New York: In a significant stride toward global digital communication, WhatsApp has unveiled a new feature that allows users to translate messages directly within the app, eliminating the need for third-party translation tools. This innovation aims to make cross-lingual conversations seamless, faster, and more convenient for the platform’s over three billion users worldwide.
The feature is designed with simplicity in mind. Users can press and hold any message in a chat to reveal a translation option. Once selected, they can choose the source and target languages, with the ability to save these preferences for future chats. This functionality is available across individual chats, group conversations, and channel updates, ensuring broad accessibility.
For Android users, WhatsApp offers an additional option: automatic translation of entire chat threads. Once enabled, all incoming messages in a different language are translated instantly, streamlining communication without extra steps. Currently, iPhone users can translate messages in over 19 languages, while Android users have access to six major languages, including English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic.
WhatsApp officials emphasize that the feature is designed with privacy at its core. All translations are processed locally on users’ devices, meaning the platform itself does not access or store any message content. This approach allows users to communicate freely across languages while maintaining the highest standards of security and confidentiality.
While the new feature marks a major milestone, WhatsApp has not yet announced plans to bring message translation to its web platform or desktop apps for Windows and Mac. The company is reportedly planning to expand the language options in the coming months, further enhancing the global utility of the app.
This in-app translation tool represents a major leap forward for digital connectivity, enabling WhatsApp users across 180 countries to converse without language constraints. By integrating translation directly into its platform, WhatsApp is poised to strengthen its role as a truly global communication hub, fostering smoother interaction among people from diverse linguistic backgrounds.