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[Resolved] Bulk reset existing translated slugs to match original English slugs

This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.

Problem:
The client initially used the 'Auto-generate from title' setting for Page URLs in WPML, resulting in translated slugs for languages like Japanese, which were either in native characters or encoded strings. The client wants all translated slugs to match the original English slugs without manually editing each due to the volume of content.
Solution:
We recommended the following steps to synchronize the slugs across different languages:
1. Set the Page URL option in WPML->Settings to 'Copy from original language if translation language uses encoded URLs'.
2. In WPML->Languages->Edit Languages, set 'Encode URLs' to 'Yes' for the target languages.
3. Use the WPML->Translation Dashboard to resend the translations for automatic translation with the 'overwrite existing translations' option selected. This should synchronize the slugs without altering the main content.
To address concerns about using excessive translation credits, we advised sending items for translation in smaller batches (e.g., 20-30 items at a time) to monitor and control credit usage effectively.

Please note that this solution might be outdated or not applicable to your specific case. If these steps do not resolve your issue, 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.

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Last updated by greloZ 3 months, 1 week ago.

Assisted by: Bobby.

Author Posts
January 23, 2026 at 7:52 pm #17758200

greloZ

1. The Initial Issue: Initially, I used the default setting: "Auto-generate from title" for Page URLs. My default language is English. I used automatic translation for French, German, Japanese, and Russian. As a result, the slugs for these languages were also translated (e.g., Japanese characters or encoded strings like %e4%bd...).

Goal: I want all translated slugs to match the original English slugs.

2. Steps I have already taken (but failed):

Step 1: Changed Page URL setting to: "Copy from original language if translation language uses encoded URLs".

Step 2: In Languages > Edit Languages, I set "Encode URLs" to "Yes" for all four target languages.

Step 3 (Bulk Action): I selected all Japanese posts and used Bulk Edit > Update, but the slugs stayed in Japanese/Encoded format.

Step 4 (Individual Action): I manually edited a product, deleted the Japanese slug, and saved. It did NOT grab the English slug; it regenerated the Japanese slug from the title again.

3. Request: I need to bulk reset/sync the slugs for all existing Posts, Pages, and Products in these four languages so they are identical to the English slugs. Manual editing is not feasible due to the large volume of content. Could you provide a way to force-sync existing content based on my new settings?
January 23, 2026 at 8:55 pm #17758266

Bobby
WPML Supporter since 04/2015

Languages: English (English )

Timezone: America/Los_Angeles (GMT-07:00)

Hi there,

I am creating a sandbox environment where we can reproduce and test feasible ways to do this for you. Once I have feedback I will update you here.

January 23, 2026 at 9:17 pm #17758272

Bobby
WPML Supporter since 04/2015

Languages: English (English )

Timezone: America/Los_Angeles (GMT-07:00)

Sandbox Access:
hidden link

Steps on how to do this:

1. Go to WPML->Settings-> Page URL -> set to "Copy from original language if translation language uses encoded URLs"

2. WPML -> Languages -> Edit languages and set the drop down to YES for encoding.

3. WPML -> Translation Dashboard -> re sent translation for automatic translation and select "overwrite existing translations"

I understand that you have also performed similar steps, please review the loom as well in case a step was missed:

hidden link

Let me know your results, please.
January 24, 2026 at 5:21 pm #17759203

greloZ

Thank you for the update. I tested your method on a few posts, and it does work to sync the slug. However, I have a major concern regarding Translation Credits.

Since I have hundreds of posts and products already translated, re-sending them all with the "Overwrite existing translations" option would require me to spend a large amount of automatic translation credits all over again for content that is already finished.

I want to achieve the URL consistency without paying twice for the same translations. Looking forward to your advice on a more "credit-friendly" approach.

Best regards
January 26, 2026 at 8:21 pm #17764223

Bobby
WPML Supporter since 04/2015

Languages: English (English )

Timezone: America/Los_Angeles (GMT-07:00)

Hi there,

Your concern is valid and I completely understand.

When you select your items to re send for translation, you are essentially only overwriting the items that were adjusted.

However, to minimize the risk of a large credit charge, I invite you to do this in steps.

Go to WPML->Translation Dashboard-> Select let's say 20-30 items and send for translation following these steps.

At the bottom you should see a credit counter.

It should only account for the slug -- the rest of the content is going to get pulled via translation memory unless it has been altered.

Test this with a small batch and let me know your results, please.

January 29, 2026 at 1:57 am #17772031

greloZ

Thank you very much, I understand.

Best regards