WhatsApp is developing a feature that will automatically translate messages across 21 languages.
The feature is currently under development. It builds on WhatsApp’s existing manual translation tool. At present, users must select individual messages and tap a “Translate” option. The upcoming update will remove this step by enabling automatic translations within chats.
Users will be able to activate the feature from the chat settings, selecting both the source and target languages. Once enabled, incoming messages in the chosen language will be translated automatically, while the original text remains accessible.
To maintain privacy, translations will be processed locally on the device using your phone’s system-level APIs. This ensures that messages remain protected under WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption and are not sent to external servers. Users will need to download language packs to enable offline, instant translations.
The feature will support both individual and group chats. However, in group conversations, automatic translation will only work if all participants are using the same language. Messages in unsupported or mixed languages will not be translated.
Availability may vary depending on the iOS/Android version, as older versions may not support all language packs. Additional language support is expected to expand with future updates.
The automatic translation feature is still in development and will be rolled out to beta testers before a wider release.
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