WhatsApp introduces in-app message translations
WhatsApp is introducing a new translation feature that allows users to translate messages into their preferred language, the Meta-owned company announced on Tuesday. The update is designed to make cross-language communication easier across chats, groups, and Channel updates.
With the new tool, users can simply long-press a message and tap “Translate” to view the text in a different language. They can also select their preferred languages and download them for offline use.
For Android users, WhatsApp has added an extra convenience: the ability to enable automatic translation for an entire chat thread, ensuring that all incoming messages in that conversation are instantly translated.
Meta emphasized that translations happen directly on users’ devices. Because messages remain end-to-end encrypted, neither WhatsApp nor third parties can access the translated content.
“With more than 3 billion users in over 180 countries, we’re always working to keep our users closely connected, no matter where they are in the world,” WhatsApp noted in its blog post. “But we understand that sometimes language can be a barrier to getting things done or expressing how you truly feel. That’s why we’re excited to bring message translations to WhatsApp, so you can more easily communicate across languages.”
Language Support by Platform
- Android: English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic
- iPhone: Arabic, Dutch, English, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
The rollout begins this week for both Android and iOS, but it remains unclear when the feature will expand to WhatsApp Web or its desktop apps for Windows and Mac.
The update follows a broader industry trend: Apple recently launched live translation in Messages, reflecting growing demand for seamless multilingual communication.
With WhatsApp’s latest feature, billions of users worldwide will now find it easier to stay connected—without language standing in the way.
