How to Use the Google Pixel Buds Translate Feature

This article explains how to get live language translation through your pair of Google Pixel Buds and the Google Translate application.

Can You Get Live Translation Through the Google Pixel Buds?

Yes, you can translate the live conversation with the Google Pixel Buds. You’ll need to have your phone unlocked (home screen open) and the Pixel Buds connected. You’ll need to have Google Assistant, and Google Translate installed on your smartphone.

1. Put the Google Pixel Buds in each of your ears.

2. Make sure your phone is unlocked, and the Google Pixel Buds are paired. (That means the home screen is open.)

3. Hold the right earbud down and say Google help me speak Spanish (or the language you want to speak).

4. The Google Translate App will open up, and you can hand the phone to the person with whom you will be speaking.

5. Hold down the right earbud again and talk in your native language. Google will translate that into the outgoing language (in this case, Spanish).

6. The other party will talk on the phone in their native language. Google will output their conversation through the Google Pixel Buds in your native language (English in this example).

Using the Live Translation Feature

Google Live Translate does an excellent job of translating spoken language through the Pixel Buds. Grammar is not always translated correctly, but the other party can understand what you are saying. Likewise, the incoming language is translated well enough for you to understand and make a response.

The Google Pixel Buds can translate dozens of languages using the Google Translate App. You can talk through the earbuds while traveling and in work situations where you might need to use a different language. The translation feature works with the original Google Pixel Buds and the current (second generation) product.

While it can seem awkward to hand your phone to a stranger, it does help translate languages as we could never do before. The live translate feature is accurate enough to hold a conversation and get pertinent information. Live translation is done within a few seconds, and the output is crystal clear.

You can also type text into the Google translate application and have it output in the desired language. A useful feature if you have a speech impediment or you don’t feel like talking. The output language will then be spoken to the party who is holding the phone. They can then talk back into the phone, and Google will translate their words through the Pixel Buds.

Does Live Translation Work With iOS?

The translation feature works with Google Translate, which is also available for iOS. As long as you have Google Assistant and Google Translate installed on your iOS device, you’ll be able to use the live translation feature with no problem. The performance of the iOS version is identical to the Android version.