String translation no more working after update

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

Problem:
After updating to WordPress 6.9, Divi 4.27.5, and WPML 4.8.6, the footer widgets on all managed sites are not translating and remain in Italian despite translations being available in String Translation.
Solution:
We resolved the issue by using the Admin Texts screen to translate the widgets. We recommend checking if the widgets are now correctly translated on your site. For more information on how to use the Admin Texts screen, please visit this guide.

If this solution does not apply to your case, or if it seems outdated, we highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have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

This topic contains 4 replies, has 0 voices.

Last updated by Osama Mersal 1 month, 1 week ago.

Assisted by: Osama Mersal.

Author	Posts
December 17, 2025 at 3:02 am #17669450
lelliassociatiL	I'm reporting an issue on all the sites we manage. After updating to wp6.9, Divi 4.27.5, and WPML 4.8.6, the footer widgets are no longer translated. As you can see in the image "widget-delvecchio.jpg," the translations are present in "String Translation," but the footer remains in Italian (image "footer-dev.jpg"). Before the updates, the English footer was as in the image "footer-www.jpg." How can we fix this? Thank you.
December 17, 2025 at 11:44 am #17670769
Osama Mersal WPML Supporter since 02/2020 Languages: English (English ) Timezone: Africa/Cairo (GMT+02:00)	Hi, Thanks for contacting WPML forums support. I'll be glad to help you today. I would need to look closely at your site, so I would need to request temporary access (WP-Admin and FTP) Preferably to a test site where the problem has been replicated. Your answer will be private, meaning only you and I can access it. ❌ Please back up your database and website ❌ ✙ I need your permission to deactivate and reactivate plugins and themes, and to change site configurations. This is also why the backup is critical. ✙ I also need your permission to take a local copy of your site to debug the issue without affecting your live site. Best regards, Osama
December 18, 2025 at 9:00 am #17673645
Osama Mersal WPML Supporter since 02/2020 Languages: English (English ) Timezone: Africa/Cairo (GMT+02:00)	Hi, Thanks for the access details. I checked the issue and was able to translate the widgets using the Admin texts screen. Please check if the widgets are translated correctly. In order to know more about the Admin Texts screen, please check this guide. Best regards, Osama
December 22, 2025 at 10:25 am #17681749
lelliassociatiL	Hi, I've tried on our other sites and so far I've been able to force translations with Admin texts screen. My question is: why do the existing translations of the footer widgets disappear after the update? Why do they have to be recreated with Admin texts screen and no longer work with string translation? Thanks
December 22, 2025 at 12:59 pm #17682172
Osama Mersal WPML Supporter since 02/2020 Languages: English (English ) Timezone: Africa/Cairo (GMT+02:00)	Hi, Thanks for your update. It's expected that some widgets will require the Admin Texts screen. Please check this guide. Best regards, Osama