Live Translate a Phone Call on iPhone: How It Works, Languages, and Which iPhones Can

Can your iPhone translate a phone call while you are on it? Yes, if it supports Apple Intelligence. Apple’s Live Translation works inside the regular Phone app, so you can call a hotel, a landlord or a relative abroad and each of you hears the other in your own language.

The catch is the iPhone. The feature needs Apple Intelligence, which starts with iPhone 15 Pro. Below are the exact steps, the languages Apple lists for calls, what the other person hears, and what you can do on an older iPhone.

How to live translate a phone call on iPhone

These are the steps from Apple’s support page for Live Translation on iPhone. Turn on Apple Intelligence first in Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri.

1. Make or answer a call in the Phone app.
2. During the call, tap the More button, then tap Live Translation.
3. If needed, tap Choose Language and pick the language the other person speaks. If it isn’t downloaded yet, your iPhone downloads it, which can take a few minutes.
4. Tap Start Translation.

If you are holding the phone to your ear, the call switches to the speaker. Using AirPods or other headphones keeps the call private. Tip: download the language before an important call, so you are not waiting while the other person is on the line.

What the other person hears during a translated call

When you tap Start Translation, the other person is alerted that the call is being translated. After that, three things happen:

• They hear a spoken translation of what you say, in their language.
• You hear a spoken translation of what they say, in your language.
• You can read an on-screen transcription of the call as it goes.

Apple says Live Translation runs entirely on your iPhone. Apple’s steps ask nothing of the other caller, since the translation happens on your side of the call. Leave short pauses after each sentence: the translation is spoken after the original, so talking over each other gets confusing fast.

Live translation phone call languages

Apple lists one set of languages for Live Translation in Phone and FaceTime. It is almost the same as the AirPods list, plus Italian (Switzerland).

Messages has a longer list that adds Turkish, Vietnamese, Dutch and Spanish (Mexico), among others. That only helps for texting, not for calls. Every list is on our Live Translation languages page.

Which iPhones can translate phone calls?

Any iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, running iOS 26 or later. Apple’s current software is iOS 27.

An update won’t change this. iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 can install iOS 27, but Apple Intelligence never appears in their Settings. Our guide to Live Translation on iPhone has the full model list.

Live translation on FaceTime calls

FaceTime works a little differently. During a call, tap More, then Live Translation, choose the language and tap Start Translation. Instead of a spoken translation, both callers see translated live captions while still hearing each other’s real voice. Apple describes call translation as one-on-one, so group calls are not covered.

Live translation not showing on a phone call?

If you don’t see Live Translation under More during a call, check these in order:

1. Your iPhone model. It must be iPhone 15 Pro or later. The regular iPhone 15 does not qualify.
2. Apple Intelligence. Go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and make sure it is on and finished downloading.
3. Your software. Settings > General > Software Update. You need iOS 26 or later.
4. The language. If the other person speaks Turkish, Arabic or Hindi, the call can’t be translated, because those are not on Apple’s list.
5. Your region and Siri language. Apple notes that features may not be available in every region or language.

What to use on an older iPhone

Here is the honest part. If you need to translate a phone call and your iPhone can’t do it, a third-party iPhone app will not fix that. Apps like ours can’t hear or speak into the Phone app’s call audio, so we don’t recommend any app as a phone call translator. For an important call, ask someone who speaks the language, or book a phone interpreting service.

Many people searching for this, though, really want to talk with someone standing in front of them: a taxi driver, a host family, a neighbor. That is a different problem, and an older iPhone can handle it.

The app listens through the iPhone microphone. You hear the translation about a second later while they keep talking, and each phrase appears on screen with its translation below. When it’s your turn, the Speak tab says your reply out loud in their language. It supports 14 languages, including Turkish, Arabic and Spanish (Mexico), and works offline once a language is downloaded.

Which one should you use?

On Android, Google’s Pixel 10 phones and Samsung’s Galaxy AI phones also have call translation built in, each with its own language list. If you own both kinds of phone, the one that supports your language wins.

The app is made by Little Tough LLC and is not made by or affiliated with Apple. For everything else Apple’s feature does, read our Apple Live Translation guide.

Quick answers

Can iPhone translate live phone calls? Yes, on iPhone 15 Pro or later with Apple Intelligence on and iOS 26 or later. During a call, tap More, then Live Translation.

Does live translation work on phone calls with someone who doesn’t have an iPhone? The translation runs on your iPhone, and Apple’s steps don’t ask anything of the other caller. They get an alert that the call is being translated, then hear the spoken translation.

Is there an app that translates phone calls on iPhone? Apple’s own Phone app does it on Apple Intelligence iPhones. Our app does not translate calls; it is made for in-person conversations.

Can you use live translation on phone calls with AirPods? Yes. Start the call on your AirPods and turn on Live Translation from the More button. Without headphones, the call moves to the speaker.

Is live translation on phone calls free? Yes. It is built into iOS on iPhones that support Apple Intelligence.

Does live translation on phone calls work in Turkish or Arabic? No. Neither is on Apple’s list for Phone and FaceTime.

Sources: Apple Support: Use Live Translation on iPhone, Apple: iOS feature availability, Apple Support: How to get Apple Intelligence, Apple Newsroom: New Apple Intelligence features are available today, Google Pixel Help: Live Translate for phone calls, App Store: Live Translation on Headphones.