WhatsApp Introduces On-Device Message Translation for iOS and Android WhatsApp has begun rolling out a new built-in message translation feature for its users on both iOS and Android. This update allows users to seamlessly convert messages into different languages directly within their chats, enhancing communication across language barriers. The rollout differs slightly between the two major mobile platforms. For Android users, translation is initially available between six core languages: English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic. iPhone users, however, get a much broader selection from the start, with support for translation between all the languages available in Apple’s native Translate app. This extensive list includes nearly twenty languages such as Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. Using the feature is straightforward. To translate a message, a user simply needs to long-press on the text bubble, tap the Translate option from the menu that appears, and then select the desired language for the translation. Android users receive an additional convenience with the ability to enable automatic translation for an entire conversation, meaning messages will be translated instantly without any manual input. A key highlight of this new feature is its focus on user privacy. All translation processes occur directly on the user’s device. This means the messages are not sent to WhatsApp or Meta servers for processing. This approach ensures that the end-to-end encryption protecting chats remains intact, and the content of private conversations stays secure. To facilitate these on-device translations, the necessary language packs will be downloaded to the phone when needed. The translation capability works across various chat types, including one-on-one conversations, group chats, and updates from Channels. WhatsApp has indicated that support for more languages will be added over time. There is currently no information on if or when this translation functionality will be extended to the WhatsApp Web client or the desktop app for Windows. The company notes that the feature is being released gradually and may not be immediately available to all users on supported devices. They recommend keeping the WhatsApp application updated to receive the feature as soon as it becomes available for an individual account. This integration positions WhatsApp as a more powerful tool for global communication, allowing friends, family, and colleagues who speak different languages to interact more easily without leaving the app.
