Apple's AirPods Live Translation Feature Faces EU Roadblock

Apple's new live translation feature for AirPods won't be available in the EU at launch

One of the headlining features of Apple's new AirPods Pro 3 was the ability to translate incoming audio in real time, but it seems the feature won't work in the European Union at launch. On its official page detailing the features available on iOS 26, the company said EU residents or those with EU Apple IDs won't be able to use live translation, which is powered by Apple Intelligence and will also be coming to AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2. This is likely due to the EU's stringent rules around user data protection, outlined in laws such as the GDPR and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), as well as the EU AI Act, which is currently being rolled out. Apple had to delay the release of some AI features in the EU due to these regulations last year, with users in the EU getting access to some features only in March 2025.

AirPods Live Translation Delayed in EU, But It'll Work for Americans on Vacation

Don't miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google. The AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods 4 with ANC get a new skill next week: real-time conversation translations between English, French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. The feature was unveiled during this week's iPhone event, and will roll out as part of the iOS 26 release on Sept. 15, provided you have an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. Now, Apple has confirmed there's another limitation: It won't be available for those in the European Union at first. A feature availability statement on Apple's website says, "Live Translation with AirPods is not available if you are in the EU and your Apple Account Country or Region is also in the EU." Apple doesn't elaborate, but it has delayed certain features amid concerns about violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple Intelligence, for example, launched in the US in October 2024, but didn't land in the EU until March. The EU's Artificial Intelligence Act also goes into effect next year, with various rules on AI transparency. Apple often notes when it's going through a verification process for certain products, like awaiting FDA approval on hypertension notifications for the Apple Watch. That hasn't happened here, though, so the Live Translation rollout for the EU might take a while. What does this mean for your next European vacation? Those traveling from the United States to Europe will be able to use the feature, as this is only a restriction for people from the EU. So, if you have a fall getaway to France, Germany, or Spain on the calendar, you should be able to use Live Translation to talk to people. Support for Chinese (simplified), Italian, Japanese, and Korean is expected later this year.

Live Translation with AirPods won't come to EU-based Apple users

Europe, the bloc with 24 official languages and 287 spoken in total, won't get Apple's Live Translation with AirPods feature for now. "Live Translation with AirPods is not available if you are in the EU and your Apple Account Country or Region is also in the EU," the company said on its iOS feature availability page. No reason was given, but it may have to do with the EU's strict rules around artificial intelligence and how it impacts privacy. If that's the case, Apple may be waiting for the EU to approve or examine the feature before implementing it in the region. The AI Act is most strictly applied to "high-risk use cases" involving the potential for discrimination or violation of users' privacy. To that end, the EU may want to ensure that date stored when using the app is kept securely and locally in the bloc. Apple's phrasing about availability seems to indicate that it will work for North American and other users visiting the bloc and possibly vice-versa. Only users with an Apple Europe account who are also in Europe won't be able to access the feature. Live Translation lets users with AirPods communicate naturally with speakers of other languages. If the other party also has AirPods, the conversation is translated and heard by both people. If you're speaking with someone without AirPods, speech is translated onto your phone where it can be either be read or heard by the other party. Live Translation was first introduced at WWDC as part of iOS 26 and unveiled as a key feature for the AirPods Pro 3 during Apple's "Awe Dropping" event on Tuesday. It will work on iPhone 15 and later devices running Apple Intelligence, and be available with the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 once iOS 26 arrives on September 15. Right now, Live Translation supports real-time translation between English, French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. However, Apple plans to add Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified) support later in 2025.

AirPods Live Translation Blocked for EU Users With EU Apple Accounts

Apple's new Live Translation feature for AirPods will be off-limits to millions of European users when it arrives next week, with strict EU regulations likely holding back its rollout. Apple says on its feature availability webpage that "Apple Intelligence: Live Translation with AirPods" won't be available if both the user is physically in the EU and their Apple Account region is in the EU. Apple doesn't give a reason for the restriction, but legal and regulatory pressures seem the most plausible culprits. In particular, the EU's Artificial Intelligence Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) both impose strict requirements for how speech and translation services are offered. Regulators may want to study how Live Translation works, and how that impacts privacy, consent, data-flows, and user rights. Apple will also want to ensure its system fully complies with these rules before enabling the feature across EU accounts. Apple's Live Translation feature, unveiled during its AirPods Pro 3 announcement, is also coming to older models including AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and AirPods Pro 2. Live Translation enables hands-free communication by allowing users to speak naturally while wearing AirPods. For conversations with non-AirPods users, the iPhone can display live transcriptions horizontally, showing translations in the other person's preferred language. The feature becomes more powerful when both conversation participants wear compatible AirPods with Live Translation enabled. Active Noise Cancellation automatically lowers the volume of the other speaker, helping users focus on translated audio while maintaining natural interaction flow. The new Live Translation functionality requires AirPods updated with the latest firmware to pair with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone running iOS 26 or later, so iPhone 15 Pro and newer models are supported. Apple has been beta testing firmware in concert with iOS 26 beta updates, and we expect the firmware to drop the same day that iOS 26 is officially released on September 15. The feature supports real-time translation between English (UK and U.S.), French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. Apple plans to add Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified) support later this year. When the EU/Apple Account restriction will be lifted remains unclear, but we've reached out to Apple to see if they're willing to provide more details.

AirPods Live Translation won't be available in the EU, Apple says

As of now, some users in the European Union won't get Apple's flashiest new AirPods feature. At its major event on Tuesday, Apple unveiled Live Translation -- which does exactly what it sounds like -- debuting on the AirPods Pro 3 and rolling out to AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC. But EU-based users are being left out, at least for now, for reasons that remain unclear. Apple noted this on a feature availability page. The page read, "Live Translation with AirPods is not available if you are in the EU and your Apple Account Country or Region is also in the EU." That means two things have to be true for the restriction to apply: your Apple account must be registered in the EU, and you must be physically located there. Apple hasn't explained why Live Translation isn't launching in the region, but the most likely culprit is a regulatory hurdle. Speculated the Apple-focused tech site MacRumors: "In particular, the EU's Artificial Intelligence Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) both impose strict requirements for how speech and translation services are offered. Regulators may want to study how Live Translation works, and how that impacts privacy, consent, data-flows, and user rights." The EU has stricter regulations on tech than in other areas. Apple Intelligence features, for instance, were blocked in the EU at launch, but eventually, that changed. It stands to reason that EU users will someday get access to Live Translation -- just not yet.