Live Translation Languages: Every Language Apple and the App Support

Which languages work with Live Translation? It depends on which Live Translation you mean. Apple’s built-in feature for AirPods supports 11 languages. The iPhone app Live Translation on Headphones supports 14. Many languages are on both lists, but not all.

This page lists every language for both, side by side. It also shows how to download each language, which popular languages are missing from both, and what Apple has actually said about adding more.

Apple Live Translation languages list (AirPods)

Apple publishes the official list on its iOS feature availability page, under “Live Translation with AirPods.” As of October 18, 2026, it has 11 languages:

• Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified), not available in China mainland
• Chinese (Mandarin, Traditional)
• English (United Kingdom)
• English (United States)
• French (France)
• German (Germany)
• Italian
• Japanese
• Korean
• Portuguese (Brazil)
• Spanish (Spain)

Both people’s languages must be on this list. Apple’s feature also needs supported AirPods (AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Max 2), an iPhone 15 Pro or later, iOS 26 or later and Apple Intelligence turned on. It is free. If you have all of that and your languages are on the list, Apple’s feature is a great choice. Our Apple Live Translation guide covers the full setup.

AirPods Live Translation supported languages vs the app

Here is every language in one table. “Yes” means the language is on that product’s official list.

In the app, any of the 14 languages can be paired with any other, in either direction. Japanese to Turkish works the same way as English to Spanish.

Turkish, Arabic and Spanish (Mexico): the app’s additions

Three languages are in the app but not in Apple’s AirPods feature: Turkish, Arabic and Spanish (Mexico). Apple’s list has only one Spanish, Spanish (Spain). If you live with, work with or travel to people who speak one of these three, Apple’s AirPods feature can’t translate them today.

The app also helps when the language is fine but the hardware is not. It runs on iOS 18 or later, so it works on iPhones that can’t use Apple Intelligence, like the iPhone 11 to iPhone 14, iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, and iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation). It works with AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods 4 without noise cancellation, Beats, and any Bluetooth or wired headphones.

Languages neither one supports

Many people search for languages that are not on either list. To be clear: Apple’s Live Translation with AirPods does not support them, and neither does our app. Please don’t download the app for these languages. It won’t translate them.

Apple’s own Translate app does cover several of them, on screen and through the iPhone speaker in Conversation mode. That is the best option for now.

One more option for text: Apple’s Live Translation in Messages supports a longer list than the AirPods feature, including Vietnamese, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Turkish. It translates typed messages, not speech in your ears, and it needs an Apple Intelligence iPhone.

How to download Live Translation languages

Both Apple’s feature and the app translate on the iPhone itself. That means each language has to be downloaded once. After that, it works without internet.

For Apple’s Live Translation with AirPods, Apple’s steps are:

1. Put your AirPods in your ears and connect them to your iPhone.
2. Open Settings and tap the name of your AirPods.
3. Tap Live Translation (Beta).
4. Select the languages you want to download. Get both: the language the other person speaks and the language you want to hear.

You can also go to Settings > Apps > Translate > Languages and tap the download button next to each language. On older versions of iOS this screen was called Downloaded Languages.

For Live Translation on Headphones, the app uses Apple’s on-device speech and translation technology. iOS downloads each language once, the first time you use it. After that, the app works offline with that language. You can see the languages on your iPhone in Settings > Apps > Translate > Languages.

A tip for travel: download your languages on Wi-Fi before you leave. Then turn on Airplane Mode and test one phrase. If it works, you are ready.

The most searched live translation languages

Here is a quick look at the six languages people ask about most, with a real phrase you might hear and what it means in English.

Japanese live translation

Japanese is supported by both Apple’s AirPods feature and the app. Apple added it with iOS 26.1. A phrase you might hear at a station: トイレはどこですか？ (Toire wa doko desu ka?), which means “Where is the restroom?”

Korean live translation

Korean is on both lists too, and also arrived in Apple’s feature with iOS 26.1. At a market in Seoul you might hear or say: 이거 얼마예요? (Igeo eolmayeyo?), which means “How much is this?”

Chinese live translation

Both support Mandarin Chinese in Simplified and Traditional characters. Apple notes that Simplified Chinese for its AirPods feature is not available in China mainland. Example: 请问，地铁站在哪里？ (Qǐngwèn, dìtiě zhàn zài nǎlǐ?), which means “Excuse me, where is the subway station?”

Spanish live translation

Apple’s AirPods feature lists Spanish (Spain). The app has Spanish (Spain) and Spanish (Mexico). Words can differ between the two. In Mexico you might hear ¿Dónde puedo tomar un camión?, which means “Where can I catch a bus?” In Mexico, “camión” often means a bus, while in Spain it usually means a truck.

Arabic live translation

Arabic is not supported by Apple’s Live Translation with AirPods. It is one of the app’s 14 languages. In a shop you might hear: كم سعر هذا؟ (Kam si‘r hādhā?), which means “How much is this?”

Turkish live translation

Turkish is also missing from Apple’s AirPods list and included in the app. Riding a bus in Istanbul, you might ask: Bu otobüs Taksim’e gidiyor mu?, which means “Does this bus go to Taksim?”

Are new Live Translation languages coming?

Here is what Apple has said, and nothing more. Live Translation with AirPods launched in September 2025 with English, French, German, Portuguese (Brazil) and Spanish (Spain). In that launch announcement, Apple said Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Italian, Japanese and Korean would come later that year. They arrived with iOS 26.1.

As of October 18, 2026, Apple’s feature availability page for iOS 27 still lists the same 11 languages for AirPods. We have not found any Apple announcement of more languages for Live Translation with AirPods. Some blogs guess at future languages, but Apple has not confirmed them. We will update this page when Apple does.

If your language is missing today, check the table above. If it is Turkish, Arabic or Mexican Spanish, the app covers it. If it is another language, Apple’s Translate app is the best place to start.

Which one should you use?

Use Apple’s Live Translation if you have an iPhone 15 Pro or later, supported AirPods, and both languages are among Apple’s 11. It is built in. If something does not work, see our fix guide for AirPods Live Translation.

Use Live Translation on Headphones if you need Turkish, Arabic or Mexican Spanish, or if your iPhone or headphones are not on Apple’s list. Our guides to Live Translation with AirPods and Live Translation on iPhone show which devices work with each.

Quick answers

What languages does Apple Live Translation support? Live Translation with AirPods supports 11: English (US and UK), Spanish (Spain), French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese (Simplified and Traditional).

Does AirPods Live Translation support Arabic? No. Arabic is not on Apple’s list for Live Translation with AirPods. The Live Translation on Headphones app supports Arabic.

Does AirPods Live Translation support Turkish? No, not with AirPods. Turkish is supported in the app, and Apple’s Live Translation in Messages translates Turkish text.

Is Vietnamese or Hindi supported? Not by Apple’s AirPods feature and not by our app. Apple’s Translate app supports both on screen and through the speaker.

Do I need internet for Live Translation languages? Only to download them. Once a language is on your iPhone, both Apple’s feature and the app translate on the device.

How many languages does the Live Translation on Headphones app have? 14: English (US), English (UK), Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Mexico), Portuguese (Brazil), French, German, Italian, Turkish, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Japanese, Korean and Arabic.

Sources: Apple: iOS feature availability, Live Translation with AirPods, Apple Support: Use Live Translation with your AirPods, Apple Support: Change your Translate settings on iPhone, Apple Newsroom: New Apple Intelligence features are available today (September 2025), App Store: Live Translation on Headphones.