To translate on iPhone in real time, start with what Apple already gives you. Live Translation works inside some of Apple's own apps and with supported AirPods, but it requires a recent iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, and only some languages and regions are covered. The built-in Translate app has a free conversation mode that works on almost any iPhone. For translated captions over YouTube, TikTok or a Zoom meeting, you need a third-party app.
This guide explains each option, how to check whether your phone supports it, and what still does not work on iPhone.
What is Apple Live Translation?
Live Translation is Apple's name for real-time translation built into the system. At a high level, it can translate text conversations in Messages, show translated captions on FaceTime calls, and speak translations during phone calls in the Phone app. With supported AirPods, it can also translate what someone in front of you is saying and play it in your ears.
Because it is part of Apple Intelligence, it is not on every iPhone. Whether you have it depends on your iPhone model, your iOS version, the language pair and sometimes your region and device language. Apple adds languages over time, so check the current list on Apple's support pages rather than relying on a screenshot from months ago.
How to check if your iPhone supports Live Translation
- Update to the latest iOS version available for your phone.
- Open Settings and look for Apple Intelligence. If it is missing, your model or region likely does not support it.
- Open a FaceTime call, a Messages thread or the Phone app and look for a translation option in the call or conversation controls.
- Download the languages you need when prompted, ideally on Wi-Fi before you travel.
How to translate a conversation with the iPhone Translate app
The Translate app is the most widely available option and needs no setup beyond picking languages. It is a solid free tool for short in-person exchanges.
- Open Translate and tap Conversation.
- Choose the two languages at the top.
- Tap the microphone and speak. The app shows the translation and can read it aloud.
- Turn on automatic language detection if available, so you do not have to choose a side before each turn.
- Use the face-to-face view so the other person can read their side of the screen.
The Translate app also translates typed text and, through the camera, signs and menus. Its limits: it only hears your iPhone's microphone, it does not place captions over other apps, and it cannot join a video meeting for you.
For better results with any iPhone translator, speak one short sentence at a time, keep the phone between you and the other person, and pause for the translation before replying. Numbers, prices and street names are worth repeating or typing to confirm.
iPhone live translation options compared
| Option | Best for | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Live Translation | Messages, FaceTime and Phone calls; AirPods for in-person listening | Needs a supported iPhone with Apple Intelligence; limited languages; varies by region |
| Translate app conversation mode | Free face-to-face chats on almost any iPhone | Microphone only; no captions over other apps; no meeting support |
| Live Captions (Accessibility) | Reading what is said in audio on your iPhone | Captions in the spoken language, not a translation; limited language and region support |
| SpeakFlow phone app | Translated subtitles over any app, automatic conversation, meeting bot, recorded minutes | Cannot capture phone calls or speak into a call; some apps block audio capture |
How to get translated subtitles over other iPhone apps
Most iPhone translation stops at the edge of Apple's own apps. If you want to watch a Korean drama clip on YouTube, a Spanish livestream or a TikTok in a language you do not speak, Live Translation will not caption it for you. This is where a dedicated app helps.
The SpeakFlow phone app uses an iOS screen broadcast that only takes the sound of other apps, never your microphone, and shows translated captions in a floating Picture-in-Picture window that stays on top while you watch.
- Open the SpeakFlow phone app and choose live subtitles over other apps.
- Pick the language you want to read.
- Start the broadcast when iOS asks, then switch to the video app.
- Move or resize the floating caption window, and choose a style: Reading, Compact, Two languages or Large.
- Optionally turn on the AI voice, which reads the translation aloud while lowering the original.
Some apps block their audio from screen broadcasts, often streaming services protecting their content. If captions stay empty for one app, that is the reason, not a setting you missed. If you mostly watch YouTube on a computer, our free SpeakFlow Translate Chrome extension is another route.
Can iPhone translate meetings and lectures live?
For a lecture, tour or talk in the room, SpeakFlow's Listen mode works well: point the iPhone at the speaker and each sentence appears translated with the original underneath. Setting today's topic helps it get names and jargon right.
For online meetings, paste a Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams link and a participant named SpeakFlow Translator joins the call. The host may need to admit it. You then read everything that is said, translated live on your iPhone, even with your own call muted. Audio is translated as it streams and is not recorded or stored.
When you need a record afterwards, Record meeting captures up to five hours with the screen locked, or imports a video or audio file. The app writes the transcript, tells speakers apart and drafts minutes with a summary, key points, decisions and action items, which you can export to Word. See AI meeting minutes for how to use that well.
What iPhone translation apps cannot do
iOS does not let third-party apps capture regular phone calls, so only Apple's own Live Translation can translate calls in the Phone app. Third-party apps also cannot act as a microphone inside another app, so they cannot speak your translated words into a WhatsApp or Zoom call.
If you need both directions on a video call, run the call on a Mac or Windows computer with SpeakFlow Pro. It hears the call, translates it for you, and sends your translated voice back through a virtual microphone. Our guide on translating a phone call in real time covers practical workarounds.
Which iPhone option should you use?
If Live Translation is available on your iPhone and covers your languages, use it for FaceTime, Messages and calls; it is tightly integrated and free. For quick conversations on any iPhone, the Translate app is enough. For videos, livestreams, online meetings and written minutes, add the SpeakFlow phone app, which includes free minutes every day with no account or card. Comparing more tools? Read our roundup of the best real time translation apps.
Frequently asked questions
Which iPhones have Live Translation?
Live Translation is part of Apple Intelligence, so it needs a recent iPhone model that supports it, running a current iOS version. Languages and regions are limited and change over time, so check Apple's support page for the current list.
Is the iPhone Translate app free?
Yes. The Translate app is built into iOS and free to use, including conversation mode and camera translation.
Can I get translated subtitles on YouTube on my iPhone?
Not with Apple's built-in tools. An app like the SpeakFlow phone app can show translated captions in a floating window over YouTube and other apps, unless the app blocks its audio from capture.
Can a third-party app translate my iPhone phone calls?
No. iOS does not allow third-party apps to capture phone calls. Only Apple's own Live Translation can translate calls in the Phone app, where available.