’ll need to manage all settings manually from WPML → Settings → Media Translation. Changing settings manually can lead to:
– Unnecessary duplication of image texts, which uses database space
– Duplicate fields in the Translation Editor
– Missing translations on the front-end

This is why we recommend using the automatic detection option. WPML figures it out for you and avoids these issues entirely.

Can I display different media in each language with ACF?

Yes, you can display different media in each language with ACF. See our ACF tutorial to learn how to do this.