Have you ever found a useful YouTube video, only to discover that it’s in a language you don’t speak? You don’t necessarily need to search for an alternative video. YouTube has built-in translation features that can help you understand videos in other languages.
Here’s how to auto translate a YouTube video in just a few steps.
1. Turn on subtitles
First, open the YouTube video you want to watch.
Click the Subtitles/CC button at the bottom of the video player to turn on captions. If captions are available, they should appear automatically.
If you don't see the CC button, subtitles may not be available for that particular video.
2. Open the subtitle settings
Click the Settings icon in the video player.
Select Subtitles/CC and then choose Auto-translate.
YouTube will display a list of languages that you can translate the subtitles into.
3. Choose your language
Select the language you want from the list, for example, English.
YouTube will then automatically translate the video's subtitles into your chosen language.
The translated subtitles will appear at the bottom of the video as it plays.
4. Remember that translations aren't perfect
YouTube's automatic translation is useful for getting the general meaning of a video, but it isn't always completely accurate.
The quality can depend on factors such as the original captions, the speaker's accent, background noise and technical terminology. For important or technical content, it's worth treating automatic translations as a helpful guide rather than a perfect transcription.
Can you auto translate YouTube videos on mobile?
Yes. The process is similar on the YouTube mobile app. Open the video, tap the Settings icon, select Captions, and look for the Auto-translate option.
The exact layout can vary slightly depending on whether you're using Android or iOS and which version of the YouTube app you have installed.
Make YouTube videos easier to understand
Auto-translated subtitles are a quick and convenient way to access content from around the world without needing to speak the original language.
So, next time you come across a YouTube video that's not in your language, try Subtitles -> Auto-translate before giving up on it.