Problem: The client reported that some ACF Field Groups were duplicated when new languages were added to their site. They inquired whether it was safe to delete these duplicates and how to prevent such duplication in future projects. Solution: We identified that the duplication occurred because the ACF Field Groups were set as translatable in the WPML settings. To resolve this, we advised the client to set the ACF Field Groups to 'Not Translatable' in the WordPress Dashboard under WPML > Settings > Post Type Translation. This change prevents future duplications by ensuring that field groups do not create copies when new languages are added. The client should safely remove any existing duplicates, as they are no longer necessary.
If this solution does not apply to your case, or if it seems outdated, we recommend opening a new support ticket. We also 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. For further assistance, please visit our support forum at WPML Support Forum.