How to Use WhatsApp’s Built-In Message Translator on iPhone and Android

WhatsApp just added a feature that’s actually useful if you often talk to people who don’t speak the same language as you. It’s called Message Translations, and it’s now rolling out on both Android and iPhone.

Think of it as a built-in translator for your chats—whether you’re in a group, a private conversation, or following updates in a Channel.

Breaking Down the Language Barrier

Until now, if you got a text in another language, your options were clunky: copy-paste it into Google Translate or hope you understood the gist from context. Now, you don’t need to leave the app. WhatsApp has added a “Translate” button that shows up when you long-press a message. From there, you can pick which language you want it translated into.

On iPhone, this works across more than 19 languages right at launch. Android users are starting with six: English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic. Meta says more languages will be added gradually.

How to Turn On Automatic Translations

If you’re on Android, you can also go a step further: turn on automatic translations for a whole chat. That means every new message you get in that conversation will be translated instantly—no extra tapping required. This can be handy if you’re in a multilingual group or chatting with a family member who prefers their own language.

To enable it:

1. Open the chat you want.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the corner.
3. Look for the translation option and toggle on automatic translations.

Once set, all future messages in that thread will come through in your chosen language.

Privacy Still Intact

Naturally, the first question people ask is: Does this mean WhatsApp is reading my chats? According to the company, the answer is no. The translations happen on your device itself. That means even WhatsApp doesn’t see your messages—it’s all processed locally.

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