[Resolved] My website is not translated the way it should
This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.
Problem: You are trying to translate your website's sections into French and German, but the pages are not translating correctly. In the translation editor, it either shows the translation as complete while still in English or displays no fields to translate. Solution: The issue was with the MU plugins interfering with the translation process. We resolved this by renaming the MU plugin file, which corrected the display of translated pages. To ensure all sections of your site are translated, such as the footer or header, follow these steps: 1. Navigate to the template of the section you want to translate (e.g., footer or header). 2. Click on 'update' to refresh the translations. If you encounter similar issues or if the solution provided does not resolve your problem, it might be due to outdated methods or a different case scenario. 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 issue 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.
Our 2nd tier specialists need a site copy to escalate this ticket to our compatibility team. I kindly ask you to share a copy of the site in your next message, which I have set private.
Hello,
Our 2nd-tier specialists checked the issue further and found the cause.
Your site is using a custom MU plugin called `optimize-elementor-meta.php`. This custom code removes certain Elementor custom fields — including `_elementor_data` — when post meta is requested to optimize performance.
However, WPML needs access to the `_elementor_data` field during the translation process so it can copy the original Elementor content and apply the translated texts correctly.
Because this field is being stripped out by the custom plugin, WPML cannot process the translation properly.
To resolve the issue, please temporarily disable or remove the `optimize-elementor-meta.php` MU plugin and then test the translation again. The issue should be fixed once `_elementor_data` becomes available normally.
I can't disable the MU plugin on the production site. If you don't know how to do it, then you should contact your hosting provider, who is probably the one who added the plugin.
Its been a month struggling with you guys and paying for the stupid service that doesn't works. This is a live site, we are relying on you. People are not finding accurate information and our business is affecting badly because of this bad service. Our patience is over.
On a high priority basis, please address the following issue for us.
We need the website header (mega menu) and footer fully translated into the following four languages:
Arabic
Azerbaijani
Russian
French
Currently, these sections remain in English when switching languages, and this needs to be fixed.
We are not sure of the technical approach required, but we kindly request you to handle it in the best possible way. You have full authority to make the necessary changes on the website, and we confirm that a complete backup has already been taken.
Our requirement is simple:
👉 The mega menu and footer must be fully multilingual across all four languages.
Please prioritize this task and update us once it has been completed or if anything is needed from our side.
I completely understand your frustration, and I want to assure you that we're doing our best to help resolve this issue.
Regarding the MU Plugins, the limitation is not due to a support policy on our side. Technically, we cannot disable MU Plugins from our end unless we have direct file-level access to the site. In most cases, MU Plugins can only be disabled by the hosting provider or by someone with access to the server files.
If you're unsure how to disable them, I recommend contacting your hosting provider and asking them to temporarily disable the MU Plugins for troubleshooting purposes.
Alternatively, if you can provide FTP credentials for the production site, we may be able to check whether it's possible to disable them directly through file access. To keep your information secure, I have enabled a private reply for your next message, where you can safely share the FTP details if you're comfortable doing so.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. I look forward to your reply and will be happy to continue investigating this with you.
