How to use Google Translate as the iPhone's default translation app

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AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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Users of iOS 18.4 or iPadOS 18.4 worldwide can now switch their default translation app from Apple's stock one to Google's. Here's how to do it.

Smartphone screen displaying 'Default Translation App' settings with options including Google Translate, against a green grid background.
Google Translate can now be set as the default translation app on the iPhone and iPad



Apple introduced the ability to change default email and browsers with iOS 14 back in 2020. It subsequently added more options until in iOS 18.2, it included Messages and others.

But from iOS 18.4 in March 2025 Apple added the option to change the default translation app. Now according to the app's release notes in the App Store, Google Translate users can take advantage of this.

It's not clear what Google had to do to its app to enable this, but Apple documentation does say that developers have to specifically support the feature. So far, Google Translate is the only third-party app to have added such support, meaning only it and Apple Translate are available.

How to switch to Google Translate as the default translation app on iPhone


  1. Go to Settings

  2. Choose Apps at the bottom of the screen

  3. Tap on Default Apps

  4. Choose Translation

  5. Tick to switch to Google Translate



Apple has been under increasing pressure to allow users to select alternative default apps, especially from the European Union. However, this new change to iOS and iPadOS is immediately effective worldwide.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    jagrahaxjagrahax Posts: 19member
    I have Google Translate on my phone, but only the Apple Translate app shows up as an option.  I am using an iPhone 16 Pro Max with iOS 18.5. 
    igreektjones99ca
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 9
    igreekigreek Posts: 2member
    I have Google Translate and iOS 18.5 on my iPhone 16 Pro. Like jagrahax said: only the Apple Translate app shows up as an option.
    5
    tjones99ca
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 9
    tjones99catjones99ca Posts: 10member
    For the other commenters, the reason Google Translate does not appear, is that it was only updated this morning, so update all apps and try again. For me, something very strange is happening here. I've just updated my iPhone SE3 to 18.5, and updated all my apps (including Google Translate), but when I go to the default apps as stated above, I see Google Translate selected as the default translation app. When I click on it to see options, the normal default Apple Translate app does not appear, only Google Translate, so of course it's selected as the default. Huh? Is there a toggle in Apple Translate to enable it? I'm in Canada, so is that the problem?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 9
    bonobobbonobob Posts: 409member
    jagrahax said:
    I have Google Translate on my phone, but only the Apple Translate app shows up as an option.  I am using an iPhone 16 Pro Max with iOS 18.5. 
    Google only released the update to their app yesterday. Update your app.

    Also, it seems to work okay on iOS, but not on iPadOS due to Google’s bugs.
    ddawson100
     0Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 5 of 9
    jabohnjabohn Posts: 598member
    The app shows up for me as an option. But it's not clear to me how this actually gets used or integrated into iOS. I asked Siri for a translation and it didn't appear to use Google.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 9
    ivanaivana Posts: 1member
    jabohn said:
    The app shows up for me as an option. But it's not clear to me how this actually gets used or integrated into iOS. I asked Siri for a translation and it didn't appear to use Google.

    for instance whenfor a translation and it didn't appear to use Google.

    when you select some txt in safari and tap labelbox translate, then ios will be use google translate app instead native apple translate app. Only problem is that if you want to translate text from picture, you cant because iphone will offer again native translate app. But i think that this is the bug in google translate app and will be fixed in new version
     

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  • Reply 7 of 9
    simply258simply258 Posts: 137member
    For the other commenters, the reason Google Translate does not appear, is that it was only updated this morning, so update all apps and try again. For me, something very strange is happening here. I've just updated my iPhone SE3 to 18.5, and updated all my apps (including Google Translate), but when I go to the default apps as stated above, I see Google Translate selected as the default translation app. When I click on it to see options, the normal default Apple Translate app does not appear, only Google Translate, so of course it's selected as the default. Huh? Is there a toggle in Apple Translate to enable it? I'm in Canada, so is that the problem?
    Did you by any chance delete the Apple Translate app?
    tjones99ca
     0Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 8 of 9
    tjones99catjones99ca Posts: 10member
    simply258 said:
    For the other commenters, the reason Google Translate does not appear, is that it was only updated this morning, so update all apps and try again. For me, something very strange is happening here. I've just updated my iPhone SE3 to 18.5, and updated all my apps (including Google Translate), but when I go to the default apps as stated above, I see Google Translate selected as the default translation app. When I click on it to see options, the normal default Apple Translate app does not appear, only Google Translate, so of course it's selected as the default. Huh? Is there a toggle in Apple Translate to enable it? I'm in Canada, so is that the problem?
    Did you by any chance delete the Apple Translate app?

    Interesting question. I don't recall ever using the app, much less deleting it, but on closer look, it wasn't installed on my phone. Digging deeper, it wasn't in the app library either, but when you go into the apps in settings, it is there. Everything is now sowing up as it should. Puzzling, but many thanks for the question.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 9
    tjones99catjones99ca Posts: 10member
    simply258 said:
    For the other commenters, the reason Google Translate does not appear, is that it was only updated this morning, so update all apps and try again. For me, something very strange is happening here. I've just updated my iPhone SE3 to 18.5, and updated all my apps (including Google Translate), but when I go to the default apps as stated above, I see Google Translate selected as the default translation app. When I click on it to see options, the normal default Apple Translate app does not appear, only Google Translate, so of course it's selected as the default. Huh? Is there a toggle in Apple Translate to enable it? I'm in Canada, so is that the problem?
    Did you by any chance delete the Apple Translate app?

    Forgot to add that I have now installed it, and everything seems OK.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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