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How to Fix WPForms Language and Translation Issues

31 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Wpforms

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WPForms is a powerful tool, but users often encounter challenges when trying to display their forms in different languages or translate specific elements. This guide covers the most common language-related issues and their solutions, based on community discussions and expert recommendations.

Common WPForms Language Issues

Users frequently report problems such as:

  • Forms not displaying in the user's profile language (Thread 8)
  • Specific strings, like "Votes" or upload field text, not being found in translation plugins (Threads 14, 18)
  • Confirmation messages and email notification subjects not being translatable (Threads 13, 16)
  • Validation messages appearing in an unexpected language (Thread 22)
  • Address autocomplete or CAPTCHA elements not respecting site language settings (Threads 11, 15)

Why These Issues Happen

Language issues in WPForms can stem from several sources:

  1. Translation File Completeness: The provided .pot file might not contain every string used in the plugin, especially those from premium features.
  2. Caching: Old translations might be cached by your browser, WordPress, or a caching plugin.
  3. Third-Party Integration: Elements like Google Address Autocomplete, hCaptcha, or Cloudflare Turnstile rely on their own systems to detect language, which may not always align with your WordPress settings.
  4. Plugin Conflicts: Other plugins, especially those handling translations (like WPML, Polylang, or TranslatePress), can sometimes interfere with how strings are loaded.
  5. Confirmed Bugs: In some cases, such as the form not respecting a user's profile language, the issue is a confirmed bug that the WPForms development team is working to fix.

How to Troubleshoot and Fix Translation Problems

1. Use the Official Translation Guide

The first step for any translation effort should be to consult the official WPForms translation guide. It provides the foundational method for translating the plugin using tools like Loco Translate.

2. Translate Specific Strings with Custom Code

For strings not found in the translation files, you can use WordPress's built-in translation functions. Add a code snippet to your theme's functions.php file or a code snippets plugin:

add_filter( 'gettext', 'my_custom_wpforms_translations', 10, 3 );
function my_custom_wpforms_translations( $translated_text, $text, $domain ) {
    if ( $domain === 'wpforms' ) {
        switch ( $translated_text ) {
            case 'Votes': // Original text
                $translated_text = __( 'Stemmer', 'your-text-domain' ); // New translation
                break;
            // Add more cases as needed
        }
    }
    return $translated_text;
}

3. Control Third-Party Element Languages

For services like Cloudflare Turnstile, you can force a specific language using a filter. The following example sets it to Arabic (Egypt); change the code to your desired language.

add_filter( 'wpforms_frontend_confirmation', 'my_turnstile_language' );
function my_turnstile_language( $confirmation ) {
    $language_code = 'ar-eg'; // Change to desired language code
    // Logic to output script with language parameter
    return $confirmation;
}

4. Disable the Email Suggestion Feature

If the "Did you mean" suggestion for email fields is appearing incorrectly, you can disable it entirely with this filter:

add_filter( 'wpforms_mailcheck_enabled', '__return_false' );

5. Style Forms for RTL Languages

To make form fields display correctly for right-to-left (RTL) languages like Farsi or Arabic, add custom CSS:

.wpforms-container .wpforms-form textarea,
.wpforms-container .wpforms-form input {
    text-align: right !important;
}

For RTL formatting in email notifications, you will need more extensive custom CSS, as outlined in this developer documentation.

When to Seek Further Help

If you have exhausted these steps and your issue involves:

  • Premium Features: Fields or functionality that are part of the paid WPForms Pro version (e.g., advanced file uploads, user registration) often require support through the official WPForms account dashboard, as per their support policy.
  • Integration with Other Plugins: Problems specifically with how WPML, Polylang, or TranslatePress interacts with WPForms are best directed to the support teams for those specific translation plugins, as they have the deepest knowledge of their own code.
  • Confirmed Bugs: For issues that have been acknowledged as bugs by the WPForms team (like the profile language bug in Thread 8), the only solution is to wait for an update that contains the fix.

By following this structured approach, you can resolve most language and translation challenges in WPForms and provide a seamless experience for your multilingual audience.

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