No need to copy and paste into Google Translate. WhatsApp has added a built-in message-translation feature for the chat service.
Previously, WhatsApp users had to rely on third-party services or tools to translate messages written in foreign languages. But now, you can long-press and tap Translate, choose the language you want the message to be translated from or to, and download it to be saved for future translations. “This works for 1:1 chats, groups, and Channel updates too,” WhatsApp says.
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The feature will start rolling out today for both Android and iOS. Currently, Android users can select from six languages: English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic. Meanwhile, iOS users are apparently leveraging Apple’s iOS Translate app to access 19 languages, including Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
WhatsApp parent company Meta also notes that “message translations were designed to protect the privacy of your chats. That’s why translations occur on your device where WhatsApp cannot see them.”
(Credit: PCMag/Michael Kan)
It also explains why, on Android, you need to download a 24MB pack for each supported language to initiate the translations. A spokesperson for WhatsApp confirmed that the app is using Apple’s Translations API on iOS. For Android, WhatsApp is tapping on-device translation support within the app itself.
On Android, we also noticed you had to hit long-press on the individual message, and then go to the three-dot icon in the right-hand corner to find the translation function.
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(Credit: PCMag/Michael Kan)
It can be a bit of a hassle to long-press and translate a message one by one. But in some good news, although the Android version is receiving support for a narrower group of languages, Meta says, “Android users will also be able to choose to turn on automatic translation for an entire chat thread, so that all future incoming messages in that conversation are translated as well.”
Expect more languages to be added over time.
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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