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[Resolved] Delete the wpml plugin but still have site in the wrong language

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

Problem:
The client removed the WPML plugin intending to have their site only in English, but the site continued to display in Italian.
Solution:
If you're experiencing this issue, we recommend following these steps:
1. Backup Your Website: Ensure you have a complete backup before making changes.
2. Reinstall WPML Temporarily: Reinstall and activate WPML to access its settings for proper cleanup.
3. Remove Secondary Languages and Their Translations: Uncheck unwanted languages in WPML → Languages, and delete associated translations.
4. Delete MO and PO Files: Use an FTP client to remove .mo and .po files from 

wp-content/languages/plugins/

and 

wp-content/languages/themes/

directories.
5. Perform a WPML Reset: Navigate to WPML → Support → Troubleshooting and use the reset feature to remove all WPML data from your database.
6. Set the Correct Site Language: In Settings → General, select your desired default language and save changes.
7. Manually Review and Clean Up Content: Check each page and post, updating or deleting content in the incorrect language.

This solution might be outdated or not applicable to your case. If these steps do not resolve your issue, please visit our support forum to open a new ticket. We also highly recommend checking related known issues, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins.

This is the technical support forum for WPML - the multilingual WordPress plugin.

Everyone can read, but only WPML clients can post here. WPML team is replying on the forum 6 days per week, 22 hours per day.

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Last updated by Andrey 1 month, 1 week ago.

Assisted by: Andrey.

Author Posts
May 30, 2025 at 2:14 pm #17092565

Gabriele

Background of the issue:
I decided to have my site just in English and want to delete the Italian side. I deleted all the WPML plugin but the site is still in Italian.

Symptoms:
The site is still displaying in Italian even after deleting the WPML plugin.

Questions:
How can I ensure my site is only in English after deleting WPML?
Why is my site still in Italian after removing WPML?
May 30, 2025 at 3:36 pm #17092771

Andrey
WPML Supporter since 06/2013

Languages: English (English ) Russian (Русский )

Timezone: Europe/Kyiv (GMT+03:00)

If you have removed the WPML plugin but your site continues to display in the wrong language, it is likely because WPML’s language settings and translations are still embedded in your site’s database and content. You might need to restore the site before you delete everything.

Here are some steps you may want to follow:

1. Backup Your Website

Before making any changes, ensure you have a complete website backup. This precaution allows you to restore your site if anything goes wrong.

2. Reinstall WPML Temporarily

To properly clean up WPML’s data, you will need to reinstall the plugin:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Plugins → Add New.
- Search for “WPML” and install it.
- Activate the plugin.

This step allows you to access WPML’s settings and perform a proper removal.

3. Remove Secondary Languages and Their Translations
- Navigate to WPML → Languages.
- In the "Site Languages" section, click on Add / Remove languages.
- Uncheck the languages you want to remove and click Save.
- After the page reloads, a table will appear with the deactivated languages. Click the X icon next to each to delete all translations associated with those languages.

Note: This process may not delete translations of taxonomy terms.

4. Delete MO and PO Files for Removed Languages
- Even after removing languages, translation files may remain:
- Access your website using an FTP client like FileZilla.
- Navigate to `wp-content/languages/plugins/`.
- Delete the .mo and .po files that end with the language code of the removed language (e.g., `-es_ES.mo` and `-es_ES.po` for Spanish).
- To delete theme translations, go to `wp-content/languages/themes/` and remove the corresponding files.

5. Perform a WPML Reset
- This step removes all WPML data from your database:
- Go to WPML → Support and click the Troubleshooting link.
- Scroll down to the "Reset" section.
- Check the box labeled "I am about to reset all translation and language data".
- Click the "Reset and deactivate WPML" button.

Warning: This action is irreversible and will delete all translation and language data. Ensure you’ve backed up your site before proceeding.

6. Set the Correct Site Language in WordPress
- Navigate to Settings → General.
- In the "Site Language" dropdown, select your desired default language (e.g., English).
- Click Save Changes.

7. Manually Review and Clean Up Content
- Some content may still be in the wrong language:
- Go to Pages and Posts in your WordPress dashboard.
- Review each item and delete or update any content that is in the incorrect language.
- Empty the Trash to permanently remove deleted items.

Additional Tips:
- If certain strings (like widget titles or theme options) are still in the wrong language, navigate to options and update the text.
- Clear your site’s cache and your browser’s cache to ensure the changes are reflected.