During the iPhone 17 event, Apple unveiled the latest AirPods Pro 3 earbuds featuring Live Translation capability. Anticipated for several months, this functionality is available not just for Apple’s newest earbuds, but also for owners of AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 equipped with iOS 26.
Although Apple states that Live Translation operates more fluidly if both participants in a conversation wear AirPods, it is feasible for you to be the sole user, allowing you to display your iPhone so the other individual can comprehend your words in your own language.
To date, reviewers have lauded this feature as one of the top offerings in the market. Apple employs its Apple Intelligence platform to facilitate AirPods Live Translation, ensuring that everything is processed locally and remains on your device. Here’s all you need to know regarding the new AirPods Live Translation feature, the supported languages, and how to optimize its use.
Prerequisites and detailed instructions
To utilize the AirPods Live Translation feature, users must possess an iPhone 15 Pro or later and AirPods featuring the H2 chip, which encompass AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Pro 3. Furthermore, they must not have their Apple Account configured for a European country, as Apple faces ongoing challenges with the European Commission and the Digital Markets Act, which has resulted in delayed features for UK customers.
Currently, users can translate seamlessly between these languages: English (U.S. and UK), French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain). With the iOS 26.1 beta, Apple is planning to introduce additional languages such as Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional). With that knowledge, follow the steps outlined below:
– Ensure your iPhone is updated to the latest iOS version and that your AirPods are running the most recent firmware.
– Place your AirPods in your ears and press and hold both stems until a sound is heard.
– Siri will then announce: “To use Live Translation with your AirPods, you’ll need to download languages on your iPhone.”
– You can tap the Notification or navigate to Settings, AirPods Translation (Beta), and download your desired languages.
Apple may bring Live Translation to the mainstream
While numerous smart AR glasses and earbuds are available that claim similar capabilities using OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Apple is utilizing its own models to guarantee smooth translation. Notably, right after the speaker ceases talking, Siri will intervene and begin translating their words.
If they are not using AirPods, you can access Apple’s Translate app. As you communicate, the iPhone will render your speech into their language, allowing them to keep up with the discussion. Apple affirms that all processing occurs on your iPhone, which contributes to the rapid translation.
Additionally, since Apple is also extending this capability to AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, most users will not need to purchase new hardware to benefit from this feature (provided they have an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence). The company will also enhance support for more languages as it strives to improve translation speed and accuracy.
