WhatsApp has introduced a new feature called message translations, aimed at making conversations easier when users exchange texts in different languages.
The feature works across one-to-one chats, group conversations, and channels. To use it, you can long-press a message, tap translate, and then choose the source and target languages. Translations can also be saved for future use. On Android, users will additionally be able to enable automatic translation for an entire chat thread, allowing all incoming messages in that conversation to be translated without repeated manual input.
According to WhatsApp, all translations happen on-device, which means the company itself cannot view the translated content. This approach is designed to ensure privacy while still offering the convenience of real-time translation.
The rollout begins with a limited set of supported languages. Android users will initially have access to English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic. On iPhone, the feature launches with more than 19 supported languages, giving Apple device owners broader coverage at the start. WhatsApp says more languages will be added over time for both platforms.
The addition of message translations highlights WhatsApp’s effort to strengthen its role as a global communication tool, especially in regions where multilingual conversations are common. By keeping translations on-device, the company also avoids the privacy concerns associated with cloud-based translation services.
