Communicating with others without a common language can be difficult. Social media doesn't make it any easier. The good news is that WhatsApp has rolled out a new in-app translation feature for iPhone users, with the social media platform now supporting 19 languages and variations.
Translate messages on WhatsApp
WhatsApp offers more options, 19 languages, than Apple's default features. While WhatsApp's in-app translation feature works with one-on-one chats, groups, and channel updates, it doesn't work with GIFs , stickers, locations, shared contacts, or documents.
To translate messages, make sure you're using the latest version of WhatsApp for iOS. First, check for updates on the App Store by going to App Store -> Profile icon -> WhatsApp .
To translate, tap and hold the message you want to translate. The app will split the text and give you some options.
Tap More . Select the Translate option and choose the language you want.
Supported languages include Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified), Chinese (Mandarin, Traditional), Dutch, English (UK), English (US), French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
The in-app translation feature automatically detects the original language of the message you selected. Even if the text has been edited, you can keep the new text and translate it.
Manage language packs
When you select your source and target languages for the first time, WhatsApp will prompt you to download language packs directly to your device.
To manage these packages, go to Settings on your iPhone, tap the search bar, and type Translate .
Select Downloaded Languages to view and manage your archived packages. You can also download additional languages.
Note that download speeds depend on your internet connection. If your connection is slow, the language packs will also download slowly. Using a Wi-Fi connection seems to help shorten download times.
Make the most of On-Device Mode
Once installed, language packs allow you to translate without Wi-Fi or a cellular connection. Your iPhone handles the translation process itself. Go to Settings -> Translate -> Downloaded Languages on your iPhone, then download any languages you want first.
To ensure all your downloaded packages work offline, enable On-Device Mode .
Note : On-device translations are less accurate than online translations. Using offline translations may be more appropriate for understanding the general meaning of the message than online translations.
The in-app translation feature is the only way to translate messages in WhatsApp, as Meta doesn't integrate Apple's built-in system features. Since Meta doesn't support Apple Intelligence, you can use Meta AI to summarize long conversations or proofread messages.