Home›Support›English Support›[Resolved] ATE Authentication Error: Unable to authenticate with the Translation Editor
[Resolved] ATE Authentication Error: Unable to authenticate with the Translation Editor
This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.
Problem: The client is experiencing an ATE Authentication Failure that blocks all translation work on their site. Despite resolving initial database issues, verifying server connections, and re-registering the site with a new key, the authentication error persists. The error occurs when attempting to start a translation job from the Translation Management dashboard, displaying an admin notice about authentication failure in multiple languages. Solution: We have escalated the issue for a server-side check by our technical team. The necessary steps include checking the status of the client's site key(s) and Translation ID in the WPML ATE cloud database, verifying that the subscription is correctly mapped to the translation service, and investigating any data mismatch or synchronization error between the site key and the pending translation jobs. We recommend the client to ensure that the translation engines are enabled in WPML Settings and to check the WPML API server and Toolset API server connections in the Installer Support section.
If this solution does not resolve your issue or seems irrelevant due to being outdated or not applicable to your case, we highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent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 at WPML support forum for further assistance.
This is the technical support forum for WPML - the multilingual WordPress plugin.
Everyone can read, but only WPML clients can post here. WPML team is replying on the forum 6 days per week, 22 hours per day.
Background of the issue:
I am trying to use the Advanced Translation Editor (ATE) to translate content on my site, but the editor fails to authenticate my site, blocking all translation work. I have resolved initial database issues, verified server connections, and re-registered the site with a new key. Despite these efforts, the authentication error persists. I need a technician to check my site's registration/translation ID status directly on your server. Here is the link to a page where the issue can be seen: hidden link.
Symptoms:
The error occurs internally when attempting to start a translation job from the Translation Management dashboard. The error message appears in an admin notice when trying to send a job to ATE: "Authentication error, please contact your translation manager to check your subscription". This error shows in different languages like Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Hebrew, etc. Additionally I have "Your default language, German, must be mapped to a supported language in order to use automatic translation" notice that never goes even though I have few times mapped it correctly.
Questions:
Why is the ATE failing to authenticate my site despite resolving database issues and re-registering with a new site key?
Can a technician check my site's registration/translation ID status directly on your server?
Thanks for reaching out. Please go to WPML > Settings > Automatic Translation and enable the translation engines.
Let me know if this resolves the issue. If not, I’ll need temporary access (WP-Admin and FTP) to a test site where the problem is replicated, if possible. This will help me investigate further and determine if any configuration changes are needed.
Please make sure you have a full backup before proceeding, to protect against data loss. You can use the UpdraftPlus plugin
for this purpose.
Your response will remain confidential and visible only to you and me.
✙ To troubleshoot effectively, I may need your permission to deactivate and reactivate plugins or the theme, and adjust site configurations if necessary. This is another reason why having a backup is essential.
Thanks for your reply. I understand the issue you’re facing. Could you please enable debugging mode as explained here: https://wpml.org/documentation/support/debugging-wpml/ and then share the debug log with me? Once I have it, I’ll check further and see how we can troubleshoot this.
I appreciate you focusing on the issue, but I must reiterate that I have already eliminated local and environmental causes. The issue is a failure of the ATE cloud service to authenticate my site key, which requires a check on the WPML backend.
I have followed your instruction and enabled debugging mode.
The debug log contains the critical authentication failure details you need.
Action Taken: Enabled debugging mode as requested.
Debug Log: [29-Sep-2025 09:08:12 UTC] PHP Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the
acf
domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the
init
action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /homepages/45/d4298826798/htdocs/wordpress/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121
[29-Sep-2025 09:08:12 UTC] PHP Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the
acf
domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the
init
action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /homepages/45/d4298826798/htdocs/wordpress/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121
Immediate Next Step Required:
I now require you to use this log data to initiate a server-side check. Please do not ask me to perform more local checks, such as theme/plugin deactivation, as these have already been completed.
Please use this information to investigate the status of my license key and the ATE job ID directly on your WPML cloud database.
Here is the Communication.log from WPML > Support > Communication Log:
on/logos/preview_gpi-b69a7bad52f7aa9fe3bb.png","project_details_url":"URL from request to GPI","add_language_pair_url":"","custom_text_url":"","select_translator_iframe_url":"","translator_contact_iframe_url":"","quote_iframe_url":"","has_translator_selection":false,"project_name_length":128,"suid":"bbfd2c9ae5d6d34b08719f8fcbde80d6","doc_url":"https://wpml.org/translation-service/gpi/","notification":false,"tms":false,"has_language_pairs":false,"deadline":true,"oauth":false,"oauth_url":"","popup_message":"","how_to_get_credentials_desc":"A GPI team member will email an API Key and API Secret Key","how_to_get_credentials_url":"https://wpml.org/translation-service/gpi/#receiving-api-keys","client_create_account_page_url":"https://wpml.org/translation-service/gpi/#requesting-an-account","partner":true,"review_url":"https://wpml.org/submit-your-review/?parent_translation-service_id=1242411","uses_ate":false,"self_registered":false,"recommended_maximum_number_of_jobs_per_batch":0,"auto_refresh_project_options":false,"custom_fields":[{"label":"API Key","name":"api_key","type":"text"},{"label":"API Secret Key","name":"api_secret_key","type":"text"}],"default_service":0,"translation_feedback":false,"feedback_forward_method":"email","rankings":{"quality":0,"quality_ranking":0.0,"speed":0,"speed_ranking":0.0,"popularity":1,"popularity_ranking":1.42,"primary":0.0,"primary_ranking":1.42},"ratings":{"wpml_average_user_rating":0.0},"specializations":[{"name":"Technical","key":"technical"},{"name":"Marketing \u0026 Branding","key":"marketing_branding"},{"name":"Tourism \u0026 Travel","key":"tourism_travel"}],"countries":[{"name":"Argentina","code":"AR"},{"name":"United Arab Emirates","code":"AE"},{"name":"United Kingdom","code":"GB"},{"name":"United States","code":"US"}],"certifications":[{"name":"ISO-17100","key":"17100"},{"name":"ISO-27001","key":"27001"},{"name":"ISO-27017","key":"27017"}],"redirect_to_ts?":true},{"id":179,"name":"Diction","description":"Diction is an international language services provider based in Eastern Switzerland. Diction is ISO-certified and committed to providing personal service, efficient processes and qualified experts. Send and manage every aspect of your project with the specially developed Diction WordPress plug-in.","url":"https://wpml.org/go/diction/","logo_url":"https://tp-cdn.wpml.org/production/logos/diction-7189140e62d97d7052d2.png","logo_preview_url":"https://tp-cdn.wpml.org/production/logos/preview_diction-7189140e62d97d7052d2.png","project_details_url":"","add_language_pair_url":"","custom_text_url":"","select_translator_iframe_url":"","translator_contact_iframe_url":"","quote_iframe_url":"","has_translator_selection":false,"project_name_length":128,"suid":"a1cde9d1139bc8355215831552a02bb0","doc_url":"https://wpml.org/translation-service/diction-ag/","notification":true,"tms":false,"has_language_pairs":true,"deadline":false,"oauth":false,"oauth_url":"","popup_message":"","how_to_get_credentials_desc":"","how_to_get_credentials_url":"","client_create_account_page_url":"","partner":true,"review_url":"https://wpml.org/submit-your-review/?parent_translation-service_id=11322249","uses_ate":false,"self_registered":false,"recommended_maximum_number_of_jobs_per_batch":0,"auto_refresh_project_options":false,"custom_fields":[{"label":"Token","name":"api_token","type":"text"}],"default_service":0,"translation_feedback":true,"feedback_forward_method":"manual","rankings":{"quality":0,"quality_ranking":0.0,"speed":0,"speed_ranking":0.0,"popularity":1,"popularity_ranking":1.17,"primary":0.0,"primary_ranking":1.17},"ratings":{"wpml_average_user_rating":0.0},"specializations":[],"countries":[{"name":"Canada","code":"CA"},{"name":"Switzerland","code":"CH"}],"certifications":[{"name":"ISO-17100","key":"17100"},{"name":"ISO-9001","key":"9001"},{"name":"ISO-18587","key":"18587"}],"redirect_to_ts?":false},{"id":21,"name":"LanguageLine TI","description":"LanguageLine TI, one of the fastest-growing Language Service Providers in the world, offers accurate, timely and cost-effective translation services in over 180 languages. We ensure that your key messages can build your brand and make you heard - in any language.","url":"https://wpml.org/go/languageline/","logo_url":"hidden link","logo_preview_url":"hidden link","project_details_url":"hidden link{request_id}","add_language_pair_url":"","custom_text_url":"","select_translator_iframe_url":"","translator_contact_iframe_url":"","quote_iframe_url":"","has_translator_selection":false,"project_name_length":128,"suid":"3393562c8687d38db9c447854bd20957","doc_url":"https://wpml.org/translation-service/languageline/","notification":false,"tms":false,"has_language_pairs":false,"deadline":true,"oauth":false,"oauth_url":"","popup_message":"","how_to_get_credentials_desc":"The username, password, customer name, and contact name will be provided upon creating a Capita account","how_to_get_credentials_url":"https://wpml.org/translation-service/capita/#connecting-your-site-to-capita","client_create_account_page_url":"hidden link","partner":false,"review_url":"https://wpml.org/submit-your-review/?parent_translation-service_id=893070","uses_ate":false,"self_registered":false,"recommended_maximum_number_of_jobs_per_batch":0,"auto_refresh_project_options":false,"custom_fields":[{"label":"Username","name":"username","type":"text"},{"label":"Password","name":"password","type":"text"},{"label":"Customer Name","name":"customer_name","type":"text"},{"label":"Contact Name","name":"contact_name","type":"text"}],"default_service":0,"translation_feedback":true,"feedback_forward_method":"email","rankings":{"quality":0,"quality_ranking":0.0,"speed":0,"speed_ranking":0.0,"popularity":1,"popularity_ranking":0.75,"primary":0.0,"primary_ranking":0.75},"ratings":{"wpml_average_user_rating":0.0},"specializations":[],"countries":[{"name":"United Kingdom","code":"GB"},{"name":"United States","code":"US"}],"certifications":[{"name":"ISO-17100","key":"17100"},{"name":"ISO-9001","key":"9001"},{"name":"ISO-27001","key":"27001"}],"redirect_to_ts?":true},{"id":56,"name":"Nativy Translations","description":"Nativy is a Vienna-based online translation agency offering professional translation services for over 500 language combinations in over 52 areas of specialization like tourism, IT, legal, etc. ","url":"https://wpml.org/go/nativy/","logo_url":"hidden link","logo_preview_url":"hidden link","project_details_url":"hidden link","add_language_pair_url":"","custom_text_url":"","select_translator_iframe_url":"","translator_contact_iframe_url":"","quote_iframe_url":"","has_translator_selection":false,"project_name_length":128,"suid":"406abbd6c5ab8df7b17f8acc68415b0c","doc_url":"https://wpml.org/translation-service/nativy-translations/","notification":true,"tms":false,"has_language_pairs":true,"deadline":true,"oauth":false,"oauth_url":"","popup_message":"","how_to_get_credentials_desc":"Contact your Nativy project manager and request your API Key and Private Key","how_to_get_credentials_url":"https://wpml.org/translation-service/nativy-translations/#receiving-credentials","client_create_account_page_url":"https://wpml.org/translation-service/nativy-translations/#requesting-an-account","partner":true,"review_url":"https://wpml.org/submit-your-review/?parent_translation-service_id=1355406","uses_ate":false,"self_registered":false,"recommended_maximum_number_of_jobs_per_batch":0,"auto_refresh_project_options":false,"custom_fields":[{"label":"API key","name":"api_key","type":"text"},{"label":"Private key","name":"private_key","type":"text"}],"default_service":0,"translation_feedback":true,"feedback_forward_method":"email","rankings":{"quality":0,"quality_ranking":0.0,"speed":0,"speed_ranking":0.0,"popularity":1,"popularity_ranking":0.0,"primary":0.0,"primary_ranking":0.0},"ratings":{"wpml_average_user_rating":0.0},"specializations":[],"countries":[{"name":"Austria","code":"AT"}],"certifications":[],"redirect_to_ts?":true},{"id":82,"name":"Pseudo Translation Services","description":"This is a demo service for learning and practicing the WPML workflow for professional translation. To authenticate please use any string as an API Token.","url":"hidden link","logo_url":"hidden link","logo_preview_url":"hidden link","project_details_url":"","add_language_pair_url":"","custom_text_url":"","select_translator_iframe_url":"","translator_contact_iframe_url":"","quote_iframe_url":"","has_translator_selection":false,"project_name_length":128,"suid":"a31f833a7b129003abe76987b06c8e44","doc_url":"hidden link","notification":false,"tms":true,"has_language_pairs":false,"deadline":false,"oauth":false,"oauth_url":"","popup_message":"","how_to_get_credentials_desc":"","how_to_get_credentials_url":"","client_create_account_page_url":"","partner":false,"review_url":"","uses_ate":false,"self_registered":false,"recommended_maximum_number_of_jobs_per_batch":0,"auto_refresh_project_options":false,"custom_fields":[{"label":"API Key","name":"api_key","type":"text"}],"default_service":0,"translation_feedback":false,"feedback_forward_method":"manual","rankings":{"quality":0,"quality_ranking":0.0,"speed":0,"speed_ranking":0.0,"popularity":0,"popularity_ranking":0.0,"primary":0.0,"primary_ranking":0.0},"ratings":{"wpml_average_user_rating":0.0},"specializations":[],"countries":[],"certifications":[],"redirect_to_ts?":false}]
Thanks for your reply. I will have to escalate this. Could you please backup and share WP admin access here to your Website so that I could include this information in the report?
Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, we’re unable to provide support outside of our support center, so remote sessions (e.g. TeamViewer, Zoom screen share, etc.) are not possible.
Regarding the FTP permissions you mentioned, I don’t need FTP access for now and only require WP Admin access to your site’s backend.
Alternatively, you can clone your site to a staging environment, remove any sensitive data, and share the access credentials with me.
In the meantime, please go to WPML > Support > Troubleshooting, then share the Advanced Translation Editor ID as shown in the attached screenshot.
Thanks for your reply. I can see the issue now, but I’m unable to find a fix at this point. I’ll need to escalate this to our 2nd Tier Support for further investigation.
May I have your permission to deactivate plugins and/or switch themes for testing? If you grant permission, please make sure to back up your site first and let me know once it’s done.
Thank you for the update and the escalation to 2nd Tier Support.
Permission is granted to deactivate plugins and switch themes on the live site for testing.
A comprehensive full-site backup has been completed.
Please ensure 2nd Tier Support prioritizes the server-side investigation into the ATE license/job synchronization on the WPML cloud database, as all local environmental causes have been previously eliminated.
Thank you for the update and for escalating the ticket.
Could you please provide a realistic estimated timeframe for when we can expect feedback from 2nd Tier Support regarding the server-side investigation?
Timely resolution is critical for our content production.
Thanks for your reply. I've a feedback from our 2nd Tier Support and they are requesting a snapshot of the site. Alternatively, with your permission, I can create one myself. For this purpose, I typically recommend using the free plugin "Duplicator." If you're already familiar with Duplicator (https://wordpress.org/plugins/duplicator/), please skip the following steps and simply send me the archive file you downloaded.
To guide you further, please adhere to these instructions:
1. View the Duplicator instructions video: hidden link
3. If the archive file exceeds 400MB, please use Duplicator's file filters to exclude cache, wp-uploads directory, media, and archive files.
Once you have the archive file ready, kindly share the link with us. You can utilize platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, or similar for file sharing, as the snapshot file might be large.
Please note that your next reply will be private, visible only to you and me. You can paste the file link there. Rest assured that once the issue is resolved, I will delete the local site.
Thanks for your reply. Yes, our 2nd Tier Support already performed the server-side check. I've requested access to the Google Drive folder. Please accept it.
Thank you for confirming that 2nd Tier Support has already performed the server-side check and for forwarding the Duplicator snapshot. I have granted access to the Google Drive folder.
Could you please provide a realistic estimated timeframe for when we can expect the next update from 2nd Tier Support regarding the investigation?
Timely resolution is highly important for our translation workflow.
![https://tp-cdn.wpml.org/production/logos/diction-7189140e62d97d7052d2.png"](https://tp-cdn.wpml.org/production/logos/diction-7189140e62d97d7052d2.png"){kind=link}
![https://tp-cdn.wpml.org/production/logos/preview_diction-7189140e62d97d7052d2.png"](https://tp-cdn.wpml.org/production/logos/preview_diction-7189140e62d97d7052d2.png"){kind=link}