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Multilingual Avada Sites Using WPML

David
Updated
May 2, 2022

Follow this tutorial to learn how to create multilingual WordPress sites using the Avada theme and WPML.

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Getting Started

Start by installing and activating the following:

  • Avada theme
  • WPML core plugin and WPML String Translation add-on

If you’re new to WPML, check out our Getting Started Guide. It quickly walks you through different translation options you can use.

Translating Pages Built Using the Avada Builder or Avada Live Editor

Avada is compatible with WPML’s Translate Everything mode, which translates all of your site’s content automatically.

Or, you can choose Translate Some mode, which lets you choose which posts or pages you want to translate and who you want to translate them.

For detailed instructions, check out our page about translating content created using page builders.

Translating Avada Builder Global Elements, Columns, and Containers

Avada Builder allows you to save Elements, Columns, and Containers as global elements. Global elements are saved to your Avada Library, and you can insert them into any page you want. Updating a global item will update it everywhere it appears on your site.

For the global element to appear translated on your site’s front-end, you need to do two things:

  1. Translate the global element. You can do this the same way as translating pages or posts.
  2. Translate the pages that include the translated global element. When you translate the page, the text from the global element won’t appear in the Advanced Translation Editor. This is because it is translated in the previous step.

When you send global elements to be translated by a local translator, make sure that their WordPress role is set to Editor or a higher role. If you set their role is Author, Contributor, or Subscriber, they will not be able to see the global element that you sent in their translation queue. This is because Avada’s global elements can’t be created by those roles.

Inserting a Translated Global Element, Column, or Container Into a Page

Once a global element is translated, you can insert it anywhere on your site. Just remember to translate the page or post you added it to for the translations to appear on the front-end, as explained in the previous section.

Translating Avada Layout Sections

With layouts, you can design your header, page title bar, content, and footer sections. To translate these, follow the same process as translating the Avada Builder global elements.

Applying Conditions to Avada Layout Sections

If you want your layout section to only display under certain conditions, chances are you need these conditions to apply in all languages.

After translating your layout section, go to Avada → Layouts. In the admin bar language switcher, choose All Languages.

Choosing All Languages from the admin bar

Then, set the conditions. Be sure to choose all translations of the post, category, or tag you want to use as a condition.

Choosing the condition in each language

Translating Portfolio Pages and Categories

To translate Portfolio items or any custom post type items, you can follow the same steps as translating any other types of pages.

Portfolio categories can be translated the same as any other taxonomy.

Keep in mind that the translations of categories are universal: if you make a change, they will be updated everywhere.

Translating Avada Sliders

Avada comes with its own slider feature called Avada Slider. Avada also comes bundled with the Slider Revolution and Layer Slider which you can both translate using WPML.

To begin, you first need to translate the slider created using Avada Slider:

  1.  Go to WPML → Taxonomy Translations and use the drop-down menu to select Avada Sliders. A list of sliders appears.
  2. Locate the slider you would like to translate and click the plus icon for it. Translate your slider’s name and slug. Repeat this step for all of your sliders.

Once you have translated your slider, you can proceed to translating its slides:

  1. Go to Avada → Sliders and then click on the Slides Page link.
Navigating to the Avada Slides Page
  1. To translate a specific slide, click the plus icon for it. This opens the Advanced Translation Editor where you can add the translations. Repeat this step to translate all the slides belonging to a specific slider.
Translating the slide content
  1. Finally, translate the page where you have added the slider.

This is how the translated slider looks on the front-end:

Viewing a translated slider

Translating Avada Forms

The 7.1 version introduced Avada Forms, a complete solution for building your custom contact forms. WPML allows you to easily translate your Avada forms.

After creating your form, go to WPML → Translation Management and send your form for translation. If you then want to translate the form yourself, go to the WPML → Translations page and click to translate it.

To learn more, visit our documentation page about managing the translations of your content.

Translating Texts from Avada Theme, Plugins and Other Places

Besides content coming from posts and pages in your site, there are usually some additional texts coming from your theme and plugins.

To learn how to translate these texts, read our documentation page about translating strings.

Translating Avada’s Menus

With WPML, you can easily synchronize your menus across all your site’s languages. For more information, please check our page about translating menus.

Setting Theme Options for Languages

With Avada, you have to set theme options for each language in your site. You can do it manually, or you can import existing settings.

Setting the Same Theme Options For All Languages

If you want to use the same settings for all the languages on your website:

  1. Go to Avada → Options.
  2. Use the Language Switcher in the top admin bar and select All languages.
Setting the same theme options for all languages
  1. Set your preferred theme options and save your changes.

All languages will now use the options that you have set. Any changes that you make will apply to all of your languages.

Setting the Theme Options For Individual Languages

If you want to have different settings for each language, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to the Avada → Options page
  2. Use the Language Switcher in the top admin bar and choose the language for which you want to set options.
Setting the theme options for individual languages
  1. Set your theme options for that specific language, and save your changes.

You can repeat these steps for all of the languages that you have on your site.

Exporting and Importing Theme Options

You can also export theme options that you are using in one language and import it to another. To do this:

  1. In the Language Switcher choose the language from which you want to export the settings.
  2. Go to the Avada → Options page and in the menu, click Import / Export.
  3. In the Export Options section click the Copy Data button and copy the text with the settings.
Exporting the options of a specific language
  1. Use the Language Switcher in the top Admin Bar and choose the language for which you want to import the settings.
  2. In the Import Options section click the Import Contents from File button and paste the text with settings.
  3. Click the Import button.
Importing theme options to a specific language

You can repeat steps 4 to 6 for each language that you want to use those same settings.

Adding Translation Support For Fusion Builder Elements

WPML allows you to manually enable the translation of additional Avada Theme and Builder elements along with their attributes.

Enabling the translation of elements and element attributes listed in this section might cause issues when sending a page to professional services or using the Advanced Translation Editor to translate it. The issue is not technical but comes from the fact that translators often do not understand code and can break it during translation.

To translate any textual element in any these shortcodes, you must add them to the Custom XML Configuration tab found on the WPML → Settings page.

Let’s consider an example of a Person element which includes texts that require translation. In this case, you would add the following code on the Custom XML Configuration page.

<wpml-config>
  <shortcode>
    <tag>fusion_person</tag>
    <attributes>
      <attribute>picture</attribute>
      <attribute>social links</attribute>
    </attributes>
  </shortcode>
</wpml-config>

The following is the list of all shortcodes you can add manually, along with their attributes:

  • Portfolio (fusion_portfolio) | Attributes: cat_slug, exclude_cats
  • Post Slider (fusion_postslider) | Attributes: excerpt, category
  • Recent Posts (fusion_recent_posts) | Attributes: cat_slug, exclude_cats
  • Column (fusion_builder_column) | Attributes: background_image, link
  • Container (fusion_builder_container) | Attributes: background_image, video_preview_image
  • Content Boxes (fusion_content_box) | Attribute: image
  • Countdown (fusion_countdown) | Attribute: background_image
  • Faq (fusion_faq) | Attribute: featured_image
  • Flip Box (fusion_flip_boxes) | Attribute: image
  • Image (fusion_image) | Attribute: image
  • Image Frame (fusion_imageframe) | Attribute: lightbox_image
  • Person (fusion_person) | Attributes: picture, social links
  • Sharing (fusion_sharing) | Attribute: pinterest_image
  • Testimonial (fusion_testimonial) | Attribute: image
  • WooCommerce Carousel (fusion_products_slider) | Attribute: cat_slug

Learn more about defining page builder shortcodes in the language configuration file.

Maintaining the Avada Builder Compatibility With WPML

We have a dedicated page that explains the process of updating the language configuration file in order to maintain compatibility between Avada Builder and WPML.

Known Issues

Current unresolved issues:

You can also search all known issues including previously resolved issues for this theme.

Getting Help From Our Support

If you need help translating your site built using Avada and WPML, visit WPML’s support forum.

Need Help With Building and Maintaining Your Site?

If you need help with building or maintaining your site, take a look at the list of WPML Contractors. They are experienced developers specialized in developing multilingual sites.

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