swannL-2

Problem:
The client was trying to translate the descriptions of authors using WPML String Translation, but the descriptions were always displayed in French, the main language, despite using the

get_the_author_meta('user_description')

function.
Solution:
We recommended the following steps:
1. Update WPML and String Translation to ensure compatibility with WordPress 6.5, which introduced changes to the management of translation files. WPML Changelog
2. Verify that the correct meta field is being used. The default WordPress field for author descriptions is "description", not "user_description". If a custom field is used, follow the instructions in this documentation: Translating User Meta Information with WPML

add_filter( 'wpml_translatable_user_meta_fields', function( $fields ) {
   $fields[] = 'user_description';
   return $fields;
} );

3. Ensure that the author's ID is passed to the get_the_author_meta function:

get_the_author_meta( 'user_description', $user_id );

Please note that the solution provided might be irrelevant due to being outdated or not applicable to your case. If the issue persists, we highly recommend checking the related known issues, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins. If needed, do not hesitate to open a new support ticket for further assistance: WPML Support Forum.