WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Meta, announced through its official blog the launch of a new tool to translate messages within the platform. This feature will allow users to communicate beyond language barriers by simply pressing a message and selecting the “Translate” option.
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“With more than 3 billion users in over 180 countries, we constantly work to keep our users closely connected, no matter where they are in the world. However, we know that sometimes language can be a barrier to accomplishing tasks or expressing what you really feel. That’s why we are pleased to introduce message translation to WhatsApp so you can communicate more easily in different languages,” the company stated.
How does this new translation tool work?
The new feature allows you to translate any message received in a foreign language within an individual chat, group chat, or channel updates. To use it, users simply need to long-press the message, tap “Translate,” and select the desired language. This option also allows you to download and save translations for future reference, which is useful for ongoing conversations with speakers of other languages.
A highlighted advantage is the ability for Android users to enable automatic translation of an entire conversation. This means all incoming messages in that chat will be automatically translated without needing to manually translate message by message.
What languages are currently available?
Initially, the feature will roll out gradually for both Android and iPhone users, with a limited selection of languages, although Meta has already indicated that more will be added soon.
- On Android, the feature will be available in six languages: English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic.
- On iPhone, it will be available from the start in more than 19 languages.
This is the list of languages compatible with the translation feature on iPhone:
- Arabic
- Dutch (Netherlands)
- English (UK)
- English (US)
- French (France)
- German (Germany)
- Hindi
- Indonesian
- Italian (Italy)
- Japanese
- Korean
- Mandarin Chinese (Mainland China)
- Mandarin Chinese (Taiwan)
- Polish
- Portuguese (Brazil)
- Russian
- Spanish (Spain)
- Thai
- Turkish
- Ukrainian
- Vietnamese
How does WhatsApp protect privacy with this feature?
One aspect that WhatsApp emphasized in its announcement is privacy. Translations are not processed in the cloud or on external servers. “Message translations were designed to protect the privacy of your chats. That’s why translations happen on your device, where WhatsApp cannot see them,” the company stated.
This aligns with WhatsApp’s philosophy around end-to-end encryption and the handling of user data, which continues to be a priority amid increasing criticism and stricter regulations in various countries, especially in Europe.
Why is this feature so relevant for Meta?
This new functionality strengthens Meta’s ecosystem, which already owns some of the most widely used social platforms on the planet. According to Statista’s report, Meta has four apps with more than one billion monthly active users: Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.
Specifically, WhatsApp has 3.3 billion unique active users worldwide, making it the most used messaging app on the planet. Its market penetration is especially strong outside the United States, with usage levels exceeding 90% in countries like Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and South Africa.
