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WPML

INFRA · APIS
Velocity6.3

WordPress multilingual translation plugin

wpml.org ↗

WPML made machine translation the default, and its point releases keep chasing WordPress and page builders.

wordpresstranslationlocalizationpage-buildersautomatic-translation
◆Current state
The shipping 4.9 line is compatibility work: WordPress 7.1 support with a security hardening pass in the newest release, PHP 8.5 compatibility and a smoother site-migration flow before that, and WordPress 7.0's iframe-based block editor before that. The 5.0 beta running in parallel is the larger move — a redesigned interface, a simplified translation engine, and automatic translation switched on by default for new sites.
◆Where it's heading
Two clocks again. The maintenance clock is dictated entirely by other people's releases: WordPress majors, PHP versions, Divi 5, Elementor. Enough of this feed is compatibility that it reads as the real cost of being a translation layer inside someone else's ecosystem. The product clock points one direction, toward automation — cost and time estimates before sending content, one-click recovery for stuck jobs, automatic detection of custom Elementor widgets, and now automatic translation as the starting state rather than an option. The 4.9.7 security hardening is worth noting alongside a beta in flight: the stable line still gets real attention.
◆Prediction
Expect the 5.0 line to move from beta to production with the automatic-first defaults intact, followed by continued compatibility maintenance as WordPress core and major builders evolve.

◆Recent moves

  1. 15d ago

    WPML 4.9.7 – Ready for WordPress 7.1, Hardened Against Security Issues

    WordPress 7.1 compatibility confirmed against the full test suite, plus a security hardening pass. Routine for this plugin, but the hardening arriving on the stable line while 5.0 is in beta shows the 4.9 branch is still being maintained rather than parked.

    View source ↗
  2. 1mo ago

    WPML 5.0 Beta – A Redesigned Experience and Smarter Automatic Translation

    ⚡ SPARK

    The release that changes the plugin's premise: new sites translate automatically unless told otherwise, wrapped in a redesigned interface and a simplified engine. Everything the 4.9 line built toward automation converges here as a defaults change.

    View source ↗
  3. 2mo ago

    WPML 4.9.5 – Full PHP 8.5 Support and a Smoother Site Migration Experience

    PHP 8.5 compatibility with PHP 8.4 notices cleared, plus a materially improved flow for moving or copying a site to a new domain. Migration is where multilingual sites tend to break, so that half matters more than the version bump.

    View source ↗
  4. 3mo ago

    WPML 4.9.4 – Updated and Ready for WordPress 7.0

    WordPress 7.0 compatibility, including the fully iframe-based block editor, with explicit instruction to update WPML before WordPress. The ordering advice is the tell for how tightly this plugin is coupled to core internals.

    View source ↗
  5. 6mo ago

    WPML 4.9.1 – Improvements for Compatibility with Divi 5, Elementor, and More

    Divi 5 compatibility timed to that builder's launch date, plus Elementor fixes and updated PHP requirements. A release whose schedule was set by another vendor's calendar.

    View source ↗
  6. 7mo ago

    WPML 4.9 – Better Automatic Translation Control and Enhanced Compatibility

    Upfront credit costs and time estimates before sending content for automatic translation, one-click recovery for stuck jobs, and custom Elementor widget translation. Making the price visible before the commitment is what turns automatic translation from a leap of faith into a decision.

    View source ↗