After years of requests, WhatsApp has officially introduced a built-in message translation feature for both Android and iPhone users, aiming to break down language barriers in personal chats, groups, and even Channels.

To translate a message, users simply need to long-press on an incoming message, tap the new ‘Translate’ option, and choose the source or target language. Users can also download their most-used languages for quicker offline translations.

Meta confirmed that translations happen on-device rather than on the cloud, giving users stronger privacy protection.

Language availability

iPhone Users: The feature will support translations in 19+ languages at launch.
Android Users: Initially limited to six languages — English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic — with more to follow.

Android gets exclusive thread translations

WhatsApp is giving Android users a bonus feature: thread translations. This allows an entire chat thread to be automatically translated, saving time by eliminating the need to translate messages one by one.

iPhone users, however, will still have to translate individual messages manually.

Until now, WhatsApp users relied on third-party apps like Swift Translate and Todalingua to bridge language gaps. This update eliminates that need, bringing WhatsApp in line with competitors who already offer built-in translation tools.

In a blog post, WhatsApp said:

“We hope this feature helps break down language barriers and allows users to connect more deeply with loved ones and communities around the globe.”