How to Use Google Translate's Camera to Read Signs and Menus

Google Translate is a free app that can do much more than translate text you type in. One of its most impressive features is camera translation — you point your phone camera at text in another language and the app overlays a translation in real time, right on top of the original text.

This is incredibly useful for: - Reading menus at foreign-cuisine restaurants where the menu is partly or entirely in another language - Understanding product labels, signs, or instructions in a foreign language - Translating documents or letters received in another language - Traveling and reading street signs, transit instructions, or tourist information

The real-time (instant) camera translation works with over 90 languages. For most common languages (Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, etc.) the translation appears within a second or two as you move the camera.

There is also a "Photo" mode where you take a picture of text and then tap words to get translations — more accurate for complex or small text.

Google Translate is free on iPhone (App Store) and Android (Google Play). On Android, Google Translate is often pre-installed. The camera translation feature requires no subscription.