WPML - base category structure doesn't translate

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

Problem:
You are experiencing issues with the Product Category base not translating after updating WPML. The URL isn't translating correctly, affecting both the front end and back end across most themes.
Solution:
We recommend the following steps to address this issue:
1. Navigate to WPML → Settings → Taxonomies Translation.
2. Locate 'Product categories' (product_cat).
3. Click on 'Set different slugs in different languages for Product categories'.
4. Ensure that the correct slug is set for each language and click the 'Save' button.
Please make sure to back up your database before making any changes.

If this solution does not resolve your issue or seems outdated, we highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have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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Tagged: Exception, WCML

This topic contains 7 replies, has 0 voices.

Last updated by Andrey 1 year, 1 month ago.

Assisted by: Andrey.

Author	Posts
July 16, 2025 at 1:20 pm #17242074
diederickL Site owner	Background of the issue: I am trying to update to the latest version of WPML and have encountered issues with the Product Category base not translating. After the update, the URL isn't translating anymore. This issue is visible in most themes on the front end and in all cases on the back end. If you go to Products->Categories and hover over the view option, the URL is incorrect everywhere. Link to a page where the issue can be seen: hidden link Symptoms: The Product Category base part of the URL isn't translating after the update. The URL is incorrect when hovering over the view option in Products->Categories. Questions: Why isn't the Product Category base translating after the update? How can I fix the URL translation issue in both the front end and back end?
July 16, 2025 at 8:26 pm #17243659
Andrey WPML Supporter since 06/2013 Languages: English (English ) Russian (Русский ) Timezone: Europe/Kyiv (GMT+03:00)	Thank you for contacting WPML support. Could you please try the following steps? 1. Navigate to WPML → Taxonomy Translation → Product Categories. 2. Check if all fields are properly filled in, including the Plural translation field. 3. If any fields are empty, please complete the missing translations. Once done, please verify if the issue persists. Let me know how it goes.
July 17, 2025 at 9:17 am #17244587
diederickL Site owner	Hi, The issue is not with the taxonomy translation. The issue is with Woocommerce Multilingual & Multicurreny - > Store URLs.
July 17, 2025 at 10:17 am #17245044
Andrey Supporter	Thank you for your feedback. I understand your concerns. We have received similar reports indicating that the issue with empty fields in the product category is related to translated product categories not displaying correctly. Our development team is aware of this issue and has been notified for further investigation.
July 17, 2025 at 10:20 am #17245048
diederickL Site owner	So till date there is no workaround?
July 17, 2025 at 10:22 am #17245050
Andrey Supporter	The workaround is here: https://wpml.org/forums/topic/wpml-base-category-structure-doesnt-translate/#post-17243659 Have you had a chance to test it?
July 18, 2025 at 1:39 pm #17250563
diederickL Site owner	No Not yet, I think I'll wait till a fix is out. is there an eta?
July 18, 2025 at 1:49 pm #17250604
Andrey Supporter	No Not yet, I think I'll wait till a fix is out. is there an eta? Unfortunately, I do not have an estimated date for this. However, there is another safe way to resolve this issue possibly. 1. Go to WPML → Settings → Taxonomies Translation 2. Look for Product categories (product_cat) 3. Open the Set different slugs in different languages for Product categories. 4. Make sure that your desired slug is there for every language, and hit the Save button for that settings section. Before making any changes, please ensure that you back up your database first.