The short answer: The WhatsApp Business app doesn’t have WhatsApp’s Translate. WhatsApp’s Help Center says the feature is “currently not available on the WhatsApp Business App”. On Android, Swift Translate works inside WhatsApp Business: drag its bubble onto a customer’s message to read it in your language, and drag it onto your reply to send it in theirs. On iPhone, Swift Translate Keyboard does both from the keyboard.
Does WhatsApp Business have a translate option?
No. Regular WhatsApp can translate messages: tap and hold a message, then tap Translate. The Business app doesn’t have that option, on Android or iPhone, and WhatsApp hasn’t said when it will.
So a shop that gets messages in other languages has to translate them some other way. The options are below.
How to translate customer messages in WhatsApp Business on Android
- Install Swift Translate and turn the translator on. A small floating bubble appears on your screen.
- Open the customer’s chat in WhatsApp Business.
- Drag the bubble onto the message. A translation card appears next to the text, in your language.
It works on any text in the chat, in over 100 languages, in one-to-one chats and groups. Tap the card to see the original and the translation together, with a copy button, for example to paste an order number or an address.
How to reply to customers in their language
- Type your answer in your own language in WhatsApp Business’s message box.
- Drag the Swift Translate bubble onto your text.
- Check the translation on the preview card, then tap Send, or tap Edit to change it.
The message goes out in the language you picked for them. If your customers write in different languages, tap the bubble and change their language before you reply. To let the customer see your own words too, turn on Include original text in Swift Translate’s Settings.
On iPhone: Swift Translate Keyboard
The Business app has no Translate option on iPhone either. Swift Translate Keyboard covers both directions in over 100 languages:
- Reply: type your answer, switch to Swift Translate Keyboard and tap Translate. Your text changes to the language you picked for them. Tap Send in WhatsApp Business. Edit brings your own words back.
- Read: copy the customer’s message and tap Paste on the keyboard. The translation appears above the keys.
Other ways to translate in WhatsApp Business
| Option | Read customer messages | Reply in their language | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swift Translate (Android) | Yes, drag the bubble onto the message | Yes, drag the bubble onto your reply | One phone, any language |
| Swift Translate Keyboard (iPhone) | Copy the message, then Paste | Yes, Translate on the keyboard | One iPhone, any language |
| Gboard’s Translate (Android) | No, it translates what you type | Yes | Replies only |
| Copy into a translator app | Yes, one message at a time | Yes, copy the result back | The occasional message |
| A shared-inbox tool for the WhatsApp Business Platform | Depends on the tool | Depends on the tool | Teams with several agents |
The last row is for companies on the WhatsApp Business Platform, the paid service for businesses, which most use through an outside provider. Several of these shared-inbox tools offer translation. Most small shops use the Business app on a phone, where the first two rows are what works.
Tips for selling in other languages on WhatsApp
- Save answers you send often. Translate them once and save them as quick replies in WhatsApp Business, so you can send them with a shortcut.
- Write your greeting and away messages in two languages. One short line in each is enough.
- Keep sentences short. One idea per sentence translates much better than a long paragraph.
- Don’t translate numbers. Check prices, dates, sizes and addresses in the original text before you confirm an order.
- Ask when you’re unsure. A short “Did you mean…?” is better than shipping the wrong item.
FAQ
Can WhatsApp Business translate messages?
No. WhatsApp’s Translate is in the regular WhatsApp app only. In the Business app, use a tool that works on top of it, such as Swift Translate on Android or Swift Translate Keyboard on iPhone.
How do I reply to a customer in another language on WhatsApp Business?
Type your reply in your own language, then drag the Swift Translate bubble onto it on Android, or tap Translate on Swift Translate Keyboard on iPhone. The message is sent in the language you picked for them.
Does Swift Translate work in WhatsApp Business groups?
Yes. The bubble works on any message on your screen, in one-to-one chats and groups.
Will the customer see that I used a translator?
They see the translated message. If you want them to see your original words too, turn on Include original text in Swift Translate’s Settings.
Is there auto-translation for WhatsApp Business?
Not from WhatsApp. Some shared-inbox tools for the WhatsApp Business Platform translate automatically. In the Business app, you translate message by message with the bubble.
Related: WhatsApp translator · How to send a WhatsApp message in another language · How to translate WhatsApp messages
