Our phones can translate text in foreign languages with minimal effort. For frequent travelers, encountering signage in unfamiliar alphabets is common. While translation apps exist, your phone's camera is often the best tool.
Google Translate has offered camera mode for over a decade, supporting hundreds of languages and real-time translation without capturing images. Users can download languages for offline use, ideal for upcoming trips. Recent iOS versions include Live Text in the camera app, while Android phones can use Google Lens as a dedicated shortcut.
AI apps like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude often provide better output quality than Google Translate, especially for restaurant menus with informal shorthand. However, AI translations typically require uploading a picture and typing instructions, cannot overlay text on images, and may be more expensive depending on usage.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing