Beats Live Translation: Do Beats Support Apple’s Feature, and How to Hear Translations in Them
Beats live translation: Apple’s Live Translation works only on certain AirPods, not Beats. See which Beats are left out and how to hear translations in them.
Do Beats have Live Translation? Beats are made by Apple, they pair with an iPhone in one tap, and some even use Apple chips. So it seems fair to expect Apple’s new translation feature to work in them too.
It doesn’t. Apple’s Live Translation is an AirPods feature, and no Beats model is on the list. You can still hear live translations in your Beats, though, and it takes about a minute to set up.
Short answer: Apple’s Live Translation does not support any Beats headphones or earbuds, including Powerbeats Pro 2, Beats Fit Pro, Studio Buds +, Solo Buds, Solo 4 and Studio Pro. Apple lists only AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2. To hear translations in Beats, use an iPhone app that plays the translation through any headphones.
Do Beats support Live Translation?
No. Apple’s support page, Use Live Translation with your AirPods, names the exact models that work. Every one of them is AirPods. Beats are not mentioned anywhere on the page.
Apple’s Beats User Guide doesn’t list it either. It covers features like Live Listen and Siri for each Beats model, but Live Translation is not one of them. So there is no setting to find and no switch to flip.
This is true even with the newest iPhone. An iPhone 17 or iPhone 18 Pro on iOS 27 is ready for Live Translation, but with Beats connected, the feature has nothing to play through.
Every Beats model and Live Translation
Here are the Beats headphones and earbuds in Apple’s current Beats User Guide, and where each one stands.
| Beats model | Type | Apple’s Live Translation | Plays an app’s translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powerbeats Pro 2 | Earbuds with ear hooks | No | Yes |
| Beats Fit Pro / Powerbeats Fit | Earbuds with wing tips | No | Yes |
| Beats Studio Buds + | Earbuds | No | Yes |
| Beats Solo Buds | Earbuds | No | Yes |
| Beats Flex | Neckband earbuds | No | Yes |
| Beats Solo 4 | On-ear headphones | No | Yes |
| Beats Studio Pro | Over-ear headphones | No | Yes |
Older Beats, like Powerbeats Pro (first generation), Studio Buds and Solo3, are not supported by Apple’s feature either. The Beats Pill is a speaker, so it is not a fit for private translation at all.
What about Powerbeats Pro 2?
This is the one people ask about most. Beats says Powerbeats Pro 2 run on Apple’s H2 chip, the same family of chip as AirPods Pro 2. Many owners assume that means Live Translation should work.
It doesn’t, at least not today. Apple decides support by product, not by chip, and Powerbeats Pro 2 are not on the list. Apple has not said whether any Beats will get the feature later.
Why are Beats left out?
Apple hasn’t explained it. What we know is that Live Translation leans on AirPods-only controls. You start it by pressing and holding both AirPods stems, and it lowers the other person’s voice with AirPods noise control so you can hear the translation.
Beats use their own buttons and controls, so those AirPods steps don’t carry over. Whatever the reason, the practical answer is the same: plan as if your Beats won’t get Apple’s feature.
How to get live translation on Beats anyway
To your Beats, a translation is just audio. Any app that turns speech into translated speech can play it in whatever headphones are connected, Beats included.
Our app, Live Translation on Headphones, does exactly that. The other person talks near your iPhone. The app hears them through the iPhone’s microphone, translates, and you hear the translation in your Beats about a second later while they keep talking. Each phrase shows on screen with the translation below it.
Set it up in four steps
- Connect your Beats to your iPhone as usual (open the case or turn them on near the iPhone).
- Install the app and open the Listen tab.
- Pick the language being spoken and the language you want to hear. iOS downloads each language once.
- Hold the iPhone near the speaker and start. You can lock the screen and keep listening.
To answer, switch to the Speak tab. You say your reply in your language, and the iPhone says it out loud in theirs through its speaker.
Tips that matter for Beats owners
- Use Transparency if your Beats have it. On Powerbeats Pro 2, Studio Buds + or Studio Pro, Transparency lets you hear the person’s real voice and tone along with the translation.
- Turn the volume to a level where you can still hear the room. You want the translation clear, not loud enough to block out the conversation.
- It works offline. Speech recognition and translation run on the iPhone, so once a language is downloaded you don’t need Wi-Fi or data.
- Older iPhones are fine. It needs iOS 18, not Apple Intelligence. That includes iPhone XS and XR up to iPhone 14, iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, and iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation).
Which languages you can use with Beats
The app covers 14 languages in any direction. Apple’s AirPods feature covers 11, but remember that it only matters if you switch to supported AirPods.
| Language | Apple’s AirPods feature | The app, with Beats |
|---|---|---|
| English (US and UK), French, German, Italian | Yes | Yes |
| Spanish (Spain), Portuguese (Brazil) | Yes | Yes |
| Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) | Yes | Yes |
| Spanish (Mexico), Turkish, Arabic | No | Yes |
Need something else, like Hindi or Vietnamese? Neither the app nor Apple’s AirPods feature supports it today. Our languages page has the full lists.
Keep your Beats or switch to AirPods?
| Your situation | Best choice |
|---|---|
| iPhone 15 Pro or later, one of Apple’s 11 languages, and you were going to buy new earbuds anyway | AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods 5 or AirPods Pro 3, then Apple’s built-in feature |
| You love your Beats for workouts or sound and just want translations in them | Keep them and use an app |
| iPhone 14 or earlier, or iPhone 15 or 15 Plus | An app. New AirPods alone won’t unlock Apple’s feature. |
| You need Turkish, Arabic or Mexican Spanish | An app that supports them |
If you already have a supported iPhone and want new earbuds, Apple’s feature is built into iOS and works well with the right AirPods. Our Live Translation on AirPods guide shows which ones and how to start it. If you’re happy with your Beats, there’s no need to replace them just to translate.
The app is made by Little Tough LLC, not Apple or Beats.
Quick answers
Do Beats have live translation? Not Apple’s Live Translation. It works only with AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2. An app can still play live translations in any Beats.
Does Powerbeats Pro 2 support live translation? No. Even though Powerbeats Pro 2 use Apple’s H2 chip, Apple does not list them for Live Translation.
Can Beats Fit Pro do live translation? Not with Apple’s feature. Beats Fit Pro play translations from a third-party app like any Bluetooth earbuds.
Will Beats get live translation in a future update? Apple has not announced it. Since launch in September 2025, Apple has added languages and regions, but no Beats.
Do Beats Studio Buds support live translation? No, neither Studio Buds nor Studio Buds + are supported by Apple’s feature. An app works with both.
Is Apple’s Live Translation free? Yes. It is built into iOS on supported iPhones and AirPods, with no extra charge.
Sources: Apple Support: Use Live Translation with your AirPods, Apple: iOS Feature Availability, Apple: Beats User Guide, Apple Support: iPhone models that support Apple Intelligence, Beats: Powerbeats Pro 2 announcement, App Store: Live Translation on Headphones.
