The short answer: open Swift Translate (free), choose the photo translator, and point the camera at the text. The text is recognized and translated in about a second, in 100+ languages.
Method 1: The camera
- Open Swift Translate → photo translator.
- Point the camera at the menu, sign, or document.
- Snap — the text appears translated.
Best for the physical world: restaurants, transport, shops, paperwork.
Method 2: The bubble, on the image itself
If the image is already on your screen — inside a chat, a post, a website — you don’t need to save it. Drag the floating bubble over the visible text, and it translates like any other text on the screen.
What it reads well
- Printed text of any size: menus, labels, signs, receipts
- Screenshots of chats, stories, and posts
- Clear handwriting
- Text inside memes and image posts
Small, blurry, or heavily stylized text reduces accuracy — moving closer or zooming the image first helps.
Related: Photo translator · The full screen translator
