Your first WordPress post translation

Set up Translation Assistant with WPML and OpenAI, translate one post as a draft, then review the result before translating larger batches.

Check the requirements

• WordPress 6.5 or later and PHP 7.4 or later.
• WPML Multilingual CMS installed and active, with your source and target languages configured.
• An OpenAI account with API access and your own API key.

Install the free plugin

1. Open Plugins → Add New Plugin in your WordPress admin.
2. Search for Translation Assistant with OpenAI and WPML, by samsam80.
3. Install and activate the plugin. You can also download its ZIP from WordPress.org and use Upload Plugin.
4. Open Translation Assistant → Translation, enter your own OpenAI API key, and save your settings. Use Diagnostics to inspect configuration issues.

Translate and review one post

1. Choose two different WPML languages: the source post language and the target language.
2. Select Draft as the translation status.
3. Choose Select by article IDs and enter the ID of one source post that has no translation in the target language. You can find the ID in the WordPress edit URL, after post=.
4. Set the batch size to 1 for this first check, then click Start translations. This step uses the OpenAI API and may incur charges.
5. Watch the queue and open History to find the completed operation and translated post.
6. Review the title, content, links, layout and supported SEO metadata. Publish only when you are satisfied with the draft.

Manual and bulk translations, history, supported Yoast SEO and Rank Math metadata translation, token usage and estimated API costs are included in Free.

Add Premium for publication-triggered translation or schedules

Premium is a separate add-on. The free plugin must remain installed and active.

1. Review the Premium features and license options before purchasing through Freemius.
2. Download the Premium add-on from the delivery or account access provided after purchase.
3. In WordPress, use Plugins → Add New Plugin → Upload Plugin to install and activate the add-on ZIP.
4. Follow the license activation screen provided by the add-on.
5. Configure the publication-triggered translation option in your Premium version, or open Automations to configure a recurring schedule. Choose your source and target languages and the translation status you need.

Premium can start the translation workflow when you publish a new post. Recurring schedules can also find untranslated posts periodically. A publication trigger does not mean every translation has already finished when you click Publish; processing depends on your queue, WordPress tasks and OpenAI API response.

If a translation does not start

• Check that the post belongs to the selected source language.
• Check that no translation already exists for the target language and that WPML is not processing that same translation.
• Check your OpenAI API access and available balance or limits.
• Inspect Diagnostics and the error recorded in History.
• For a pending queue or automation, check that WordPress scheduled tasks can run.

If the issue persists, contact support with the exact error and your plugin versions. Never send your API key.