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TranslatePress is a translation plugin that turns your WordPress site into a multilingual platform. Compared to the WPML plugin, it is much easier to use. However, an issue arises if you have already added content and translations but later decide to change the default language.
Important: Changing Your Default Language
Please be aware that changing the Default Language is a significant structural change. The default language represents the original source language in which your content was authored and saved in your database.
Why Existing Translations are Invalidated
When you switch the default language, your existing translations will no longer be valid. This happens because TranslatePress handles translations directionally (e.g., from English to Thai). If the source language changes, the original “links” between the source text and the translated text are broken, as the plugin now expects a different language as the starting point.
Content Management Requirements
Additionally, you will need to manually update all of your website’s content (pages, posts, and metadata) directly in the new default language. The plugin cannot automatically swap your existing translated strings into the default content fields.
If your goal is simply to change which language visitors see first without breaking your existing translations, instead of changing the default language, TranslatePress support recommends the subdirectory setting.
How to Set a Subdirectory for the Default Language in TranslatePress
- Create a full site backup: Always ensure you have a complete backup of your website before modifying core settings.
- Adjust General Settings: Navigate to Settings > TranslatePress > General. Under Language Settings, enable the option “Use a subdirectory for the default language.”
- Set the Primary Language: In the All Languages section, drag your preferred primary language to the top of the list to set it as the default.
- Save Changes: Click the Save Changes button at the bottom of the page.
- Flush Permalinks: Go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes twice to refresh the URL structure.
- Verify the URL Structure:
- The root URL
example.comwill now automatically redirect toexample.com/th/(if Thai is set as the primary language). - Secondary languages will follow the same format, such as
example.com/en/for English.
- The root URL
Note: Enabling the “Use a subdirectory for the default language” option ensures that a language slug is added to every URL on your site, including the default version.
Further Explanation
- URLs and Redirects: Currently, example.com redirects to example.com/th/. Is this considered standard behavior after enabling “the sub-directory for the default language” option?
- Yes, this is the standard behavior, as this is how the feature should work.
- Does TranslatePress use a 301 Moved Permanently redirect to send users from the root domain to the /th/ sub-directory?
- Yes, TranslatePress does use a 301 redirect.
- It appears the existing Thai translations were not removed after enabling “the sub-directory for the default language” option. Is it still safe to add or update Thai content?
- You will be able to add content in English as the default language of your website is still English, so Thai will be only the translation of that content.
- Based on the TranslatePress settings screenshot, I should continue edit the original English content using my page builder, right?
- Yes, the default language will remain the same after that procedure you did.
- Based on the TranslatePress settings screenshot, I should continue adding Thai translations via the “Translate Site” button in the admin top bar, right?
- Yes, you will continue to add translations as before.
- If I want to include more languages later, can I simply follow the standard TranslatePress process to add them?
- Yes, you can add more languages, the same as you did before.
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