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To read a sign, menu or printed notice in another language, start with Google Translate on Android or iPhone. On a supported iPhone, Apple’s Translate app and Live Text are also useful. Camera translation first recognizes the writing, then translates it: glare, handwriting and a wrong source language can produce mistakes.
Which app fits the task?
| App | Useful for | Check before using |
|---|---|---|
| Google Translate | Translating text through the camera or from a saved image | Download supported languages and test offline camera use before traveling |
| Apple Translate / Live Text | Reading signs or selecting text in photos on supported Apple devices | Device, system version and language support |
| Microsoft Translator | Translating a photographed sign alongside text or conversation tools | Image-language support; Android offline packs do not imply every feature works offline |
| DeepL | Importing a clear photo and checking the extracted text | Image input has narrower language support than ordinary text translation |
These apps offer free basic use. Optional subscriptions, account features and limits can differ; an app being free to download does not make every tool free.
Translate a menu with Google Translate
- Open Translate and choose the source and destination languages. If recognition is unreliable, select the source manually.
- Tap Camera, hold the phone steady and keep the complete line in view.
- Capture or import the image when you need to select individual words or review a longer passage.
- Compare the recognized writing with the original before copying or sharing the result.
Google’s image-translation instructions cover camera controls and downloading supported languages for offline camera translation. Download both languages while connected and try the same task in airplane mode; do not assume that the separate Google Lens experience has identical offline behavior.
Use the built-in Apple option
In Translate, select Camera and the language pair, then aim at the writing. Alternatively, use Live Text in Camera or Photos to select recognized text and choose Translate. Apple documents the Translate camera view; availability depends on the device and languages. Our iPhone and iPad translation guide explains the other Apple workflows.
Use Microsoft Translator or DeepL
Microsoft Translator includes image translation; consult its feature-by-language table before relying on a particular language. Its downloadable offline support is listed for Android, rather than universally for iOS.
DeepL can translate text in images imported into its mobile apps. Its image feature documentation warns about unclear writing and unsupported source scripts. Use a connection and check the recognized wording rather than assuming a flawless translation.
Get a more useful result
Crop out unrelated text, avoid reflections and photograph a complete sentence. For a menu, keep item names and descriptions together; for a notice, include its heading. Camera translation is useful for understanding a draft meaning, but errors can change names, numbers or instructions. For typing, speech and translation inside other apps, use our Android translator comparison instead.