The Live Translation feature on AirPods is available on several models: AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). However, to use this feature, it is essential to have a compatible iPhone—specifically iPhone 15 Pro or later running iOS 26 or later. The translation itself happens using Apple Intelligence on the iPhone, not directly on the AirPods.
At launch, Live Translation supports English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish, with plans to add Italian, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese soon. The feature allows you to translate conversation in real-time by pressing the stems of both AirPods simultaneously or using the Translate app on the iPhone. The AirPods listen to the foreign language, translate it, and play back the translation in your preferred language. When both parties have compatible AirPods and iPhones, two-way conversation translation is possible.
In summary:
AirPods Models with Live Translation| Additional Requirements| Language
Support at Launch
---|---|---
AirPods Pro 3| iPhone 15 Pro or newer with iOS 26, Apple Intelligence enabled|
English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish
AirPods Pro 2| Same as above| Same as above
AirPods 4 with ANC| Same as above| Same as above
This feature does not run natively on AirPods and requires a recent iPhone to function properly.
