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How to use the Google Pixel Buds to translate in real time

Translate forty languages with the Google Translate app.
By
December 27, 2023

Google makes it easier than ever to communicate with people when you don’t share a common language. With a few apps, here’s how to use the Google Pixel Buds translate feature to speak with just about anyone.

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To get live translation through your Pixel Buds, you need a device running Android 6.0 or later, the Google Assistant app, and the Google Translate app.

Wear the Pixel Buds, unlock your phone, and connect your buds to your phone. Hold one earbud and say, "Google, help me speak Arabic." This will launch the Translate app. Hold one of the earbuds and speak in your native language. Google will translate that to the designated language. Pass your phone to your conversation partner so that they can read the translation. For them to reply, they must tap the right microphone icon in the Translate app and begin speaking. The Pixel Buds will then relay the translation to you in your native language. Repeat until you're done talking to each other.


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What are the requirements for using Google Translate through the Pixel Buds?

Google Pixel Buds A Series Translate app OnePlus 11 3
Lily Katz / Android Authority

Before you can get to translating conversations in real-time, you need the following:

  1. A device running Android 6.0 or later, or a device running iOS11 or later.
  2. The Pixel Buds.
  3. The latest version of the Google Assistant and Google Translate apps.
  4. If you don’t already have one, you must create a Google Account.
  5. An internet connection.

How to use the Live Translate feature with your Pixel Buds

It’s just a few steps to use the live translate feature through your Pixel Buds in a conversation. We’ll use English as the example native language. If you have Google Assistant installed on your phone, here’s how the translation works:

  1. Tap and hold the touch panel on one of your Pixel Buds and say, “Hey, Google, help me speak Arabic.”
  2. This will open the Google Translate app’s conversation mode with your default language and the requested language, in this case, Arabic.
  3. Hold the touch panel on one of your Pixel Buds again.
  4. Keep holding your earbud’s touch panel and speak in your native language.
  5. Let go of your earbud when you’re done talking.
  6. Your phone will translate what you’ve said in your native language (e.g. English) to the output language (e.g. Arabic).
  7. Pass your phone to your conversation partner so that they can read the translation.
  8. Your partner must press the microphone icon and begin speaking.
  9. When they’re done, your Pixel Buds will relay their translated response in English.
  10. Repeat this until you’re done talking.

If you don’t want to press the earbuds while you speak, try the automatic conversation mode. With this enabled, Google Translate detects the language each person is speaking and outputs it. There’s no need for you to press any controls on the buds or your phone.

Grammar may not be completely correct when using Google Translate, but each person should be able to get the gist of what the other is communicating.

Although Google Translate is a powerful tool, its translations aren’t perfect. There may be some grammatical errors, or it may miss the mark when conveying humor or idioms. Even still, the other party will get the gist of what you’re trying to communicate. Of course, it can be nerve-wracking to hand your phone to a stranger, but if you’re in a bind, access to important information is worth it.

Can other earbuds translate like Google Pixel Buds?

A person wears the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 noise cancelling wireless earbuds.
Lily Katz / Android Authority

Other earbuds cannot translate like the Google Pixel Buds. With a OnePlus 11 and the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, I tried using Google Translate with English to German, but the experience was not as seamless.

When in conversation mode, my conversation partner could only read the German translation of my English input. The app sent all audio output through the Buds 2 Pro. The English-to-German translations should have been audible to her. However, when I used the Pixel Buds A-Series, she could read and hear the German translation of my English input. Suffice it to say, you need Pixel Buds for a fully functional earbuds translation experience.


FAQs

Yes, the Google Pixel Buds do translate languages when the Google Translate app is installed on a compatible device. However, while Google Translate is a powerful tool, its translations aren’t without fault. There may be some grammatical errors, especially when conveying idioms or humor. Nevertheless, few other earbuds can translate in real-time as successfully as the Google Pixel Buds.

Firstly, make sure you have an Android 6.0+ or an iOS11+ device and a pair of Google Pixel Buds. Download the latest version of the Google Assistant and Google Translate apps and create a Google Account. While connected to the internet and wearing the earbuds, tap and hold the touch panel on one of your Pixel Buds and say “Hey, Google, help me speak (your requested language.)” This will open the Google Translate app’s conversation mode.

Without Google Assistant, open the Translate app, choose the language you speak in the bottom-left corner, choose the language the other person is speaking in the bottom-right corner, and tap conversation.

Yes, the Google Pixel Buds can translate up to 40 selected languages in real-time when the Google Translate and Google Assistant apps are installed on Android 6.0+ and iOS11+ devices.

Google Translate works with an iPhone, and you can do it in real-time, just like you can with an Android phone. You must download the Google Translate and the Google Assistant apps for iOS. You can then open the Google Assitant app and say, “Hey, Google, help me speak German,” and use it as you would on Android.

The Google Translate app can translate 40 languages. Here’s a comprehensive list:

  1. Afrikaans
  2. Arabic
  3. Armenian
  4. Bengali
  5. Catalan
  6. Chinese (Mandarin only)
  7. Croatian
  8. Czech
  9. Danish
  10. Dutch
  11. English
  12. Finnish
  13. French
  14. German
  15. Greek
  16. Hindi
  17. Hungarian
  18. Icelandic
  19. Indonesian
  20. Italian
  21. Japanese
  22. Khmer
  23. Korean
  24. Latvian
  25. Nepali
  26. Norwegian
  27. Polish
  28. Portuguese
  29. Romanian
  30. Russian
  31. Serbian
  32. Sinhala
  33. Slovak
  34. Spanish
  35. Swahili
  36. Swedish
  37. Tamil
  38. Thai
  39. Turkish
  40. Vietnamese

Yes, the Google Pixel Buds translate well, but the process is a bit clunky. Be sure the other person speaking understands that they must tap the mic icon before they can begin talking. Otherwise, Google will not translate everything they say.