Problem: The client is confused about the Media Translation options in WPML, specifically wanting to ensure that every language uses the same original language image file without duplicating the images physically for different languages. The client also wants to avoid creating new image files for each language translation. Solution: First, we recommend taking a backup of your site and database due to the nature of the solution involving direct database manipulation. Here are the steps to address your concerns: 1. Run the following MySQL Query to delete all translated media from your site:
DELETE from wp_icl_translations WHERE element_type="post_attachment";
2. Clean up the wp_posts table by executing this query:
DELETE from wp_postmeta WHERE meta_key="wpml_media_processed";
3. To prevent WPML from syncing the media again, navigate to WPML > Settings > Post Type Translation and set Media (attachment) to "Not translate". Please note, this procedure is generally not recommended as WPML needs to sync media to display it in different languages, which is why such a feature was not provided initially.
If this solution does not apply to your case, or if it seems outdated, we highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have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. If further assistance is needed, please open a new support ticket at WPML support forum.
