The upcoming iOS 26.2 update for iPhone makes the Live Translation on AirPods feature available in the EU, according to Apple. The news was also reported by various publications, including the German blog Macerkopf.
Live Translation allows you to understand someone who is speaking a different language than you. For example, if you speak English, and someone is speaking to you in French, Siri can tell you what they are saying in English through your AirPods.
The feature works best when both participants in a conversation are using Live Translation on AirPods. If you are talking with someone who is not wearing AirPods, you can display a live transcription in the other person's language on your iPhone.
Live Translation is available on the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and higher-end AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. The feature launched in the U.S. and select other countries with iOS 26, but it was not available in the EU until now, as Apple said it needed additional time to ensure compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act.
The feature can be used in the EU starting with the first iOS 26.2 beta, which was seeded to developers earlier today. A public beta of iOS 26.2 will soon follow, and Apple said the update will be released to all users in December.
In addition to compatible AirPods, users need an iPhone 15 Pro or newer with Apple Intelligence turned on and Apple's Translate app installed.
As of iOS 26.1, Live Translation on AirPods supports the following languages:
- English (U.S.)
- English (U.K.)
- French (France)
- German (Germany)
- Portuguese (Brazil)
- Spanish (Spain)
- Chinese — Simplified (China)
- Chinese — Traditional (China)
- Japanese
- Korean
- Italian
iOS 26 also has a built-in Live Translation feature in the Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps, with no AirPods required.
