This article introduces the best apps to translate a photo to English effortlessly. Follow to explore PDFelement, Google Translate, and more for seamless translation across devices.
Photos can contain text in foreign languages, such as signs, menus, or documents. Translating these images can help people understand the information they have. For example, a businessperson might translate a picture of a product label to share it with a client who speaks a different language.
Or you're a student who needs to translate text in images to English from a document to help you with your research.
But with so many apps and tools available, where do you even begin? Well, get ready – you're about to explore how to translate a photo to English in various ways. This article lists the best apps for different users, whether traveling on the go or working in the office. Let's start with the best app for students and professionals.
Part1. Wondershare PDFelement: Best AI Tool To Translate a Photo to English
PDFelement Pro is for people who want things done faster and more reliably for work. It's an all-around tool with many features, including translating images. Using Optical Character Recognition (OCR), it recognizes text in images. With AI, it translates the text while maintaining the file format.
This tool is best for smart individuals working on bulk image files and seeking a seamless app to translate a photo to English or other languages.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit, 32-bit)
For macOS 10.14 or later
Pros
Cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, etc.)
Can translate images in over 100 languages
Intuitive interface
Can translate multiple images at once
Technical support is available 24/7
More affordable than other commercial translation apps
Cons
Has a free trial but needs a subscription for access to more features
May not work on blurry images
How To Use PDFelement To Translate a Photo to English?
PDFelement offers a seamless solution for translating images. With OCR and AI tools, the process is efficient and user-friendly. Explore different ways PDFelement transforms image translation, making it accessible and straightforward.
Translate Entire Image Content
Turn foreign text in photos to a different language while keeping the layout intact. Here's how to translate text from an image to English on your desktop:
Step 1: Once downloaded and installed, launch PDFelement and click the “+” button from the upper-right side navigation pane.
Step 2: Select “From File” and upload the image you want to translate from your computer.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit, 32-bit)
For macOS 10.14 or later
Step 3: PDFelement automatically converts the image to a scanned PDF. Click the “Perform OCR” option to enable text recognition for the photo.
Step 4: Click “Save” to keep the changes in the dialogue box and save the document as PDF on your desktop.
Note:
Click “Download” in the OCR Component Download dialogue box when prompted. Wait for a few minutes while the app is downloading and installing it.
Click “Start OCR” to continue with the process.
Step 5: The OCR PDF pop-up window will appear. Opt for “Scan to editable text” and specify your desired “Page Range.” PDFelement will automatically detect the source language in the image. Click “Apply” to start the OCR process.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit, 32-bit)
For macOS 10.14 or later
Step 6: Wait a few seconds for the PDFelement OCR to recognize the text. The photo in PDF format will open in a new tab.
Step 7: From the “Home” tab in the upper navigation pane, go to “AI Tools” and select “Translate PDF.”
Step 8: Select “English” as the “Target Language.” Also, specify the “Page Range” to translate (if applicable) and choose the “Output Folder” to save the translated file. Then, click the “Translate” button in the Translate PDF pop-up window.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit, 32-bit)
For macOS 10.14 or later
Step 9: Give it a moment as PDFelement works on translating the image to English.
Step 10: Upon completion, choose “Open Folder” when prompted to locate and open the translated document in PDFelement.
Step 11: Go to “Convert” in the upper navigation pane and select “To Image.” From the Convert dialogue box, you can adjust settings such as “Output format” and “File Name.” Once done, click “OK” to save the translated file as an image.
Translate Selected Image Content
PDFelement doesn't just translate the entire picture to English; it can do parts or a few sentences. It makes it stand out for focused translations. Save time and work efficiently with PDFelement's versatile features. Below are the steps to make it happen.
Step 1: Upload the photo on PDFelement. Next, highlight the text from the photo you want to translate, then click the “OCR Area” icon in the floating toolbar.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit, 32-bit)
For macOS 10.14 or later
Step 2: From the OCR Area pop-up window, select the source language of the image and click “Apply.”
Step 3: Highlight the selected text in the picture after the OCR process, then click “AI” from the floating toolbar.
Step 4: When you select “Translate,” a pop-up shows the text translation in English. PDFelement also provides additional context about its meaning.
Part 2. Google Translate: Best App for Casually Translating Photos to English
Google Translate provides a free photo translation to English feature. It helps instantly understand foreign language text in images. Google Translate online is handy when you are in a foreign country, facing signs or menus in an unfamiliar language. For on-the-go translations, Google Translate is ideal. It's simple to use, making it accessible without downloading an app.
Pros
Easy to use, even for beginners
Quick and free translations for various languages
Supports many languages
Compares translations side by side
Cons
You need to download the app and languages to use it offline
Can only translate one image at a time
Occasional inaccuracies, especially with complex or context-dependent phrases
Limited suitability for nuanced or professional translations
Part 3. Microsoft Translator: Best Mobile App To Translate Photos to English
Individuals from various backgrounds can benefit from Microsoft Translate in their daily routines. For example, students studying in a foreign language can use the app to translate to English with pictures of their coursework. Business professionals dealing with international clients can enhance communication by translating messages with the app.
Microsoft Translate is best for quick visual translations. This photo translator app also makes language differences easier to manage.
Pros
Offers three different speeds to listen to the translation
Can save translation to your favorites
Supports over 70 languages, online and offline
Available for both Android and iOS users
Cons
Need to download language packs to use it offline
Translations may not always be 100% accurate
Part 4. Naver Papago: Best Asian App to Translate a Photo to English
Traveling in Asia? Naver Papago is your language app. It's tailored for Asian languages, such as Japanese, Chinese, and English. Papago stands out, especially for translating from photo to English. It quickly decodes text in images, perfect for travelers facing language challenges.
Papago's AI technology delivers natural-sounding English translations, even for complex or handwritten text. So, if Asia's on your itinerary, make this app your language partner.
Pros
User-friendly interface
Works on Android and iOS devices
Cons
While offering a good range, some languages might not be available for translation
While generally reliable, complex layouts, blurry images, or artistic fonts might challenge the AI
An Internet connection is required unless you've downloaded the language pack
May not keep the original format of the text in the image
Conclusion
Traveling to different places can make understanding foreign text feel like solving a puzzle. Luckily, technology has a solution – apps that instantly translate a photo into English. These digital translators break language barriers, handling everything from simple menus to complex documents.
Wondershare PDFelement, Google Translate, Microsoft Translator, and Naver Papago are among the best. They cater to various user needs, budgets, and preferences, offering diverse choices.
Among these, Wondershare PDFelement stand out for a specific group. If you often deal with many images containing text, PDFelement is the go-to app. Its batch-processing feature lets you translate photos to English across multiple images at once.