WhatsApp is reportedly testing a native message translator for chats, and is planning to introduce a new translation feature which will allow users to opt for an automatic translation of messages. WhatsApp will give an option to select and download language packs to enable translation on their devices, indicating that the said feature will be powered by Meta AI. This feature is part of the latest beta version of WhatsApp for Android.
The feature has been spotted in beta version 2.25.12.25 of WhatsApp for Android, and will enable automatic and manual translation of messages within individual chats and channels—entirely offline.
The ‘Translate Messages’ option can be accessed via the ‘Chat lock’ settings on a per-conversation basis. Once enabled, users can choose from an initial list of supported languages—Spanish, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Hindi, and Russian—by downloading dedicated language packs.
Notably, all translations are processed locally on the device, ensuring message content never leaves the user's phone, in line with WhatsApp’s commitment to end-to-end encryption.
This privacy-focused approach is similar to WhatsApp’s recently introduced voice note transcription tool, which also performs its functions using on-device resources. The translation setting can be applied automatically to all messages within a chat or manually to specific messages via a new ‘Translate’ button.
