WhatsApp has just unveiled a highly anticipated feature: Message Translations. This new tool is set to revolutionize global communication on the platform by effortlessly breaking down language barriers and allowing users to chat more easily with people worldwide. The feature enables real-time translation of messages within conversations. For Android users, there’s an option to activate this for an entire chat thread, ensuring all current and future incoming messages are automatically translated.
Understanding WhatsApp’s Message Translations
Officially announced in a recent blog post, WhatsApp’s Message Translations feature is designed to work seamlessly across individual chats, vibrant group conversations, and even public channel updates. This powerful functionality is currently being rolled out to both Android and iOS devices. Android users will find support for six key languages right from the start: English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic.
For iOS users, the platform offers even broader language support at launch, covering more than 19 languages. The process for translating a message is straightforward: simply long-press on the message you wish to translate. A new ‘Translate’ option will appear, allowing you to choose your desired source or target language. Users also have the convenience of downloading language packs for future offline translations.
Furthermore, Android users can opt for automatic translations across an entire chat thread. Once enabled, all subsequent incoming messages in that conversation will be translated automatically, eliminating the need for manual translation. WhatsApp has underscored its commitment to user privacy, stating that the Message Translations feature processes all data on-device. This means the content of your conversations remains private, with WhatsApp itself unable to access or read them.
This new translation capability is part of a series of AI-driven enhancements WhatsApp has rolled out recently. For example, the platform previously introduced a “Writing Help” feature. This tool utilizes advanced AI to offer personalized writing suggestions, enabling users to refine their messages. You can compose a simple draft, and the AI assistant will suggest improvements in tone, style, and overall clarity.
These AI writing tools bear resemblance to the Apple Intelligence-powered Writing Tools available on iPhone and other Apple devices. They also integrate a comprehensive spell-checker, which helps users effortlessly eliminate spelling and grammatical errors from their messages.