WPML Writing Materials

What is WPML?

How to Document WPML

1. Installation & Setup

   To use WPML, your clients first need to purchase a WPML plan. For most websites, the WPML Multilingual CMS plan is sufficient:

   • Includes all WPML features
   • Free automatic translation for ~45k words
   • Costs just 99€ per year

   Once purchased, your clients can then install WPML and begin the setup wizard, a short process for configuring a few WPML settings:

   • Choose Languages – select from 65+ pre-configured languages or add your own.
   • Choose URL Format – organize URLs into subdirectories, subfolders, or different domains.
   • Add Translators – add your own team of translators, or connect with translation services.
   • Install Addons – download additional addons to translate specific plugins.

2. Translating Content

   Once WPML is configured, you can start translating content. To begin, go to WPML → Translation Management and follow two steps:

   1. Select Content for Translation – choose pages, posts, custom posts, templates, and any other content on your website.
   2. Choose a Translation Method – translate by yourself, with your translators, automatic translation, or professional translation services.

   To translate content faster while achieving human-level accuracy, we recommend using Private Translation Cloud (PTC) – our most powerful machine translation engine powered by AI.

3. Translating Strings

   If some texts don’t translate on the website, they are likely strings – pieces of texts you need to translate individually. To translate strings, expand the Other texts (Strings) section in Translation Management, select the texts, and send them for translation.

   WPML automatically identifies untranslated strings when you browse your website, so if any are missing, visit the page with your strings, switch languages, and wait a moment.

   WPML will automatically detect the untranslated strings and populate them in the Other texts (Strings) section.

   If some texts still don’t appear in the Other texts (Strings) section, use WPML String Translation to translate them.

4. Reviewing Translations

   Reviewing translations is optional, but recommended for important content, like your homepage. Similarly to translating content, clients can review translations by themselves, or with their team of translators.

   To review translations, go to WPML → Translations and follow four steps:

   1. Start a Review – select which translations to review.
   2. Preview Translations – preview translations on the front-end before publishing them.
   3. Edit Translations – if needed, make changes using WPML’s Advanced Translation Editor.
   4. Publish to Website – accept translations and publish them to your site.

5. Translating Your WooCommerce Store (optional)

   If your theme or plugin includes WooCommerce elements, clients can translate them with WPML Multilingual & Multicurrency for WooCommerce, a free addon by WPML.

   Similarly to other website content, clients can translate their WooCommerce store using Translation Management. They can also configure different multilingual settings to offer a completely localized experience, including:

   • Localized Checkout – translate the cart and checkout pages
   • Currency Switcher – let visitors view prices in the local currency
   • Currency Options – display currency by user location or site language
   • Custom Prices – set different prices in each currency or use automatic exchange

Branding Guidelines

When writing your documentation, feel free to use any of our trademark icons – as long as you adhere to our branding guidelines:

Guidelines

To learn more about our guidelines, download our guidebook.

Logos

To download all files, click the button below.

• WPML logo – 600×225px (PNG)
• WPML logo, white – 600×225px (PNG)
• WPML logo with a tagline – 600×283px (PNG)
• WPML logo with a tagline, white – 600×283px (PNG)

Colors

The official WPML colors in RGB and hex codes.