BugWP logo BugWP
Back to Community
Home / Community / Plugin → Translate multilingual sites – translatepress

Fixing Language Switching Issues in TranslatePress: A Troubleshooting Guide

19 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Translate multilingual sites – translatepress

Content

Why Your Language Switcher Might Not Be Working Correctly

Many WordPress users rely on the 'Translate Multilingual sites – TranslatePress' plugin to make their sites multilingual. A common and frustrating issue reported across multiple support threads involves the language switcher not working consistently. Users often find that while they can switch languages on the homepage, the selection doesn't persist when navigating to other pages, or it automatically reverts to the default language.

Common Causes of Language Switching Problems

Based on community reports, these issues typically stem from a few specific configurations:

  • Absolute vs. Relative Links: If your menu or button links are absolute URLs (e.g., https://yoursite.com/shop) instead of relative paths (e.g., /shop/), they may not carry the language parameter.
  • "Force Language in Custom Links" Setting: This crucial setting, found in TranslatePress Settings → General, must be enabled to force all custom links to include the current language code.
  • Caching Conflicts: Browser or server-side caching can sometimes serve an old version of a page in the wrong language, as noted in one user's Chrome-specific issue.
  • Plugin or Theme Conflicts: Previous multilingual plugins or specific theme configurations can leave behind code that interferes with TranslatePress's functionality.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

Step 1: Enable the Key Setting

The first and most common fix is to enable the 'Force language in custom links' option.

  1. Navigate to your WordPress Dashboard.
  2. Go to TranslatePress → Settings → General.
  3. Find the option labeled "Force language in custom links".
  4. Set this option to "Yes".
  5. Save your changes and clear your website's cache if you use a caching plugin.
  6. Test the language switcher on your site's front end.

Step 2: Check Your Link Structure

If the problem persists, investigate how your navigation links are built. Ensure that links in your menus, widgets, and buttons are relative paths and not hardcoded absolute URLs. Absolute links that point directly to the default language version will always reset the language session.

Step 3: Clear All Caches

Clear your browser cache, any server-level cache (like Varnish), and your WordPress caching plugin (e.g., W3 Total Cache, WP Rocket). Test the site in an incognito/private browser window to see if the issue is cache-related.

Step 4: Conflict Test

To rule out conflicts with other plugins or your theme:

  1. Temporarily deactivate all plugins except TranslatePress.
  2. Switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Four.
  3. Test if the language switching works correctly. If it does, reactivate your plugins and theme one by one to identify the culprit.

Step 5: Review Your .htaccess File

If you previously used a plugin like GTranslate that modifies your .htaccess file for URL rewriting, its rules might still be active and causing conflicts. Carefully review your .htaccess file (located in your website's root folder) and remove any redundant rewrite rules left by old plugins. It is advised to back up this file before making any changes.

When "Use a subdirectory for the default language" Causes Redirect Loops

Some users report enabling "Use a subdirectory for the default language" results in an ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS error. This is often a complex server configuration issue. If you do not specifically need this feature for SEO or other requirements, it is generally recommended to leave it disabled ('No') to avoid potential complications.

Conclusion

Persistent language switching issues in TranslatePress are most frequently resolved by ensuring the 'Force language in custom links' setting is enabled and verifying that your site's internal links are not hardcoded to the default language. By methodically working through these troubleshooting steps, you can identify and resolve the root cause of the problem.

Related Support Threads Support