How to translate text instantly on any Android phone
Using your phone to translate text is a feature that many of us didn’t know existed, but one that’s actually quite useful.
With global travel becoming a thing again, it’s super handy to be able to use our phone to translate text, whether we’re struggling with a menu in Spanish or a street sign in German.
Luckily, the always-useful Google app has powerful Google Translate technology built into it, so you don’t need to download a separate app to translate things. Even better, the Google app comes pre-installed on most of the best Android phones, so you should be up and running right away.
So, ditch that dusty old phrase book and grab your smartphone while we cover how to translate text with your Android phone.
How to translate text with your android phone
1. Open the Google app, which should already be installed on your device if you have an Android phone or tablet. If it doesn’t, you can download it from Google Play (opens in new tab).
2. Tap the camera icon to the right of the search bar – you may have to accept some permissions that will appear on the screen.
3. To translate text from an image already on your devicesuch as B. a screenshot, just scroll through the images within the app and Tap on the picture you want to translate. Next, Tap Translate In the footer, and the text in the image will be translated into English. You can also change the language that text is translated to by tapping the box at the top.
note: With the exception of the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, your device may need to be online to translate text.
4. To translate text instantly with your camera, Tap Search with your camera then Tap Translate at the bottom. Now, Point your camera at the text you want to translate, and it will translate it into English. You can also change the language that text is translated to by tapping the box at the top.
note: With the exception of the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, your device may need to be online to translate text.
And that’s all there is to it. You’ll find that this feature works well most of the time, although it can produce weird results every now and then — it once translated “spin cycle” on my Chinese washing machine as “Evil noisy Susan” for some downright bizarre but hilarious reason. That means it’s more than adequate when you’re in a bind and need a quick translation.
To get even more out of your Android device, you might also want to try the best Google Assistant commands, connecting USB storage devices to your Android phone, or taking a screenshot on Android.