Translator for Android help and FAQs
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How do I enable the microphone or camera in the Microsoft Translator app?
The Microsoft Translator app requires user permission to access your device’s microphone or camera. Go to your device ‘settings’ and look for the Translator app to enable access for your device.
How long does the microphone stay on in auto-mode speech translation?
The maximum duration for each speaker is 20 seconds.
How to change the languages in the Phrasebook
- Open the app and tap the book icon at the bottom of the screen. That is the Phrasebook icon.
- Tap one of the phrasebooks e.g. Essentials
- At the bottom of the screen select your from-language and to-language
- All phrases will now be in the from- and to-languages that you have selected.
How to delete or remove an offline language pack
- Open the app, then go to the settings menu. Tap the 3 dots at the top right of your screen.
- Tap Offline Languages
- Tap-and-hold the language pack you would like to delete, and delete it.
How to delete translations from your history
To delete translations one at a time:
- Tap the clock icon at the bottom left of your screen
- Tap-and-hold the translation you would like to delete. A check mark will appear. Select all the translations you’d like to delete.
- Tap the garbage can icon to delete the selected translations.
How to download languages for offline use
Language packs can be downloaded over WiFi or a data connection. Data connection rates will apply.
- Open the app, and tap the three dots at the top right of your screen
- Tap Offline Languages
- Select the language you would like to download for offline use
- Download the language using a WiFi or data connection. Check the box if you want to use WiFi, and tap OK.
- The language has been downloaded when you see the language at the top of the list and has a checkmark next to it.
How to save a translation
You can save your translations by tapping the “pin” icon below each translation. Here’s how to save a translation:
- Choose the keyboard, camera, or microphone to translate text, a photo, or speech.
- After your translation appears, you will see a pin icon. Tap that icon to save the translation.
- To view all of your saved translations, tap the clock icon on the Home screen.
- You will see Recent and Pinned. Tap Pinned to view your saved translations.
- the pinned translations please do the following:
- Tap the clock icon at the bottom left of your screen
- Tap Pinned at the top right of your screen
How to send a translation as a text message
To send a translation as a text message please follow the steps below.
- After you have translated a text tap the message icon.
- Enter the phone number of the recipient you want to send the message to or tap the picture of the contact list to find all your contacts and choose the one you want to use.
- Tap DONE at the top of the page and tap SEND and your text message will be sent.
How to slow down the audio of translations
When you listen to a translation the text is pronounced in a variety of speeds.
- If you tap the speaker icon once, it will play at a normal speed.
- If you tap the icon again, the pronunciation will slow down to half the speed.
- If you tap the speaker icon for a third time, the pronunciation will be even slower.
How to translate a text message using SwiftKey
- Download or update the SwiftKey Keyboard from the Play Store
- Tap Open
- Follow the steps on your screen to enable the SwiftKey Keyboard on your device and to add the languages you use as well
- Open the app you want to use such as Facebook (Messenger), WhatsApp, or text messaging
- Tap the + sign at the top of your keyboard
- Scroll to the right and tap the Translator logo
- Tap ‘I agree’ to allow Microsoft to translate your messages
- Select the from-language and the to-language
- Start typing to display instantly translated messages.
How to translate a webpage using Microsoft Translator
Installing Translator for Android from the store also includes the webpage translation feature. Just highlight the webpage or passage in a webpage and open the “More” options menu (the three dots to the right). From the list that appears, choose “Translator”.
How to translate an email using Outlook for Android
- Tap-and-hold the text you would like to translate and use the handles to select the entire text.
- Tap the 3 dots in the box that appears
- Tap “Translator”
- Tap to select the to-language and the translation will appear
On a tablet or laptop
The quickest way to translate the occasional email is to copy and paste the text in https://www.bing.com/translator
If you translate emails on a regular basis, install the Translator for Outlook add-in.
How to translate conversations with more than two people using the multi-device conversation feature
How to start a multi-device conversation:
- Open the app and tap the multi-person conversation feature icon. In the Windows app, click the Conversation tab.
- Tap Start or Start conversation
- Enter your name and your language, and tap Enter
- A QR code or conversation code will display where people can scan the code using their device or manually enter the conversation code to join the conversation.
How to join a multi-device conversation:
- Open the app and tap the multi-person conversation feature icon. In the Windows app, click the Conversation tab.
- Join a conversation by entering the conversation code or scanning the conversation’s QR code. The person who started the conversation will be able to share this with you.
- Choose a language and enter the conversation.
- Join the discussion by pressing the microphone icon and speaking, or by typing directly into the text box. Translator automatically translates all comments into the user’s language — even if other users are speaking in a different language.
- Please note that you will not be able to speak or type from your device if the Host mutes all participants. Once you’re unmuted, you will be able to speak/type.
How to translate conversations with two people using the Split-Screen feature
For in-person conversations with another person, you can use the Microsoft Translator split-screen feature to translate your conversation using a single device.
- Tap the Microphone icon
- Tap the from-language and select your language
- Tap the to-language and select the language of the person you are going to have a conversation with. Currently, we support 11 speech languages.
- Tap the icon with 2 microphones
- Press and hold the microphone icon and say the sentence you want to translate
- Let go of the microphone icon
- The translation will be pronounced.
How to translate messages in your apps such as text, WhatsApp and Facebook
You can translate incoming and outgoing messages in any of your apps using SwiftKey.
To do this take the following steps:
- Download or update the SwiftKey Keyboard from the Play Store
- Tap Open
- Follow the steps on your screen to enable the SwiftKey Keyboard on your device and to add the languages you use as well
- Open the app you want to use such as Facebook (Messenger), WhatsApp, or text messaging
- Tap the + sign at the top of your keyboard
- Scroll to the right and tap the Translator logo
- Tap ‘I agree’ to allow Microsoft to translate your messages
- Select the from-language and the to-language
- Start typing to display the translation of your message instantly.
- Learn more about SwiftKey and Translator here.
How to translate speech
Microsoft Translator can translate your voice and spoken sentences.
- Tap the Microphone icon
- Tap the from-language and select your spoken language. Currently Microsoft Translator supports 11 speech languages. See if your language is supported by visiting the Languages page.
- Tap the to-language and select the language you want to translate to.
- Press and hold the microphone icon and start speaking.
- Let go of the microphone icon
- The translation will appear.
How to translate text
- Tap the keyboard icon
- Select the “from” language in the left drop-down menu
- Select the “to” language in the right drop-down menu
- Tap in the field at the top of your screen and type your sentence.
How to translate while using WhatsApp
- Find the WhatsApp message you want to translate
- Tap-and-hold the text
- Tap Copy
- Go to the Microsoft Translator app and tap the keyboard
- Select the languages you want to translate from and translate to
- Tap-and-hold on “Type to Translate”
- Tap Paste and your text will appear
To send a translation via WhatsApp:
- Go to the Microsoft Translator app and tap the keyboard
- Translate the text you want to send
- Tap the share icon (It’s icon with 3 dots and two lines connecting
- them)
- Tap the WhatsApp icon
- Select the person you want to send the message to
- Tap Send
How to use auto-correct in the language you are translating from
Not every Android device is the same. Below are the instructions for a Samsung device:
- Go to Settings
- Swipe from right to left 3 times to reach the System tab.
- Tap Language and input
- Tap Samsung keyboard
- Tap + Add input languages
- Turn on the language(s) of your choice
- Now, you will notice that the Translator app offers multiple languages in the space bar. When you swipe on the space bar in text translations you can choose the language.
How to use copy and paste with Translator
To be able to use a translation in another application or to translate a text from another app you can use copy and paste.
The easiest way to do this is to tap-and-hold your finger on the translated text and a message will appear that the translation is copied.
Then go to where you would like to paste the text. Tap-and-hold your finger on where you want to paste the text and the option to paste the text appears.
How to use Microsoft Translator when you are offline
When you are offline and would like to translate please do the following.
- Tap Microsoft Translator
- Tap keyboard
- Tap the from-language. This is the language on the left side of the arrow.
- Tap the languages you would like to translate while offline.
- Tap the checkmark icon
- Tap to enter text
- Type the text you would like to translate
How to use the camera feature
Camera translations work best when the camera is level, and there is contrast between the text and the background.
- Tap the camera icon
- Choose the from-language and the to-language. Check our Languages page to ensure we support the language you are translating from.
- Choose the Photos thumbnail, and select a photo or image with text that you would like to translate, or
- Point the camera to the text you would like to translate, and tap the camera icon.
How to use Translator while offline (with no WiFi or data connection)
If you download offline languages packs, text translation features are available offline when there is no data connection or WiFi. You must first download the languages you would like to translate from and translate to if you are to use the offline translation capabilities.
Here’s a list of features offered while offline:
- Text translation: Tap the keyboard and translate text.
- Camera feature: Snap a photo or upload a photo from your photo gallery to translate the text within the photo.
- Phrasebooks and pinned translations are available offline
Speech conversations using the live conversation feature, and short-form translations using the single microphone and split-screen microphone feature are currently not available while offline.
Profanity Filter: Translating profanities
In your settings you will find the option to turn on/off the profanity filter in the app. This should help in translating profanities. Please also know that the app will translate the phrase literally.
- Open Microsoft Translator
- Tap the 3 dots at the top right of your screen
- Tap Settings
- Tick the box next to “Translate profane words in speech”
Saving and sharing camera translations
After a camera translation has been completed, you have the option to copy the translated text by tapping on the copy icon at the bottom right of your screen. Once copied, you can save or share the translated text through messaging apps, email, social media, etc.
Translator Dictionary
When you translate a single word, you can look up other translations for the same word in the dictionary (where available).
- Tap the keyboard icon
- Choose a from-language and a to-language
- Type one word and tap Enter
- The translation appears, and you’ll see the dictionary icon all the way to the right of the list of icons.
- When you tap the dictionary, you’ll find other meanings of the same word.
What features are available for offline use?
Check out our list of features for each language, including offline language packs.
- Visit our Languages page
- Select a language from the drop-down list of Languages
- You will see the available features for each language. If an offline language pack is available, it will be listed under “Supported”.
Where do I find transliterated text?
Transliteration, or writing words in the corresponding letters of a different alphabet, can be seen by swiping left on the translated text. E.g. Once you have translated into Chinese you can swipe left, and you will find Pinyin.
Additional info: Simplified Chinese
Transliteration, or writing words in the corresponding letters of a different alphabet, is available for Simplified Chinese in the Translator apps for Android and iOS to help non-Chinese speakers read Chinese characters.
Although Simplified Chinese is used throughout mainland China as a writing system, the way these characters are pronounced may differ significantly in various regions of the nation. For instance, in the area around Guangzhou and Hong Kong the majority of the population speaks Cantonese whereas in the area around Beijing the majority of the population speaks Mandarin. Both regions use Simplified Chinese as a writing system.
The version of transliteration used in the Microsoft Translator apps is known as PinYin, which is based on Mandarin pronunciation of Simplified Chinese.
Why can’t I download offline packs?
- Cancel the current download of languages:
- Tap on the language that is currently downloading
- Select YES
- Make sure your device is not in battery saving mode
- Restart your phone or PC by turning it on and off.
- Download the language again.
Why is offline translation not working?
- Offline language packs work in Text and Camera Translations only. They will not work in Voice or Conversation mode.
- Check if the languages you want to translate from and to have been downloaded for offline use.
- Tap the three dots
- Select “Offline languages”
- Offline language packs will appear at the top of the screen, with a green check mark next to it.
- You will need to download both the from-language and the to-language for offline use.
- If both your languages are downloaded and you still cannot translate while offline, try switching to airplane mode. Please let us know if the above works.
Can I change the voice of the audio playback?
For some languages, audio playback is available. When available, you may be given the option to change the voice used to hear the speech translation:
- Tap the name of the target language to open the language picker.
- Tap the voice icon of a target language to see the voice options available.
- Under “Voice for Translation Playback”, tap the arrow to view available voice options.
If I give consent to contribute voice clips to Microsoft, is my data collected while using Conversations feature?
No, we don’t collect any data while using the Conversations feature.
What data is collected if I give consent to contribute voice clips from my device to Microsoft?
Voice clips of 20 seconds are collected by the Microsoft’s Speech service, please check this page for more details.
Troubleshooting speech translations
- Check the Languages page to see if a language supports speech functionality.
- Speech translation feature works only while online.
- Speak clearly, ideally without background noise.
- Translator better recognizes speakers of the languages’ native tongue.
- Translator works best when translating full sentences.
Why can’t I listen to the audio of a translation?
Some languages have text to speech audio output, allowing you to hear the translated text by tapping the speaker icon. Languages that have text-to-speech capabilities will be represented by a speaker icon below the translation. Please find the list of languages that support text to speech on our Languages page.
I’m giving a presentation or a lecture. What settings should I use?
Turn on the Presenter mode toggle in the multi-device conversation feature Settings pane while giving a presentation. This will unmute your microphone for the duration of the presentation.
If you are the conversation host, turning on Presenter mode will also mute other participants to prevent interruptions during the presentation.
What languages are supported by Microsoft Translator?
View our list of languages supported for both speech and text translation.
What’s the difference between starting a conversation and joining a conversation?
By starting a conversation: a user creates a new conversation with a unique code which can be shared with others. Other participants can use this code to enter the conversation in the language of their choice.
By joining a conversation: a user inputs a conversation code to join an ongoing conversation with one or more people in it.
Translating audio from movies, video clips, or external media
The Microsoft Translator app does not support translation of external media sources or files, such as movies or video clips.
Why am I unable to speak in the conversation?
Troubleshoot in the following order:
- Make sure your language is listed as a speech-supported language in the drop down list. Check out our language list here.
- Are you on iOS using Safari on iPhone or iPad? If so, there are technical limitations on these devices that inhibits websites from accessing their microphones. If you’re on an iPhone or iPad using the Safari browser, you won’t be able to use our speech features, even if a speech-supported language is selected.
If your speech language is supported, and you’re not using Safari on iPhone or iPad:
- Confirm you clicked yes when your device or browser asked for microphone access to use Translator. Without the permission to access your microphone, you won’t be able to use our speech features.
- Verify you haven’t been muted by the host of the conversation. If the host is giving a presentation or wants to prevent interruptions, they might have muted participants from speaking.
Translation mistakes
The translation system is constantly learning, making corrections, and improving its output. In some instances, it can create errors, especially when the phrase lacks context. Visit our machine translation page to learn more about how it works.
To report obvious translation errors, send us feedback and include:
- the ‘from’ language text input
- the ‘to’ language text translation output
- the expected translation output
Is the Microsoft Translator app free?
The Microsoft Translator App is free of charge.
If you’re interested in using the Microsoft Translator API for business, visit our business site.
I’m trying to enter a conversation using the five-letter code. Why do I see the “invalid conversation code” error?
Troubleshoot in the following order:
- Did the host of the conversation lock new participants from joining? If so, this is the message that will appear on screen.
- If the host has not locked out new participants:
- Make sure the five-letter code you entered is correct.
- Verify the conversation is still active. A conversation ceases to exist when the conversation host ends the conversation or if there are no participants active in the conversation.
Speech translation languages: what is available for which feature?
Visit our languages page for complete list of languages and features in the app.
Why do I need to use a headset to use this product?
A headset provides a close-talking microphone that produces a higher quality of recognition for the user’s speech and is less likely to pick up noise from your environment.
Using a headset, a lapel microphone or a bluetooth microphone will result in the best quality of speech recognition and therefore have improved translations compared to a laptop or a PC’s default microphone.
Why do I repeatedly see “disconnected” messages while in a conversation?
Users will often see “disconnected” messages on account of poor internet connectivity. If you are repeatedly seeing “disconnected” messages while in a conversation, try switching to a different internet network or try switching from a cellular network to WiFi to resolve the issue.
Can't find your issue? Contact us.
