I have set certain custom post types as NOT TRANSLATABLE, however WPML created /es version of the pa...

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

Problem:
You have set certain custom post types as NOT TRANSLATABLE in WPML, but WPML still created /es versions of these pages, leading to duplicate content issues.
Solution:
We recommend using a 301 redirect to handle these duplicate pages effectively. A free plugin like Redirection can be used for this purpose. This method should help prevent SEO issues by directing traffic from the unintended /es pages to the correct pages.

If this solution does not apply to your case, or if it seems outdated, we highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have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

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Tagged: Exception

This topic contains 6 replies, has 0 voices.

Last updated by Andreas W. 4 months, 4 weeks ago.

Assisted by: Andreas W..

Author	Posts
February 18, 2025 at 3:45 pm #16719866
contentA	Background of the issue: I have set certain custom post types as NOT TRANSLATABLE, however WPML created /es version of the pages. I am trying to get rid of duplicate pages created by WPML. The issue can be seen at: hidden link Symptoms: I expected to see error 404 since this is a not translated page and it is set not translatable. Instead, I got a duplicate page. Questions: Why did WPML create /es versions of pages set as NOT TRANSLATABLE? How can I remove the duplicate pages created by WPML?
February 19, 2025 at 2:34 am #16721566
Andreas W. WPML Supporter since 12/2018 Languages: English (English ) Spanish (Español ) German (Deutsch ) Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)	Hello, As long the category is set to "Not translatable" this translated archive page should not be available. Please take a backup of your site and database. After that go to Plugins > Add new > Commercial and click "Check for WPML Updates". Now, install the latest version of WPML and our add-ons. Also, if there is an update for your theme or other plugins available, please complete them. Now test again, if the issue persists. Best regards Andreas
February 21, 2025 at 9:10 am #16732704
artavazdM	We have also the same situation on our website, our custom post types + their taxonomies are set to not translatable, however all the posts associated with the custom post type has a translation URL. All our plugins, themes and also WordPress is updated to the latest available version.
February 21, 2025 at 9:39 am #16732855
contentA	Hi, i have updated to the latest version the issue is still there. I believe this is a major bug and needs URGENT solution as it effect SEO. Please advice on how we can find a resolution
February 21, 2025 at 10:18 am #16733019
Andreas W. WPML Supporter since 12/2018 Languages: English (English ) Spanish (Español ) German (Deutsch ) Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)	Hello, Are you using ACF Pro or are you creating the post type? Take note, that I am able to reproduce the following: I have a CPT with Category and this is the archive: hidden link You can see that the language switcher indicates that the archive only exists in English. Users should not be able to navigate to those URLs. Anyhow, I can change the URL to: hidden link and I will still see results. You can even go to: hidden link and it will display the original post. This is a known issue and something we have not yet been able to rule out. Anyhow, this URL will not appear on the sitemap, which means that this will not affect SEO: hidden link hidden link I hope that clarifies that the issue is currently expected but there is no need to worry about SEO. Best regards Andreas
February 21, 2025 at 10:25 am #16733079
contentA	Hi Andeas, We do use ACF PRO and these pages are creating using them. While I don't agree with your comment about its negative impact on SEO, I don't think this would be the appropriate place to discuss/debate about it. However, if you guys would be interested on doing a deep dive on the all possible negative impacts that this has and validating them, I am ready to do a deep dive with the tech team of yours. Returning to the issue, is there anyway to get rid of these pages, so they return 404, we do have developers who can handle it even if the solution requires coding. Restating my initial comment that this DOES have a very high negative SEO impact. Best
February 21, 2025 at 10:37 am #16733150
Andreas W. WPML Supporter since 12/2018 Languages: English (English ) Spanish (Español ) German (Deutsch ) Timezone: America/Lima (GMT-05:00)	My apologies, I took a closer look into this, and you might be right that there could be an issue regarding SEO. "Google doesn't rely exclusively on sitemaps to discover content. Instead, it uses a number of methods to crawl the web" A 301 redirect should prevent such issues. You can use a free plugin like "Redirection" for this purpose: hidden link