Translate with handwriting or virtual keyboard

You can draw letters or phrases and get their translation with the Translate app. This is useful if your keyboard doesn’t use the letters or symbols that you want to translate.

  1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Translate app Translate app.
  2. Choose the languages that you want to translate to and from.
    • From: At the bottom left, select a language.
    • To: At the bottom right, select a language.
  3. Tap the text box.
  4. At the top right, tap Handwrite .
    • If the button is greyed out, handwriting doesn’t work for that language.
    • To toggle back to the keyboard when the handwriting setting is on, in the top bar, tap Keyboard .
  5. Under 'Write here', draw a character, word or phrase. When you stop, Translate shows the closest match.
    • To add spaces between entries: Tap Space Space.
    • To delete letters: Tap Backspace Backspace.
    • To undo typing: Tap Undo Undo.
  6. When you’ve finished, tap Translate Translate.
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