- WhatsApp message translations let users instantly translate messages in one-on-one chats, group conversations, and Channels, making cross-language communication easier.
- All translations happen directly on users’ devices, ensuring WhatsApp message translations remain secure and private without Meta accessing the content.
- The feature is being rolled out gradually on Android and iPhone, starting with select languages and expanding over time to cover more regions globally.
Meta has launched WhatsApp message translations feature to make it easier for people who speak different languages to communicate. The update is meant to improve global connections and remove language barriers in chats. The new feature is now rolling out to its more than three billion users. The translation tool works directly within personal and group chats, as well as on channel updates.
How WhatsApp message translations work?
With over three billion users in more than 180 countries, WhatsApp is one of the world’s most used messaging apps. To help users who speak different languages connect globally, a new message translation feature has been added. This update allows people to translate messages instantly within chats, groups, and channels, removing a major communication challenge.
According to WhatsApp, users can now long-press any message in a foreign language and tap “Translate” to see the text in their preferred language. They can select which languages to translate to and from, and even save downloaded language packs for quicker offline translations in the future.
Automatic chat translation for Android
For Android users, a major addition is the ability to enable automatic translation for an entire chat. By turning this feature on, all new messages in that conversation will be translated automatically, so users don’t have to translate each message one by one.
For iPhone users, message translation is currently available on a per-message basis. However, the company is working to improve the feature across all devices.
Privacy-focused design
WhatsApp states that the translation process happens on users’ devices, so the platform does not access or save the translated content. This aligns with WhatsApp’s dedication to privacy and security, which includes end-to-end encryption for all messages and calls.
AI features make messaging smarter
This new feature follows updates to improve communication and productivity on WhatsApp. Recent additions include Writing Help, which suggests clearer phrasing, and AI-powered Message Summaries, which recap long chats. Together, these updates make WhatsApp more accessible for global users with diverse needs.
Rollout and language availability
The message translations feature began rolling out on September 23, and is being introduced gradually to both Android and iPhone users.
- Android users currently have access to six languages, English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic.
- iPhone users are getting the feature in more than 19 languages, including Arabic, Dutch, English (U.K. and U.S.), French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
Meta confirmed that additional languages will be added over time as the rollout expands globally.
