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How to Translate the Maintenance Plugin and Fix Common Language Issues

18 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Maintenance

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Translating the Maintenance plugin for your WordPress site is a common need, but the process has changed from the old .PO/.MO file method. This guide explains the modern translation system and provides solutions for frequent language-related problems users encounter.

Why Translation Issues Occur

The primary reason for translation problems is the shift from shipping .PO/.MO files with the plugin to using WordPress.org's centralized translation platform, Translate WordPress. While this system is efficient for community translations, it can cause confusion and requires translations to be approved and packaged by the platform, not the plugin developers directly.

Common Solutions for Translating the Maintenance Plugin

1. Use the Official Translate WordPress Platform

The recommended method is to contribute translations or use existing ones via the official Maintenance plugin project on Translate WordPress. Once a translation for your language reaches 100% and is approved, it will be automatically delivered to your site through WordPress updates. You can also manually download a .POT file from this page to use with translation tools like Loco Translate.

2. Manually Add Legacy .MO Files (For Specific Strings)

If you only need to change a few strings and don't want to wait for the official translations, you can still use the old method. Create or edit a .PO file for your language (e.g., maintenance-fr_FR.po) and compile it into an .MO file. Place this .MO file in your WordPress language directory, typically /wp-content/languages/plugins/. This method is effective for quick fixes but may need to be reapplied after plugin updates.

3. Edit the Source Code (Use with Caution)

For developers comfortable with code changes, some hardcoded text can be modified directly in the plugin's files. For example, to change the "Read more" link text, you would edit /wp-content/plugins/maintenance/includes/functions.php around line 512. However, this is not recommended for most users, as all changes will be lost when the plugin updates. This should only be a last resort.

Troubleshooting Specific Translation Problems

  • "is On" / "is Off" Admin Bar Text Not Translating: This is a known issue where these specific strings were not properly marked for translation in the code. The Maintenance team has acknowledged this bug and plans to fix it in a future update.
  • Login Error Messages in English: Similar to the admin bar text, some login error messages were also not marked for translation. This is also scheduled to be resolved in an upcoming plugin version.
  • Compatibility with Multilingual Plugins: Issues can arise when using Polylang, qTranslate, or other multilingual plugins. The Maintenance team has stated they are working to improve compatibility, particularly with Weglot. If you encounter problems, ensure both plugins are updated to their latest versions and check the exclusion rules in the Maintenance settings for translated pages.
  • Old Translation Strings: If the translations on Translate WordPress seem outdated, it means the community translation project for your language needs contributors to update the strings to match the latest plugin version.

Conclusion

Successfully translating the Maintenance plugin typically involves using the official WordPress translation platform. For persistent issues with specific strings or multilingual plugin conflicts, keep an eye on upcoming updates from the Maintenance team, as they have actively been working to resolve these known problems. For the most current status of translations, always check the project page first.

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