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Updated
March 28, 2024

Easily translate your WordPress custom post types with WPML. Translate into any language using automatic translation, or by yourself.

By default, WordPress comes with two basic post types: Pages, and Posts. However, some plugins and themes have their own custom post types, and you can also create your own.

For example, a food blog could have a Recipes post type with different food recipes: 

Recipe custom post type in WordPress
Recipes custom post type in WordPress

With WPML, you can easily translate custom post types into any language. To get started, make sure you have the WPML plugin installed and activated on your website. 

Want to translate pages?

To translate native WordPress pages, follow our translate pages with WPML guide.

Enable Custom Post Types for Translation

If your custom post types are coming from a plugin or theme compatible with WPML, they will be translatable without any additional setup. Feel free to skip this section.

If you’re using a non-compatible plugin or theme, follow these steps to let WPML translate your custom post type: 

  1. Go to WPML Settings and scroll down to Post Types Translation 
  2. Locate the custom post type you want to translate and set it to Translatable – only show translated items
Setting Recipe custom post type as Translatable
Setting Recipe custom post type as Translatable

If you’re using the Translate Everything Automatically mode, make sure the Translate automatically toggle is also set to Yes

Setting Translate Automatically toggle to yes for Recipe custom post type
Setting Translate Automatically toggle to yes for Recipe custom post type
  1. Click the Save button to confirm. Your custom post type can now be translated with WPML.

How to Translate Custom Post Types with WPML

To translate your custom post type with WPML: 

  1. Go to WPMLTranslation Management and scroll down to Select items for translation
  2. Click the All types dropdown and select the custom post type you want to translate. Click the Filter button to confirm.
Filtering for Recipe custom post type in Translation Management
Filtering for Recipe custom post type in Translation Management
  1. Select items you want to translate.
Selecting items to translate in Translation Management
Selecting items to translate in Translation Management
  1. Finally, choose the languages you want to translate into, and the translation method. You can translate automatically, using machine translation, or by yourself.
Choosing languages to translate and translation method
Choosing languages to translate and translation method

Don’t Have WPML? 

In addition to translating custom post types, WPML can translate pages, posts, forms, WooCommerce products, and content from hundreds of WordPress plugins and themes. 

To learn more about WPML and find the right plan for your website, visit our pricing page