WhatsApp’s latest iOS update is making cross-language chatting much easier. The app now includes a built-in message translation tool, allowing iPhone users to instantly translate chats without switching to another app or browser. The feature, rolling out with version 25.28.74, supports 21 languages and brings iOS users up to speed with a similar update Android received earlier this fall.
With the new tool, you can translate any message directly inside a chat by pressing and holding the text, tapping More, and selecting Translate. The first time you use it, WhatsApp prompts you to pick your source and target languages and download the necessary language pack. After that, translations happen instantly — and once the packs are stored on your device, the feature works even offline.
You can manage your downloaded languages anytime under Settings > Translate > Downloaded Languages, making it easy to switch between multiple options depending on who you’re chatting with. The translations appear seamlessly in the conversation, maintaining the app’s clean layout without interrupting the chat flow.
The feature currently supports 21 languages, including Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Dutch, English (US and UK), French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
Meta confirmed that translations are available in both individual and group chats and can be applied to messages you send or receive. However, the tool doesn’t work with media elements such as stickers, GIFs, shared contacts, or documents.
To get started, users will need a Wi-Fi or mobile data connection to download the initial language packs and sufficient storage on their device. After setup, translations run locally, combining WhatsApp’s in-app capabilities with Apple’s on-device processing for faster and more private results.
This new translation tool builds on WhatsApp’s growing suite of productivity and AI-powered features. It follows recent additions like AI-based message summarization and smart reply suggestions, all part of Meta’s broader effort to make WhatsApp a more useful, globally connected communication platform.
The rollout for iOS is already underway and will reach all iPhone users in the coming weeks. For anyone juggling multilingual conversations — from international families to remote teams — this update makes WhatsApp an even more practical and inclusive space for everyday communication.
