Apple’s iPhone User Guide for iOS 27 explains how to use Live Translation during a call in the Phone app, so you can hear and read a spoken and text translation in your preferred language. Apple says the feature is powered by Apple Intelligence and works on one-on-one calls in the languages Apple lists, on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or iPhone 16 model or later.
The setup takes a few taps, but there is one step you need to do before the call starts.
What Live Translation does on a call
Apple describes the feature this way: during a call in the Phone app with someone who speaks a different language, you can use Live Translation “to hear and read the spoken and text translation in your preferred language.”
Don’t miss the best of The Mac Observer
Set us as a preferred source and our Apple reporting ranks higher in your Google Search results and Discover feed — one tap, no account changes.
So you get both audio and on-screen text. Apple’s guide image shows a phone call with a conversation translated from German to English.
Download languages first
Apple’s guide says to prepare before you dial: “Before using Live Translation, download the input and output languages you expect to use on calls.”
The download option sits in your Translate settings. Apple’s guide links to its Download languages instructions for this step. Doing it ahead of time means you are not hunting through settings while someone waits on the line.
How to start Live Translation during a call
These are Apple’s steps from the iOS 27 iPhone User Guide:
1. Go to the Phone app on your iPhone.
2. During a phone call, tap the More button, then tap Live Translation.
3. Choose the caller’s language and your preferred language.
4. Tap Start Translation.
That is the full sequence. You pick two languages, one for the caller and one for you, and translation begins once you tap Start Translation.
Supported languages for Phone app calls
Apple’s note lists the languages Live Translation supports in the Phone app, and it limits the feature to one-on-one calls.
| Language | Variant Apple lists |
|---|---|
| English | UK, U.S. |
| French | France |
| German | Not specified |
| Italian | Not specified |
| Portuguese | Brazil |
| Spanish | Spain |
| Chinese | Simplified |
| Chinese | Traditional |
| Japanese | Not specified |
| Korean | Not specified |
Note the regional limits: Portuguese is listed for Brazil and Spanish for Spain, so other regional variants are not on Apple’s list.
Because the feature is for one-on-one calls, a conference or three-way call is outside what Apple describes here.
iPhone requirements
Live Translation depends on Apple Intelligence. Apple’s guide states: “Apple Intelligence on iOS 27 or later is available on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or iPhone 16 model or later.”
Apple adds three caveats in the same note:
- Apple Intelligence is not available in all languages or regions.
- Usage limits may apply.
- Some features may not be available in all regions or languages.
Apple’s footnote also lists the Siri and device languages that Apple Intelligence is available with: Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, or Vietnamese. That list is wider than the Phone app’s Live Translation list, so a supported device language does not guarantee a supported call language.
About usage limits
Apple’s footnote says certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, and that daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Apple’s guide says usage limits may apply to Apple Intelligence on iPhone, but it does not tie a specific limit to Live Translation in the Phone app.
Live Translation beyond calls
Live Translation also shows up elsewhere in Apple’s lineup. If you use AirPods, our explainer on how AirPods 5 Live Translation works and what you need covers that version.
For the Phone app steps and notes in full, see Apple’s iPhone User Guide page on seeing translations during phone calls.
The bottom line
To use Live Translation on an iPhone call, download your languages first, then tap the More button during the call, choose Live Translation, pick both languages and tap Start Translation. It works on one-on-one calls in the languages Apple lists, and it needs an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or iPhone 16 model or later on iOS 27 or later.
