Disclosure: I work on Liao, one of the tools mentioned below. I describe how it works and what it cannot do, so you can compare it with the other options.
If you chat with customers or suppliers in several languages, copying every message into a translation site gets old fast. Here are three ways people handle it on a Windows PC, and what each one is good for.
1. WhatsApp's built-in translation (on your phone)
WhatsApp announced message translation on September 23, 2025, rolling out gradually:
- On Android and iPhone you long-press a message and tap Translate.
- On Android you can turn on automatic translation for a whole chat.
- Translation runs on your device, and WhatsApp says it cannot see the translated content.
- Android launched with six languages (English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian and Arabic); iPhone supports more.
Good for: occasionally understanding a message on your phone.
Not enough if: you work on a computer all day. The announcement covers phones, and it is about reading messages you receive. When you reply, you still need another tool to write in the other person's language.
2. A browser extension on WhatsApp Web
Search the Chrome Web Store for "WhatsApp translator" and you will find several extensions that add a translation next to each message on WhatsApp Web.
Good for: one account, used in the browser.
Keep in mind: an extension can read the page, so check the permissions it asks for, its reviews and when it was last updated. Switching between several WhatsApp accounts in one browser profile is also awkward.
3. A desktop app built for chat translation
This is what Liao does. It is a Windows app that opens WhatsApp Web inside its own window and adds translation around it:
- Install Liao and log in with a Liao account.
- Click "Add account", choose WhatsApp, and scan the QR code from WhatsApp on your phone (Linked devices).
- Open a chat: each incoming message gets a translation underneath.
- Type your reply in Chinese and press Enter. It is replaced by the translation in the other person's language, and you see a back-translation to check the meaning. Press Enter again to send.
Other details: you can run several WhatsApp accounts side by side, each with its own login environment and optional proxy. Liao never sends anything for you, and it does not auto-reply or send bulk messages.
Limits: Windows 10/11 only, and the interface is in Simplified Chinese, so it fits people who read Chinese and chat in other languages. Pricing is per translated character (prepaid, no monthly fee), with a free allowance for new accounts.
Which one should you pick?
| Your situation | Try |
|---|---|
| You only need to understand a message now and then | WhatsApp's built-in translation |
| One account, always in the browser | A browser extension |
| Many chats, several accounts, you also need to reply | A desktop chat translator |
Will translation get my account banned?
Bans usually come from bulk messaging, adding many strangers quickly, or being reported. Translating your own one-to-one conversations and sending each message yourself is not what those rules target. Whatever tool you use, follow WhatsApp's terms.
Liao is at https://helloliao.com.
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