Background of the issue:
I am trying to create a new product in Dutch and translate it into other languages using WPML. I set both the featured image and the product gallery images in the Dutch version. I recently deactivated the automatic translation feature, and my translation credits are now at 0.
Symptoms:
The product gallery images do not appear in other languages such as German or French after saving. This issue is inconsistent, sometimes affecting the English version, other times German or French.
Questions:
Could deactivating the automatic translation feature and having 0 translation credits be affecting the issue?
Why are the product gallery images not appearing in translated versions despite being set in the main language?
Thanks for contacting us. Please navigate to WPML > Settings > Scroll to Media Translation. Make sure the options listed below are checked. Back up the site and run the "Start" button.
Translate existing media in all languages
Duplicate existing media for translated content
Duplicate the featured images for translated content
I will require temporary access (WP-Admin and FTP) to a test site where the problem has been replicated, if possible. This will enable me to provide better assistance and determine if any configurations need to be modified.
Please note that it is important to have a backup for security purposes and to prevent any potential data loss. You can use the UpdraftPlus plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/) to fulfill your backup requirements.
Your upcoming reply will be treated with confidentiality and will only be visible to you and me.
✙ To resolve the issue, I may need your consent to deactivate and reactivate plugins and the theme, as well as make configuration changes on the site if necessary. This emphasizes the significance of having a backup.
My site uses WooCommerce + WPML with 4 languages: Dutch (default/original), English, French, and German.
Issue
In the last few days, some products stopped showing product gallery images on certain translations. When I open the translation editor, I see the wrong “original language”:
German shows French as the source
French shows German as the source
The original should always be Dutch. When the source flips away from Dutch, the gallery meta isn’t copied and the gallery appears empty on those translations.
Example product
NL original: Zeefmachine Hein Lehmann 15/63-1
FR shows: “This is a translation of Screening machine Hein Lehmann 15/63-1 (EN)”
DE shows: “This is a translation of Crible Hein Lehmann 15/63-1 (FR)”
What I already tried (no lasting fix)
WPML ▸ Settings ▸ Media Translation: checked
Translate existing media
Duplicate existing media for translated content
Duplicate featured images
→ Ran Start.
WPML ▸ Settings ▸ Custom Fields Translation: set _thumbnail_id and _product_image_gallery to Copy.
WPML ▸ Support ▸ Troubleshooting: ran
Clear WPML cache, Remove ghost entries, Fix element type col, Set language information, Fix terms count.
Resaved the Dutch product and used Overwrite with Dutch content on translations.
Cleared caches.
After I manually reconnect the translations so Dutch is the source, the gallery appears correctly again. However, other products still show the wrong source, so I’d like to understand why this started and how to bulk-correct and prevent it.
Requests
Root cause: Are there any known conditions that can reassign the “original language” of a product (e.g., editing a translation first, mixing editors, recent updates, etc.)? What should I check in wp_icl_translations (TRID / source_language_code) or logs to confirm?
Bulk fix: What’s the recommended safe bulk method to set Dutch as the original for all products in each translation group?
WP-CLI or snippet using wpml_set_element_language_details is fine if you can provide it.
Prevention: Best practices to ensure new products are always created in Dutch and translations are attached to that original (e.g., configuration to disable creating products first in other languages, editor settings, or permissions).
Thanks for your reply. I'm still having issues trying to open your Website. It would be nice if you could temporarily disable the security of your Website so that I can check.
Anyway, you mentioned that "Manually re-linking translations to Dutch works but only one-by-one.", Could you tell me what you mean by this? Could you list the steps?
Also, are you able to clone the site to another staging site so that I can check without any restrictions?
The topic ‘[Closed] URGENT – Product Gallery images aren’t showing’ is closed to new replies.
