EWA AI String Assistant for Loco Translate brings AI-generated translations directly into the Loco Translate editor, letting site owners translate plugin and theme text strings without leaving the familiar PO file editing screen.
It suits anyone who manages multilingual WordPress sites and wants to speed up the tedious work of translating Gettext strings by hand, while still keeping full control over the review process.
The plugin connects to AI in two possible ways. On newer WordPress installations, it uses the built-in WordPress AI Client, which routes requests through whichever AI provider has been configured centrally under Settings > Connectors, so no separate API key needs to be entered into the plugin itself.
On other setups, an Advanced Direct Connection mode lets the site owner supply their own credentials for OpenRouter, a self-hosted or remote Ollama instance, or any custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint, giving access to model families such as Anthropic Claude, OpenAI GPT, Google Gemini, DeepSeek, and Meta Llama depending on the provider chosen. Translated results appear directly inside the Loco Translate PO editor, ready for review before saving.
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Key Features of EWA AI String Assistant for Loco Translate
Translation Engine
Loco Translate toolbar integration. An AI Translate button is added directly to the Loco Translate PO file editor toolbar, so translation requests can be started from the same screen used to edit strings.
Stable string mapping. Each string is tracked with a fixed entry ID and validated through a strict response format, which keeps translated text correctly matched to its original entry and avoids misalignment in longer files.
Plural form handling. The plugin reads the plural rules defined in the PO file header and requests the exact number of plural variations the target language needs, checking that partial or incomplete sets are filled in correctly.
Context preservation. Gettext context markers are kept intact throughout parsing and translation, so strings that rely on context for correct meaning are not translated ambiguously.
Safety and Efficiency
Placeholder and markup protection. Printf-style specifiers, variable templates, HTML tags, attributes, and entities are checked before and after translation, reducing the risk of broken code or formatting in translated strings.
Selective translation of untranslated strings. Only untranslated entries are processed by default, leaving existing translated strings in the PO file untouched.
Non-translatable string skipping. Strings made up of numbers, URLs, or pure placeholders are filtered out locally before any request is sent, avoiding unnecessary calls to the AI provider.
Atomic file saving and compilation. PO files are written using temporary files and filesystem locking to prevent corruption, and the corresponding binary MO file is compiled automatically afterward.
Monitoring and Providers
Real-time batch progress. During a translation run, the plugin displays elapsed time, the number of strings processed, and token usage so progress on larger files can be tracked as it happens.
Multiple connection options. Translation requests can be routed through the WordPress AI Client, OpenRouter, a local or remote Ollama instance, or a custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint, depending on what the administrator configures.
How to Install EWA AI String Assistant for Loco Translate
Step 1: Install Loco Translate first. Make sure the Loco Translate plugin is installed and activated, since this plugin extends it rather than replacing it.
Step 2: Install EWA AI String Assistant. In the dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New Plugin, search for EWA AI String Assistant for Loco Translate, click Install Now, then Activate.
Step 3: Open the settings page. Navigate to Settings > EWA AI String Assistant to choose a connection mode.
Step 4: Choose a connection mode. Select WordPress AI Client to use the provider configured under Settings > Connectors, or choose Advanced Direct Connection to set up OpenRouter, Ollama, or a custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint with its own credentials.
Step 5: Open a PO file in Loco Translate. Go to Loco Translate > Plugins or Loco Translate > Themes and open a translation file in the editor.
Step 6: Start translating. Click the AI Translate button in the editor toolbar, review the settings shown, and click Start Translation to begin the batch.
Good to Know About EWA AI String Assistant for Loco Translate
According to the plugin’s documentation, an active Loco Translate installation is required, since this plugin only extends its editor. No plugin-level API key is needed when using the WordPress AI Client mode, since credentials are managed through WordPress Core connectors; the Direct Connection mode needs an API key for OpenRouter or commercial OpenAI-compatible endpoints, though local Ollama setups do not.
The developer notes that data is only sent to the configured AI provider when an administrator explicitly starts a translation, tests a connection, or loads a model list, never automatically.
Site owners are advised to keep backups of PO and MO files and to review AI-generated translations for accuracy before publishing, since responsibility for translation quality and any provider billing rests with the site administrator.
Download EWA AI String Assistant for Loco Translate on WordPress.org