In the digital age, youtube has become a global crossroads of ideas, entertainment and discussions. it is not rare to come across videos whose comments come from users of all parts of the world, making conversations incredibly varied, but sometimes incomprehensible because of the language. if you have ever wondered how to understand the meaning of a comment in russian, japanese or any other language, you are in the right place.
This guide has been designed to provide you with all the necessary solutions to translate comments on youtube in italian, quickly and easily. we will explore together the different options available, both integrated into the platform itself and external tools, suitable for every type of device: from your smartphone to your computer, to the smart tv. forget the language barriers and prepare to fully immerse yourself in conversations under your favorite videos.
Exploit the integrated translation of youtube: easy but with limits #
The youtube platform offers a native translation feature that makes it very easy to understand comments. however, it is important to note a limit: this option is not always available for translation from english to italian directly in the app, at least not when this guide is drafted. let’s see how it works and what to do when this option is not present.
Integrated translation on mobile app (android/ios/ipados) #
For most languages (with the exception of english), the process is extremely intuitive:
- open the youtube app on your mobile device.
- search and start playing of the video of your interest.
- go down* to the comment section, usually placed under the interaction buttons (like, share, etc.).
- ** locate the comment*** you want to translate. under it, you should find the voice *translate in english. just a simple touch to view the translation.
- If you want to return to the original language, you can tap see original.
Integrated translation on pc #
Also navigating on youtube from the computer browser, you can exploit the native translation functionality. usually, under the comments written in a language other than italian, the translate option will appear, working similarly to the mobile app. however, here too, alternative solutions may be needed for english.
Advanced translation strategies on smartphones and tablets #
When integrated translation is not enough, especially for english, or if you prefer a different approach, your smartphone or tablet can turn into a powerful translation tool. let’s see the options available for android and ios/ipados.
For android devices #
Android users have several effective solutions:
**use google assistant and google lens for instant translation: *
- Make sure that google assistant is active on your device (if you have any doubts, see the system settings for activation).
- In the comments section of youtube, positioned on the comment to be translated.
- Call the voice assistant by saying “hey google” or holding the switch on/off.
- At this point, you may see a translate button. tap it to take a screenshot that will be automatically processed by google lens, showing the translation.
- If the button does not appear, pronounce the voice command “hey google, translate the text of this screen” or “translate text of this screen” after calling the assistant. also in this case, a screenshot will be acquired and lens will provide translation.
- Make sure the languages are set correctly (e.g. “relevance language” or “english” as a language of departure and “italian” as a language of arrival).
**translation via google app translator (with screenshot): *
- Capture a screenshot of the comments you intend to translate. modes may vary slightly between devices, but often include the combination of volume down keys and ignition.
- Open the google translate* app (free of charge from the play store if not already present).
- Tap the photo icon on the bottom right.
- Select the gallery icon on the bottom left and choose the screenshot just captured.
- Google lens will automatically process the image and provide the translation. if necessary, manually adjust the source and destination languages via the buttons at the top or bottom.
**integrated tunnels/photos (for some manufacturers): *
Some smartphones, such as xiaomi***, integrate translation features directly into their gallery app. after taking the screenshot, open it in the gallery, look for the “google lens” option (often under a three-point menu) and then the “translate” button. the google photo app also offers a similar function: open the screenshot, tap the “lens” icon in the bottom bar and then “translate”.
For iphone and ipad #
For devices [[k0]] there are practical solutions:
*use the active text feature (live text on ios/ipados 15 or later):
This feature allows you to detect text within images and translate it. it is available on recent models (iphone xr or later, iphone se 2a gen. or later; ipad pro 3a gen. 12.9” or later, ipad air 3a gen. or later, ipad 8a gen. or later, ipad mini 5a gen. or later).
- Capture a screenshot of youtube comments to translate.
- Open the screenshot from the bottom left or directly from the *photo app.
- Tap the active text* icon (usually three dashes with a dotted frame) at the bottom right to select the text.
- Press the translate* button that appears on the bottom left. the text will be automatically translated into italian.
**translation via google app translator (with screenshot): *
If your iphone or ipad does not support active text or prefer an alternative, the google translate app is an excellent choice. the steps are identical to those described for android: take a screenshot of the comments, open the google translate app, go to the “photocamera” section, select the screenshot from the gallery and wait for the translation.
How to translate comments on youtube from computer (pc and mac) #
Browsing on youtube from your computer offers different options for comment translation, taking advantage of both browser features and external tools.
Exploit integrated browser features #
Most modern browsers include translation tools:
- **google chrome: *
- In the comments section, select the comment text that interests you.
- Right-click the selected text and choose translate selection in english from the context menu. a small window with the translation will appear below the address bar.
- Alternatively, to translate the entire page (including all comments), click the three vertical dots on the top right, select translate…* and then choose ******* from the google translate window that appears.
- **mozilla firefox: *
- For a single comment, select the text, right click and choose translate selection in english. a window of “beta translation” will be displayed. you may need to check or adjust the starting and arrival languages.
- To translate the entire page, click on the three horizontal indents on the top right, select translate page…, set “english” (or the language detected) as the starting language and “english” as the arrival language, then click translate*.
- **[k0] safari (on mac): *
- Select the desired comment by pressing the left mouse button.
- Right-click the selected text and choose *translate “[selected text]” from the menu. the browser of [[k0]] will manage the translation.
Advanced features on macos (active text) #
If you have a mac with macos 12 monterey or later, you can use the active text function (live text), similar to the one on iphone and ipad:
- enable active text: open the system settings******** (coupling icon), go to general* in the sidebar, then language and zone and activate the active text* option.
- ** capture a screenshot*** of the comments to translate (cmd + shift + 4 and select the area, or cmd + shift + 3 for the entire screen).
- Click on the preview of the screenshot that appears at the bottom right.
- Click on the active text icon (three dashboards with dotted frame) to detect the text.
- Finally, press the translate* button on the bottom left to display the translation.
Universal alternative: google translator via web (with screenshot) #
This method is valid for any pc (windows or mac) and is useful when previous methods are not available or effective:
- Capture a screenshot of youtube comments.
- Open your web browser and go to google translator.
- Click on the ** image** tab on the top left.
- Drag the screenshot from your computer to the dedicated section, or click browse your files to select it.
- Wait for google translator to process the image and display the translated text. make sure the source and destination languages are set correctly.
Translate comments on youtube from smart tv #
Unfortunately, the application of youtube for smart tv does not include a native feature for comment translation. in this scenario, your smartphone or tablet becomes indispensable.
Use of mobile device for tv translation #
Here’s how you can proceed:
- start the video** of interest on your smart tv and pause it when you see the comments you want to translate.
- accept the comments* section of the tv video, usually by selecting a comic icon with the remote control.
- **with your smartphone or tablet in your hand: *
- universal method (with google translate):* open the google translate app, tap the photo* icon, set the starting language of the comment (e.g. english) and the arrival language (english). pane the comment displayed on the tv with your device’s camera to get instant translation.
- for android users (with tv screenshots):* take a clear photo of comments on tv with the phone camera, then follow the steps described in the “for android devices” section (for example, using the google translate app with the image from the gallery or via google lens).
- **for iphone/ipad users (with active text or screenshot): *
- direct active card:** open the app photo, frame the comment on the tv. when the text is detected, tap the active text* icon that appears on the bottom right, then press translate* to get the translation.
- screenshot of tv: if the quality of the live image is not optimal, take a photo of the comment on the tv, then open the photo in the app photo* and follow the steps for the active text as described in the section “for iphone and ipad”. alternatively, you can upload the photo to the google translate app.
Conclusions #
Understanding comments on youtube, regardless of their original language, is no longer an obstacle. whether you’re using your smartphone, computer or smart tv, there are effective and accessible solutions to translate conversations and fully connect with the global community. we hope that this detailed guide has provided you with all the necessary tools and knowledge to break down every language barrier and fully enjoy the youtube experience.