Retire a translation surface safely

Removing a post type, field part, metadata key, or taxonomy from translation can affect published language routes and editorial access. Treat the change as a small content migration rather than a housekeeping checkbox.

1. Define the exact scope

Identify whether you are retiring:

• one field part from an otherwise translated post type;
• one registered metadata key;
• an entire optional post type;
• an optional taxonomy;
• a theme or plugin software catalog.

These surfaces do not share the same storage or cleanup behavior. Use the narrowest change that meets the goal.

2. Preserve and inventory

Before changing production:

1. take a current translation export or backup appropriate to the surface;
2. record representative object IDs and localized URLs;
3. list menus, canonicals, hreflang entries, sitemaps, and external links that rely on it;
4. note whether search engines or customers already use those routes;
5. arrange redirects for URLs that will be withdrawn.

3. Change the policy

In Settings → POM Translate → Content types, disable only the relevant control and save. Remember:

• Pages cannot be disabled as a whole.
• Categories and tags remain enabled.
• Disabling an entire optional type stops later parsing but leaves its existing stored translations intact.
• Disabling a field part on an enabled type is reconciled per object on its next eligible save.
• Software catalogs are not governed by this screen.

4. Exercise a representative object

For a retained, enabled post type, save a published or private example so its stored rows are reconciled. For a disabled whole type or taxonomy, use a save only to confirm that parsing no longer updates it; do not expect that save to erase old records.

Then verify:

• the intended rows disappear from or stop changing in Translate contents;
• unaffected rows remain editable;
• source-language output remains correct;
• target-language output has the planned fallback or retirement behavior;
• routes, selectors, menus, SEO metadata, and caches agree.

5. Keep rollback simple

If the result is wrong, restore the setting, save the affected source objects, restore translation data if necessary, and clear only the relevant application or edge caches. Avoid combining language removal, slug changes, content-type retirement, and data reset in one deployment.

Use Disable translation for a post type or Disable translation for a taxonomy for the surface-specific procedure.