First look: Google Translate preps incredibly useful Live Translate widget

Google recently started using Gemini 3.5 Live Translate to improve the Google Translate app’s live translation performance. The company has also been spotted working on a new UI for the app. Now, it seems Google is making it easier to access the “Live Translate” feature on Android.

While digging through the latest version of the Google Translate app (v10.28.62.953449214.8-release), we spotted that Google is working on a Live Translate widget for the app. We were able to enable it, and here’s your first look at how it will work.

By default, the widget shows a simple “Tap to start Live” prompt along with your selected target language. Tapping on the widget immediately starts live translation. It also offers buttons to mute the microphone, stop live translation, and control the speaker settings.

The speaker settings button further offers options to mute output or hear the translations over your phone’s speakers or via the earpiece. The widget also lets users switch the target language for translations without opening the app.

Take a look at the new widget in action below:

There’s one key limitation with the widget, however. Right now, the widget can only translate and show what the other person is saying into the user’s selected language. It doesn’t translate or show the user’s speech into the other person’s language. However, Google might fix this before it starts rolling out the new widget.

While the new Live Translate widget is interesting enough as it is, we also spotted some other changes to the Google Translate app that might make it more useful even if you don’t end up using the widget.

Right now, live translations only work while the Google Translate app is open and active on your phone. However, we spotted two new strings in the app’s code suggesting that live translations will continue working even if you leave the app. The strings also suggest there will be a notification that lets users control translations while outside the app.

The new Live Translation widget seems to be working quite well already, but we hope Google implements two-way translations for it and rolls out the widget soon. We will keep you updated with any new information about the widget and the background translation feature.