Previously translated text is overwritten with the primary language text

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

Problem:
If you're experiencing issues where editing the original Dutch text in WPML causes the English translation to be overwritten, this might be due to not using the WPML Advanced Translation Editor.
Solution:
We recommend adding the following constant to your wp-config.php file to prevent WPML from automatically updating the translation when the original content is updated:

define('WPML_TRANSLATION_AUTO_UPDATE_ENABLED', false);

Please ensure to back up your database before making any changes. For more details, visit WPML documentation on this issue.

If this solution does not apply to your case, or if it seems outdated, we highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have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. Should you need further assistance, please do not hesitate to open a new support ticket at WPML support forum.

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Tagged: Exception, Known issue

This topic contains 1 reply, has 0 voices.

Last updated by Andrey 1 week, 2 days ago.

Assisted by: Andrey.

Author	Posts
July 8, 2025 at 7:38 am #17212201
Laiping	Background of the issue: Our primary language is Dutch, and we have English set up as a secondary language. I am trying to translate text from Dutch to English using WPML. Symptoms: When I make a small change in the Dutch text, WPML prompts that the text needs translation. However, when I edit the English text, the previously translated text is overwritten with the Dutch text, requiring me to re-translate most of it. Questions: How can I prevent WPML from overwriting the English translation with the Dutch text when I make changes to the original Dutch content?
July 8, 2025 at 8:42 am #17212486
Andrey WPML Supporter since 06/2013 Languages: English (English ) Russian (Русский ) Timezone: Europe/Kyiv (GMT+03:00)	Thank you for contacting WPML support. It seems you might be editing the page without using the WPML Advanced Translation Editor. In such cases, translated content can be unintentionally overwritten when the original content is updated. As a workaround, please try adding the following constant to your wp-config.php file: define( 'WPML_TRANSLATION_AUTO_UPDATE_ENABLED', false ); You can find more details here: https://wpml.org/errata/page-builders-translated-content-is-overwritten-with-the-original-when-updating-the-original-post/ Please back up your database before making any changes.