Taking a cue from the iPhone’s Messages app, Meta is adding message translations to WhatsApp. With this feature, you can directly translate chats in a conversation into a familiar language.
At launch, the translate tool will support over 19 languages on the iPhone.
WhatsApp follows iMessage with its own translation tool
On iPhone, you can translate chats in the Messages app by long-pressing on the text and selecting Translate. You can also replace the text you’ve written with a translation, helping you communicate more effectively. With iOS 26, Apple added Live Translation to the iPhone, enabling automatic translation of all conversations. Plus, it also automatically translates texts you send in the preferred language of the receiver.
Meta is now adding a similar feature to WhatsApp, albeit with certain limitations. Going forward, it can natively translate chats into a language you can understand. You can use the translate tool in direct conversations, group chats, and Channel updates.
When you first use WhatsApp’s translation feature, it downloads the necessary language files. More importantly, all translations happen on-device, with no chat data sent to Meta’s servers, ensuring your privacy stays intact.
No live translate support on iPhone
On Android, WhatsApp will offer automatic translation. Once enabled, the app automatically translates all future messages in a conversation into your preferred language. The feature isn’t available on iPhone, leaving WhatsApp a step behind Apple’s Messages app. However, iPhone users can use the translation option in over 19+ languages, including Chinese, German, Russian, and Japanese.
In comparison, support on Android is limited to six languages: English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic.
While built-in translation support in WhatsApp is a welcome improvement, it’s nowhere as good as the Live Translation feature that Apple rolled out with iOS 26 recently. Besides automatic translation, it can show live translated captions in FaceTime calls on screen.
Rajesh has been closely following and writing about the latest happenings in the world of mobile for nearly a decade now. While he prefers Android, he does not deny the superiority of Apple’s products and ecosystem.
