WhatsApp has begun rolling out a new feature that lets users translate messages inside the app – part of an effort to make cross-language communication easier for its more than three billion users worldwide.
Users who receive a message in a language they don’t understand can now long-press and select “Translate”. The app will then display the message in their chosen language. The translation can be saved for future use, and the tool works in one-to-one chats, group conversations and Channel updates.
On Android, users will also have the option to enable automatic translations for entire chat threads, ensuring all future incoming messages in that conversation are translated by default.
Meta, which owns WhatsApp, said the translations happen directly on the user’s device, meaning the company itself cannot see the content of the chats.
The feature is being introduced gradually. Android users will initially get access in six languages – English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian and Arabic. On iOS, the tool is debuting in more than 19 languages. No South African-specific languages are supported at this stage.
WhatsApp said it expects the new feature to help reduce communication barriers and allow users to connect more meaningfully across borders. — (c) 2025 NewsCentral Media
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