WhatsApp has kicked off the rollout of its much-awaited chat and channel translation feature, starting with selected Android users enrolled in the app’s beta programme. The feature, spotted in version 2.25.12.25, offers real-time translations directly within the app.
Initially supporting Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Hindi, and Russian, the tool allows users to translate messages without needing an internet connection. This is possible thanks to on-device processing, which maintains user privacy while ensuring seamless functionality.
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To use the new translation feature, users must first install relevant language packs. Once set up, they can enable automatic translation for individual or group chats through the chat settings. There’s also an option to translate messages manually by long-pressing them and tapping “Translate”.
While the on-device translations may lack the accuracy of cloud-based services, WhatsApp is encouraging beta users to provide feedback to improve the system. Meta has emphasized that feedback will be collected without transmitting message content.
The broader rollout is expected soon, bringing the new feature to more users worldwide.
