How to use Live Translation with AirPods

With the arrival of iOS 26, Apple’s Live Translation feature for AirPods is now ready for use. It’s available on older models of the company’s earbuds, so you don’t need the new AirPods Pro 3 to access it. There are some hardware and software requirements though, so let’s dive into what you’ll need before you can start translating conversations.

Hardware requirements

Live Translation on AirPods only works on models with the H2 chip. This includes the AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3. You’ll also need an iPhone that can run Apple Intelligence, which is the iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max or any member of the iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 lineups.

Once you have your hardware at the ready, you’ll need to make sure Apple Intelligence is turned on in the Settings app on your iPhone ...