{"id":899964,"date":"2025-05-20T08:30:55","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T15:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/?p=899964"},"modified":"2025-05-20T12:01:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T19:01:52","slug":"google-translate-iphone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/how-to\/google-translate-iphone","title":{"rendered":"How to make Google Translate your iPhone\u2019s default translation app"},"content":{"rendered":"

If Apple Translate doesn’t offer the languages you need, you can set Google Translate as your iPhone or iPad’s default translation app. Google’s translation app supports 249 languages, whereas Apple Translate currently can handle only 19.<\/p>\n

That broad scope comes in handy if you regularly read materials written in languages that Apple Translate doesn’t cover. And Google Translate is not the only alternative translation app for iPhone.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Translation apps break the language barrier<\/h2>\n

The language barrier has never been lower. Free translation apps open the world to easy communication, no matter what languages writers and readers understand.<\/p>\n

iPhone and iPad make this simple. They come with the Apple Translate<\/a> app, and for years, that was the only option. No longer. iOS 18.4<\/a>, which Apple released in March, lets you switch the iPhone’s default translation app to Google Translate or other third-party options. (Note: The third-party app must be updated to take advantage of this new option.)<\/p>\n

Just note that, like all Google software, Google Translate tracks a considerable amount of user data. That includes recording the user\u2019s identity, location, contacts, search history and more.<\/p>\n

Anyone wanting more languages and privacy can use DeepL Translate as their alternative default translation app<\/a> for iPhone and iPad. It currently offers 30 languages and doesn’t engage in user tracking.<\/p>\n

Make Google Translate your default iPhone translation app<\/h3>\n

An iPhone or iPad user can select foreign-language text on the device’s screen, and the option to translate appears in a pop-up window. Apple’s Translate app handles the task unless you install an alternative like Google Translate and set it as the default.<\/p>\n

To make Google Translate the default, first download the app<\/a> to your device. Then open the Settings <\/strong>app, go to Apps<\/strong>, then Default Apps<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Change<\/a>
To change default apps on iPhone, start in Settings > Apple Default Apps.
Screenshots: Ed Hardy\/Cult of Mac<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next, change Translate<\/strong>\u00a0to Google Translate <\/strong>(or another third-party translation you prefer). Then you’re ready to go with Google Translate as your iPhone or iPad’s new default translation app.<\/p>\n

If you don’t see Google Translate as one of the options in that drop-down box, make sure you\u2019re running version 9.8.011 or newer of Google\u2019s software.<\/p>\n

\"Make<\/a>
On the Default Apps screen, choose Translation, and then select Google Translate.
Screenshots: Ed Hardy\/Cult of Mac<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To test the feature, find some text in a language you can\u2019t read. Then simply highlight the text, tap on it, and choose Translate<\/strong>. Google Translate will convert it to your device’s default language.<\/p>\n

The feature works on any text you can select, then press and hold to get the standard pop-up box of options.<\/p>\n

\"Google<\/a>
There\u2019s no language barrier with Google Translate.
Screenshot: Ed Hardy\/Cult of Mac<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Using Google Translate on your iPhone for translation is free …\u00a0 in a sense<\/h3>\n

A side benefit of downloading the Google Translate app to your iPhone is that you can use it for live conversations, just like you can with Apple Translate. In all cases, Google Translate offers far more languages, in addition to speedy, accurate translations. Both it and the aforementioned DeepL Translate app<\/a> offer more options and as good or better performance than Apple Translate.<\/p>\n

Google Translate is free to use, and has been so for years. That said, the application gathers information about each user that goes into a user profile for selling targeted ads. That\u2019s because Google isn\u2019t a software developer, it\u2019s an advertising company.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, you can try the company\u2019s free web version<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Find out how to replace Apple Translate with Google Translate on your iPhone and add a new option for language conversion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30085,"featured_media":899977,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31740],"tags":[145,47,5630],"class_list":["post-899964","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","tag-apps","tag-google","tag-google-translate"],"yoast_head":"\nMake Google Translate your iPhone\u2019s default translation app | Cult of Mac<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Find out how to replace Apple Translate with Google Translate on your iPhone and add a new option for language conversion.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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