Media files duplicated x3 after WPML installation – 3 languages (FR, NL, EN)

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

Problem:
You are experiencing issues with triplicated media files and duplicated, unlinked pages after installing WPML on your WordPress site. This occurs because WPML is currently disabled, causing all language versions to appear mixed together.
Solution:
To resolve the duplication issues, follow these steps:
1. Reactivate WPML to restore language-specific views for your media files and pages.
2. To remove duplicate media files or pages:
- Navigate to Media → Library or Pages → All Pages.
- Filter the items by language.
- Delete the unwanted duplicates in bulk.
For a complete removal of a language and its translations, follow this guide: How to completely remove a language from your site.
If you decide to reset WPML, use the steps provided in this documentation: Deleting languages and plugin data by doing a WPML reset.
Always ensure to back up your database before making changes.

If this solution does not apply to your situation, or if it seems outdated, we recommend opening a new support ticket. Also, check related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verify the version of the permanent fix, and confirm that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins. For further assistance, please visit our support forum at WPML Support Forum.

This is the technical support forum for WPML - the multilingual WordPress plugin.

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Tagged: Documentation request

This topic contains 1 replies, has 0 voices.

Last updated by Andrey 2 weeks, 4 days ago.

Assisted by: Andrey.

Author	Posts
April 28, 2026 at 9:23 am #17999180
quynh-nhuT	Hello WPML Support Team, I recently installed WPML on my WordPress website (SUMORING) to manage content in three languages: French (FR), Dutch (NL), and English (EN). However, since the installation, I am facing two issues: 1. Media files are triplicated All my media files have been triplicated in the Media Library — every image now appears 3 times, once per language. This is causing significant clutter and unnecessary storage usage and speed limitations 2. Pages are also duplicated and not linked The same issue occurs with pages. Normally in WPML, each page should display language flags on its row, showing that the different language versions are properly linked together. In my case, there are no flags visible — instead, every page version appears as a completely separate, independent line. They are not linked to each other as translations. Here is my current setup: - WordPress with Elementor - WPML installed for 3 languages: FR, NL, EN - The duplication affects all existing media files and pages My questions: 1. How can I safely go back to my previous site version without using WPML ? I would like to start from scratch with WPML, 2. How can I remove the duplicate media files that were already created, without breaking my pages or content? 4. Is there a recommended way to reconfigure WPML so this doesn't happen again going forward? I have a full site backup via UpdraftPlus before making any changes. Thank you in advance for your help. Best regards, SUMORING
April 28, 2026 at 11:43 am #17999613
Andrey WPML Supporter since 06/2013 Languages: English (English ) Russian (Русский ) Timezone: Europe/Kyiv (GMT+03:00)	Thank you for contacting WPML support. 1. From your screenshot, I can see that the WPML plugin is currently disabled on your site. In this case, it is expected that you see images from all languages together. Please note that WPML does not duplicate image files. Images across languages point to the same physical file—they are only referenced differently per language. 2. The same applies to pages. Since WPML is disabled, it is expected that you see pages from all languages mixed together (especially if they were duplicated or translated earlier). Without WPML active, those language relationships are not applied. In both cases, you simply need to activate WPML, and images and pages will again be displayed per language as expected. This is not an issue—just the result of WPML being inactive. If you want to remove duplicated images or pages, please: * Activate WPML * Go to Media → Library or Pages → All Pages * Filter by language * Delete the unwanted items in bulk Then you can follow this guide to fully remove a language and its translations: https://wpml.org/faq/how-to-completely-remove-a-language-from-your-site/#how-can-i-remove-a-language-and-all-its-translations-from-my-site If you want to completely reset WPML afterward, you can use these steps: https://wpml.org/documentation/getting-started-guide/language-setup/deleting-languages-and-plugin-data-by-doing-a-wpml-reset-on-your-site/#step-3-do-the-wpml-reset Before making any changes, please make sure to back up your database.