How to use Gboard's translate feature on an Android device to translate text as you type it

• You can use Gboard's translate feature on an Android device to translate the text you type into dozens of different languages, without ever leaving the app you're in.
• Gboard's translation menu works anywhere you can type, including search engines and social media apps.

When most people want to translate something they've typed, they'll manually copy-and-paste the text into Google Translate's website, then copy-and-paste the result back.

While that sounds easy enough compared to using a dictionary to translate each word, Google has advanced, and now there's a way to have your text translated as you type it.

You can do this on an Android phone or tablet by using Google's specialized keyboard, Gboard.

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You'll need to have Gboard set up to do this, so if it isn't your default keyboard yet, make sure to check out our article, "How to change the keyboard on your Android device, and get new keyboards."

How to use Gboard's translate feature on an Android device

1. On the top-right of your keyboard, tap the three dots to bring up a menu.

2. From the menu, select "Translate," the bottom-center icon.

3. Type the message you want to translate, then, tap the languages in the top-right and top left to adjust the languages you're translating from and to.

Tap the one in the top-left to select the language you're translating from, and top-right for the language you're translating to. You can also tap the icon in the middle to switch the two languages' positions.

4. Scroll through the list and select your desired language from the menu.

5. When you're sure your message says what you want it to, tap the check mark at the bottom right corner of the keyboard to insert the translated phrase into your message.

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• How to add Bitmoji to your Android keyboard and use the personalized emoji library in texts and other apps

• How to use Gboard to create custom emoji with the Emoji Kitchen feature

• How to use GIFs on Gboard to better express yourself in messages

• 'Why does my Gboard keep stopping?': How to fix a Gboard app that keeps crashing on your Android phone or tablet

• How to clear your Gboard keyboard history on an iPhone or Android device