To translate an email in Gmail, open the message, click More (the three dots) and choose Translate message. To pick a different language, use the drop-down menu that appears at the top. In the Gmail app on Android it's More, then Translate message; on iPhone it's More, then Translate.
Gmail translates incoming emails for you, right inside the message. Often you won't even need to ask: when an email arrives in a language that doesn't match your settings, Gmail shows a banner at the top offering to translate it. If the banner doesn't appear, or you dismissed it, the More menu does the same job.
Translate an email on a computer
- Open the email in Gmail.
- Click More (the three dots near the reply arrow).
- Click Translate message.
- To switch the target language, select a different one from the drop-down menu at the top of the message.
The original wording isn't lost; you're simply viewing a translation. That's useful if you want to compare a key phrase, such as a delivery date or a contract term, against the original.
Translate an email in the Gmail app
| Device | Steps from Google's help | Changing the language |
|---|---|---|
| Computer | Open the message, click More, then Translate message | Drop-down menu at the top |
| Android | Open the message, tap More, then Translate message | Select a language from Settings at the top |
| iPhone and iPad | Open the message, tap More, then Translate | Select a language from Settings at the top |
Small wording difference worth noticing: on iPhone the option is just called Translate, while on Android and the web it's Translate message.
The automatic banner and how to switch it off
Google says Gmail automatically prompts you to translate when a message's language doesn't match your preferred settings, using a banner at the top of the email. Dismiss it and you can still translate manually from the More menu. If you regularly get emails in one language you read comfortably, say French from a supplier, you can turn off the banner's automatic translation for that language from its settings menu. Then it stops nagging you about that language while still offering help with others.
Why the Translate option is missing
This is the limit most people don't know about. Google says the translation feature is only for Google Accounts and doesn't extend to messages in IMAP accounts. So if you've added a work address from another provider to the Gmail app or website using IMAP, you won't get Gmail's translate option on those emails. Messages in your own Gmail or Google Workspace inbox will have it.
The other common reason is your language setting. Gmail compares each message with your preferred language, so if Gmail's display language is set to the same language as the email, there's nothing to translate.
Set your preferred language first
Translations go into the language Gmail thinks you prefer, so it's worth checking that setting.
- Open Gmail on your computer.
- Click Settings, then See all settings.
- In the Language section, pick your language from the drop-down menu.
- Click Save Changes at the bottom.
If you write back in another language, the same Language section has input tools for typing languages like Hindi, Arabic or Chinese. Google notes you can only set those up in your browser, not in the Gmail app. There's also right-to-left editing support in that section, for languages written right to left.
A routine for a mixed-language inbox
If enquiries arrive in several languages, a simple routine stops them piling up. Here's the one I'd suggest:
- Check Gmail's display language is the one you read best, so the banner appears on everything else.
- Open each foreign-language email and use the banner, or More and Translate message if you dismissed it.
- Star or label anything that needs a careful reply, so it doesn't get lost after you've read the translation.
- Turn off automatic translation for any language you read comfortably, so the banner only shows up where it helps.
- Reply in clear, short sentences. Simple wording is easier for the other person's own translation tool to handle.
Doing it in batches, rather than one email at a time across the day, keeps the job quick. It also means you're not switching languages in your head every ten minutes.
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Using translations sensibly with clients
Machine translation is a brilliant way to understand the gist of an enquiry quickly. For anything that matters, like terms, dates or complaints, I'd still read the original carefully and ask the sender to confirm if something seems odd. A short reply in plain, simple English often goes down better than a clumsy translation sent back their way.
If regular enquiries arrive from one overseas client or supplier, set up a rule so they never get lost; my guide on how to create a filter in Gmail shows how to label them automatically.
When I'd use it
Daily, if you sell internationally. It's the fastest way to triage an inbox with a mix of languages: translate, decide, reply. Leave the automatic banner on for languages you don't read, and switch it off for the ones you do. And if a translated email needs a colleague's input, here's how to forward emails in Gmail with the original message included, so they can check the wording for themselves.
Frequently asked questions
How do I translate an email in Gmail?
Open the email, click More and choose Translate message. Change the language from the drop-down menu at the top.
Can I translate emails in the Gmail app?
Yes. On Android tap More, then Translate message; on iPhone and iPad tap More, then Translate.
Why doesn't Gmail offer to translate my email?
Translation only works for Google Accounts, not IMAP accounts, and only when the language differs from your preferred settings.
How do I stop Gmail translating a language automatically?
Open the translation banner's settings menu and turn off automatic translation for that language.
How do I change Gmail's language?
Settings, See all settings, then pick a language in the Language section and click Save Changes.
