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Apple Translate lets you type or speak a phrase, hold a two-person conversation, translate text through the camera, and save useful translations. Download supported languages first to use eligible Translate features offline. iOS 26 also adds Live Translation to Messages, Phone, FaceTime and compatible AirPods, but those features require Apple Intelligence and supported hardware, languages and regions.
What you need before using Translate
- An iPhone with a supported iOS release. The steps below describe iOS 26; labels can differ slightly in other releases.
- The free Apple Translate app. If it is missing, search for it in Spotlight or the App Library, or download it from the App Store.
- An internet connection for downloads and features that need network access. For offline use, download the languages you need in advance.
- Microphone access for speech and conversation features, and camera access for live camera translation.
Apple Intelligence is not needed for the Translate app’s basic text, speech, camera and conversation workflows. It is required for iOS 26 Live Translation features in Messages, Phone, FaceTime and with compatible AirPods. To check it, open Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri and turn on Apple Intelligence if your iPhone, language and region support it. See Apple’s Live Translation requirements.
Translate typed text
- Open Translate.
- Tap the source-language selector and choose the language of your text. Tap the destination-language selector and choose where to translate it.
- Tap Enter text, then type or paste a word or phrase.
- Tap Next on the keyboard or Done to show the translation.
- Tap the play button to hear the translation aloud when audio is available.
Tap the language-swap control to reverse the direction. For a word with several possible meanings, tap it to inspect alternatives or dictionary information. Some translations also offer grammatical gender choices. Tap the Favorites control to save a phrase for later.
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Translate speech
- In Translate, choose the source and destination languages.
- Tap the microphone or listening control and say a short phrase clearly.
- Wait for the recognized text and translation. Tap play to hear the translated phrase when audio is available.
Short sentences are easier to recognize than long explanations. Avoid speaking over another person, and check names, addresses and numbers in the written result. If recognition is poor, try typing the phrase or moving somewhere quieter.
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- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charging cable.
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Have a two-person conversation
- Open Translate and tap Conversation at the bottom.
- Choose the two languages.
- Tap the listening or microphone button and speak. Let the other person respond in their language.
- Read the translated bubbles from both sides; use playback controls to hear a translation aloud when offered.
For a more hands-off exchange, tap More Options → Auto Translate, then start listening. The iPhone tries to detect when each person begins and ends speaking, so you do not need to tap the microphone before every turn. Noise, interruptions, overlapping speech and accents can confuse it.
If both people are looking at the same phone, tap View → Face to Face in Conversation mode. The display presents each language on the appropriate side. Apple documents Conversation mode for downloaded languages when offline or when On-Device Mode is enabled; check your language pair before relying on it.
Translate signs, menus and photos with the camera
- Open Translate and tap Camera.
- Choose the source and destination languages.
- Point the camera at the text and hold the phone steady while it is recognized.
- Read the translated view. Use the available pause or capture controls to inspect the text more closely, or choose a photo from your Photos library to translate text already saved.
Camera recognition works best with clear, well-lit text held roughly straight to the camera. Small or blurry type, glare, shadows, curved surfaces, decorative fonts, handwriting and mixed-language signs can lead to missed or incorrect text. Try improving the lighting or using a sharper photo if recognition fails.
Translate selected text in another app
In a compatible app such as Safari, Messages, Mail or Notes, select the text and tap Translate in the contextual menu. Choose a target language if prompted. Depending on the app and selected content, you may be able to read, copy, replace or share the result; those actions are not available for every selection.
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Download languages for offline use
Download the languages you need while you have internet access, using the language-selection or settings controls in Translate. Check that each download has finished. Then test the exact language pair in Airplane Mode before traveling or relying on a connection-free workflow.
Offline support applies to supported languages and tasks; it does not mean every Translate feature or iOS 26 Live Translation feature works without a connection. Downloads also use device storage. Apple’s iPhone User Guide explains offline translation and conversation options.
Save phrases in Favorites
After translating a phrase, tap the Favorites control. Open Favorites later to review saved translations, and use the available remove control if you no longer need one. Favorites are useful for phrases you expect to reuse, such as asking for directions, explaining an allergy or checking into a hotel. Apple says Favorites can sync across devices signed in to the same Apple Account.
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Live Translation is separate from the basic Translate app workflow. Apple describes these features as using on-device processing, but their availability depends on Apple Intelligence, language, region and compatible hardware. Translation and transcription can still be wrong; check important information. Read Apple’s iOS 26 Live Translation guide for current availability.
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Messages
In a Messages conversation, tap the contact or group icon at the top and choose Translate From or Translate To, or enable automatic translation if offered. Download a language if prompted. To see the original, tap the translation indicator at the bottom; use it to choose Stop Translation when you want to turn the feature off for that conversation. Apple says supported conversations can translate incoming messages, including group messages, and translate a reply as it is typed.
Phone calls
- Start or answer a call, then tap More → Live Translation.
- Choose the caller’s language and your preferred language.
- Tap Start Translation.
Both participants are alerted when translation is active. The iPhone can provide spoken translations and an onscreen transcription.
FaceTime
During a one-to-one FaceTime call, tap the screen to show controls, then tap More and choose Live Captions or the relevant Live Translation control shown on your device. Translated captions appear onscreen when supported.
Nearby conversations with AirPods
Apple’s cited compatibility guide lists AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3, paired with an iPhone 15 Pro or later, with Apple Intelligence enabled and current AirPods firmware. Apple says AirPods Live Translation is unavailable in the European Union; language and other regional restrictions may also apply. If your setup qualifies, connect and wear the AirPods, open Translate, tap Live, and select the conversation languages if prompted. Do not assume other AirPods models or iPhones support it.
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Which languages does Translate support?
Apple’s U.S. App Store listing for the general Translate app currently lists Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese. Availability can change by iOS version or region, and this list is for the general app—not a promise that every language pair works in every mode. Apple Intelligence Live Translation can have a different language set. Check the selectors on your iPhone and Apple’s current requirements before depending on a particular pair.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting
Translate is missing
Search for Translate in Spotlight or the App Library. If it is not installed, get it from the App Store.
A language or translation option is missing
Check both language selectors and make sure the iPhone is updated. The general Translate app and Apple Intelligence Live Translation do not necessarily support the same languages, pairs or regions.
Offline translation does not work
Download both languages, wait for the downloads to finish, and test the needed task in Airplane Mode. A language download does not guarantee that every feature—especially Live Translation—will work offline.
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The microphone does not respond
Open Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and allow Translate to use the microphone. Check whether another app is using it, disconnect a Bluetooth accessory if it is interfering, and try again in a quieter place with shorter phrases.
Camera text is not recognized
Clean the lens, improve lighting, reduce glare and hold the phone steady and more parallel to the text. If live recognition still struggles, try a clearer saved photo from Photos.
Live Translation is missing
Check that iOS 26 is installed, Apple Intelligence is available for your iPhone, language and region, and Apple Intelligence is turned on. Download requested languages. For AirPods, confirm the listed model, an iPhone 15 Pro or later, current firmware and regional availability.
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Try a shorter phrase, state the subject explicitly, type instead of speaking, or inspect alternate meanings for an ambiguous word. Have a fluent speaker verify anything consequential. Do not rely on a machine translation as the sole authority for medical directions, legal documents, financial transactions, immigration paperwork or safety instructions.
Is Apple Translate accurate enough?
It is useful for everyday phrases, basic comprehension and getting through routine travel exchanges, but results vary with the language pair, accent, noise, sentence complexity and text quality. Camera translation can misread the source before it even translates it, and automatic conversation mode can misattribute speech in a noisy exchange. Treat the result as a helpful aid, not a certified interpretation.
Apple lists the app as free and it brings text, speech, camera, conversations and saved phrases together on iPhone. The practical preparation is simple: verify your language pair, grant the permissions you need, download languages before going offline, and check high-stakes translations with a qualified person.
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