Meta Platforms Inc., owner of WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, has rolled out a global message translation feature on WhatsApp, aiming to simplify communication for its more than 3 billion users.
The new tool lets users translate messages directly inside chats, ensuring conversations remain private.
Users can now long-press a message, tap Translate, and select their preferred language for instant conversion. The capability functions across one-on-one chats, group conversations, and Channel updates, widening accessibility in diverse contexts.
On Android devices, users can enable automatic translation for entire chat threads, allowing seamless real-time communication. For iPhone users, the rollout is broader, offering support for over 19 languages from the outset, compared with six for Android: English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic.
Meta stressed that translations are handled locally on the device, keeping WhatsApp blind to the content being converted. This design choice aligns with its commitment to end-to-end encryption and data protection, a critical pillar of user trust.
WhatsApp is used across more than 180 countries, making translation tools a significant step toward fostering inclusivity. Meta said the feature aims to help users communicate more freely across linguistic divides, enhancing the app’s role as a global communication hub.
This rollout comes months after WhatsApp introduced monetization tools in its Updates tab, including Channel Subscriptions, Promoted Channels, and Ads in Status. With over 1.5 billion people using Updates daily, Meta sees a growing opportunity to expand WhatsApp’s business model beyond basic messaging.
The addition of translations highlights Meta’s intent to position WhatsApp as more than a chat service, evolving it into an ecosystem for social, business, and creator engagement.
As language barriers dissolve, the platform could deepen its penetration in multilingual regions, strengthening user loyalty.
