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Troubleshooting Translation and Meta Issues in the Neve Theme

25 threads Sep 9, 2025 Theme → Neve

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Many users of the popular Neve theme for WordPress encounter challenges when trying to translate content or customize meta information. These issues can range from strings not appearing in translation plugins to difficulties modifying post author details. This guide compiles the most common problems and their solutions, based on community discussions.

Common Translation Issues and Solutions

1. Strings Not Appearing for Translation
A frequent issue is that text from custom areas like the header or footer builder does not appear in the string translation panel of plugins like Polylang or WPML. This often happens because the theme must explicitly make these dynamic strings available for translation.

Solution: The Neve theme is compatible with major translation plugins like Polylang, WPML, and Loco Translate. If strings are missing, ensure you are using the latest versions of both the theme and your translation plugin. For complex strings in customizer settings, you may need to use a translation method that scans the entire site for text, such as the functionality offered by TranslatePress.

2. Language Switcher in Header
Some users report that the language switcher from their multilingual plugin does not appear as a component in the Neve Header Builder.

Solution: Direct integration of a language switcher component into the header builder is a feature available in the Pro version of Neve. Free users typically need to use a widget area or alternative methods provided by their translation plugin to add the switcher.

3. RTL (Right-to-Left) Language Support
When using translation services like GTranslate, the site might not automatically switch to an RTL layout for languages like Arabic.

Solution: This is often a limitation of the translation service, which translates text but does not change the site's layout direction. A dedicated multilingual plugin like WPML or Polylang that can also handle the RTL stylesheet is generally recommended for full RTL support.

4. Spelling Errors in Translations
Sometimes, the theme's default translation files may contain errors, such as a misspelled word.

Solution: To fix a typo without losing changes after a theme update, it is highly recommended to use a child theme. You can place a corrected translation file in your child theme's /languages/ directory and load it by adding code to your child theme's functions.php file. This ensures your corrections are preserved.

Common Meta Information Issues and Solutions

1. Removing or Customizing Post Meta
Users often want to remove or change the author, date, or comment count displayed on blog posts and archives.

Solution: For most post types, this can be done easily through the WordPress Customizer. Navigate to Appearance > Customize > Layout and then choose either Blog/Archive or Single Post. Within these sections, you will find a Post Meta setting where you can toggle the visibility of each element. This is the simplest method and does not require code.

2. Custom Post Types (e.g., Easy Digital Downloads)
The Customizer options may not affect the meta display for custom post types like those from Easy Digital Downloads (EDD).

Solution: In these cases, custom code is required. You will need to identify the correct template file or hook within the custom post type's structure and use a filter or action in your child theme's functions.php to modify the output. Consulting the documentation for the specific plugin (e.g., EDD) is a good first step to find the right hook.

3. Changing Meta Description and SEO Tags
The Neve theme generates basic meta tags, but for advanced SEO control, you need more flexibility.

Solution: It is a common and recommended practice to use a dedicated SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math. These plugins provide comprehensive control over meta descriptions, open graph tags for social sharing, and other crucial SEO elements, overriding the theme's default output.

4. Adding Multiple Authors or Custom Text
There is a demand to display multiple authors or change the prefix text (e.g., from "by" to "Written by").

Solution: Displaying multiple authors can be achieved with custom code. However, modifying the prefix text (e.g., from "by" to "Written by") is a feature included in the Pro version of Neve. Free users would need to implement a custom translation for the string "by" if they wish to change it.

General Best Practices

  • Use a Child Theme: Always use a child theme when adding custom code or modifying theme files. This protects your changes from being overwritten during theme updates.
  • Keep Everything Updated: Ensure your WordPress installation, Neve theme, and all plugins (especially your translation plugin) are updated to their latest versions to ensure compatibility.
  • Clear Caches: After making changes to translations or custom code, clear any caching mechanisms you have on your site (plugin, server, or CDN) to see the changes immediately.

By following this guide, you should be able to resolve the most common translation and meta-related challenges faced when using the Neve theme.

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