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Google Translate’s controls depend on where you use it. On Android, open Menu > Settings; on iPhone or iPad, open Profile > Settings; in a computer browser, use the Settings control at the top right of the translation panel. From those locations you can adjust automatic spoken output, dialect or speech region, available voice tone, offensive-word filtering, and playback speed. The exact options also depend on the source or target language you select.
The menu names below match Google’s official help instructions reviewed on October 13, 2026. Google can change labels or rearrange controls, so use the equivalent item if your current app looks slightly different.
Find the right Google Translate settings for your device
Start with the platform you are using and the result you want. Speech input means Translate listens through a microphone. Spoken output means Translate reads a translated result aloud automatically. Playback controls change the pace when you tap the speaker or Listen button.
| Platform | Open settings | Playback-speed label | Voice and language controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android app | Menu > Settings | Speed | Region, Tone (only for some languages), Speech input, Speak output |
| iPhone or iPad app | Profile > Settings | Pronunciation speed | Speech region and Speech input controls |
| Computer browser | Settings at the top right of the translation panel | Settings > Normal, Slow, or Slower | Source/target language selectors and microphone permission |
Google documents three playback choices on the platforms covered here: Normal, Slow, and Slower. A control can be absent when the selected language does not provide that speech feature; it is not necessarily an installation problem.
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Before changing anything, identify whether you want Translate to listen, speak automatically, play one result, slow down speech, or use a different pronunciation variety. These are separate controls, so changing one does not automatically change the others.
Android: change speech, voice, dialect, and playback speed
Open Android’s Translate settings
- Open the Google Translate app.
- Tap Menu.
- Tap Settings.
Android places the speech and playback controls in this single settings area. Return to the translation screen after changing an option and play a result to check the effect. If a setting is not visible, first check the language currently selected for translation.
Make Google Translate speak automatically
To have translated text read aloud as soon as Translate produces it:
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- Tap Speech input.
- Turn on Speak output.
Google’s help describes the action this way: “To automatically speak translated text: Tap Speech input. Then, turn on Speak output.” This affects automatic spoken output; it does not grant microphone access or make Translate listen continuously. If you only want to hear a result occasionally, leave this switch alone and tap Listen for that translation.
How do I change the voice in Google Translate?
Android exposes voice-related choices through region and, for some languages, tone:
- Change the accent or dialect: Go to Menu > Settings > Region. Select a language, then choose one of the regions or dialects offered for it.
- Change tone: Go to Menu > Settings > Tone, then select Male or Female when those choices are available. Google says this option exists only for some languages.
Region changes the available pronunciation variety; Tone changes the voice style where Google provides that setting. Neither control creates an option for every language. If Region or Tone does not show the language you selected, use the language picker on the translation screen to check whether a supported language is selected.
Do not confuse a region with the language being translated. You still choose the source and target languages on the main translation screen; Region only changes the available spoken variety for a language that offers that choice.
How do I slow down Google Translate voice on Android?
- Open Menu > Settings.
- Tap Speed.
- Select Normal, Slow, or Slower.
The speed setting applies when Translate speaks a written translation. To hear a particular result, return to the translation, tap Listen, and adjust Speed if the words are too fast or too slow. Speed changes pacing, not the translated wording, accent selection, or microphone recognition.
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Allow or block offensive words
Android’s wording can seem counterintuitive because the control is named for the behavior you want:
- To allow Translate to translate offensive words, open Menu > Settings > Speech input and turn Block offensive words off.
- To suppress offensive words in speech input, turn Block offensive words on.
This filter concerns speech input. It is separate from playback speed, dialect, and the Speak output switch. If you are trying to stop Translate from reading a word aloud, this filter is not a replacement for turning off automatic output.
Use Listen for a written translation
For text you have typed or pasted, tap Listen on the translation result. If the accent is not what you expect, change Region; if the speech is too fast, change Speed. Those settings affect the spoken rendering of the written translation and do not change the translated words themselves.
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Open iOS or iPadOS Translate settings
- Open the Google Translate app.
- Tap the Profile icon.
- Tap Settings.
Apple-device labels differ from Android’s. In particular, the speed control is called Pronunciation speed, and the dialect control is called Speech region. Looking for Android’s Speed or Region labels on an iPhone can therefore lead you to the wrong menu.
Choose a speech region or dialect
- Open Profile > Settings.
- Tap Speech region.
- Choose the language whose pronunciation you want to change.
- Select an available region.
Google notes that speaking dialects are available only for some languages. A missing region therefore may indicate that the language has no alternate speaking dialect in Translate, rather than a problem with your iPhone or iPad. The region applies to speech; it does not translate text into a different language.
How do I slow down Google Translate voice on iPhone?
- Open Profile > Settings.
- Tap Pronunciation speed.
- Select Normal, Slow, or Slower.
Play a translation after changing the option so you can judge the pace with the language and voice you actually use. If you switch languages and the result still sounds different, check Speech region as well as pronunciation speed.
Block offensive words on iPhone or iPad
- Open Profile > Settings > Speech input.
- Turn on Block offensive words.
This setting applies to speech input. It does not turn spoken output on or off and does not change pronunciation speed. A user who wants to filter dictated language may need this switch even when playback is set to Normal.
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If a screen reader or other spoken accessibility feature is audible while you are dictating, its voice can be picked up by the microphone and interfere with transcription. Google recommends using headphones in that circumstance so the screen reader audio does not feed back into the microphone. Headphones are a conditional accessibility aid, not a general requirement for Translate. If no screen reader or other audio is being captured, troubleshoot language selection and microphone permission instead.
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Computer browser: playback and microphone input
Change the playback pace
- Open Google Translate in your computer browser.
- Select the source and target languages.
- Enter or paste text, then click Listen to hear the translation.
- Click Settings at the top right of the translation panel.
- Choose Normal, Slow, or Slower.
The browser control changes how quickly the translation is spoken. It does not alter the translation, selected languages, or your computer’s general audio volume. If the text is silent, first check that the result has a Listen control and that the computer’s output device is not muted.
Use microphone translation
- Select the languages you want to translate between.
- Choose the microphone or voice-input control in the translation panel.
- When the browser asks for microphone access, allow it for the Translate page.
- Speak clearly, then stop speaking to let Translate process the input.
Google notes that microphone translation will not automatically detect the spoken language. Select the language you intend to speak before using the microphone. The source language is the language you say into the microphone; the target language is the language in which Translate presents the result.
Browser support and permission errors
Chrome is fully supported for voice input according to Google’s help documentation. Safari and Edge have limited support. If the browser reports that microphone permission is needed, open the browser’s site or privacy settings, find the permission for the Translate page, set Microphone to Allow, and reload the page. The exact wording varies by browser and operating-system version.
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Permission is separate from language support. Allowing the microphone cannot make an unsupported spoken language available, and selecting a supported language cannot override a browser permission set to Block.
If you see “Voice input isn’t available,” choose a language that supports voice input. A microphone icon can be unavailable because of the selected language, not because your microphone is broken.
Improve recognition when Translate cannot hear you
- Move to a quieter room and keep background conversation away from the microphone.
- Use an external microphone if the built-in microphone is distant, obstructed, or noisy.
- Raise the microphone input volume in the operating system’s sound settings.
- Confirm that no other application is exclusively using or muting the microphone.
Test the microphone in another browser page or recording app only to distinguish a device-level problem from a Translate language or permission limitation. If another app also cannot record, fix the operating-system or hardware issue first. If other apps record normally, return to the Translate page and recheck its permission and selected spoken language.
Speech input, automatic output, and playback are different controls
These features are often confused because they all involve audio:
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| Speak into Translate | Microphone or speech-input control; browser permission on computers | Captures your voice and converts it to text for translation |
| Hear each translated result automatically on Android | Android Speech input > Speak output | Starts spoken output after a translation is produced |
| Hear a written result once | Listen | Plays the selected translation aloud |
| Make playback easier to follow | Android Speed; iPhone/iPad Pronunciation speed; browser Settings | Uses Normal, Slow, or Slower playback |
| Use a different pronunciation variety | Android Region; iPhone/iPad Speech region | Selects an available dialect or speaking region |
Changing playback speed will not fix an unavailable microphone, and enabling Speak output will not add a dialect that Google does not offer for the chosen language. Likewise, changing a speech region will not give a language microphone support if voice input is unavailable for it.
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Choose the setting by symptom
- If Translate never listens, check the microphone control, permission, browser support, and spoken-language selection.
- If Translate listens but does not read the result automatically, check Android’s Speak output; one-time playback uses Listen.
- If speech is understandable but too fast, use the platform’s speed control rather than changing the language.
- If the pronunciation sounds unfamiliar, look for Region or Speech region and select an available option.
- If a microphone, dialect, or tone control is absent, test another supported language before reinstalling or changing hardware.
Why a voice, dialect, or microphone option may be missing
Language availability controls the menu
Google makes tones, speaking dialects, and voice input language-dependent. The same app can show a control for one language and hide it for another. Change the source or target language and check the relevant menu again before troubleshooting the app.
Source and target roles matter
For speech input, the spoken language must be one that Translate can recognize. For playback, the target language must have a supported spoken voice. A language may support written translation but not speech input, or it may support speech without offering multiple dialects or tones.
When checking a missing feature, verify both sides of the translation pair. A supported target voice does not make an unsupported source language available for dictation, and a source language that can be recognized does not guarantee alternate playback regions.
Disabled speech input
Google’s help states: “If this button is disabled, the spoken language can’t be translated.” Treat a disabled microphone as a language-availability signal first. Select another supported spoken language, then test the microphone again.
Do not assume every platform has identical controls
Android documents a Tone choice for some languages, while the iPhone and iPad instructions describe Speech region and pronunciation speed. The computer instructions focus on playback speed, language selectors, and microphone permission. A setting shown in one platform’s help page may therefore have a different label or no equivalent control on another platform.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep Chromebook text-to-speech settings separate
Chromebook’s text-to-speech controls are system accessibility settings, not Google Translate app settings. They affect features such as Select-to-speak and related Chromebook products. Changing the Chromebook voice or language therefore does not necessarily change the voice that Google Translate uses inside its own translation interface.
Use Translate’s Android, iPhone/iPad, or browser controls for Translate speech. Use Chromebook accessibility settings when you want the operating system to read selected interface text or other content. This distinction prevents a common mistake: changing a system voice and expecting the Listen button in Translate to adopt it.
A practical troubleshooting checklist
- Identify the platform. Use Android Menu > Settings, iPhone/iPad Profile > Settings, or the computer browser’s top-right Settings control.
- Confirm the desired action. Decide whether you need microphone input, automatic spoken output, one-time Listen playback, a slower pace, or a different dialect.
- Check the selected language. Missing tones, regions, or microphone controls can be expected for unsupported languages.
- Apply the platform-specific speed setting. Choose Normal, Slow, or Slower, using Speed on Android and Pronunciation speed on iPhone/iPad.
- Check permissions on a computer. Allow microphone access for the Translate page and reload it.
- Reduce audio interference. Use a quiet room; use headphones when an audible screen reader is being picked up during transcription.
- Raise input level or change the microphone. An external microphone and a higher system input volume can resolve weak recognition.
- Try a supported browser or language. Chrome has full voice-input support in Google’s documentation; Safari and Edge have limited support. For “Voice input isn’t available,” choose a language that supports the feature.
- Test one variable at a time. Keep the language pair fixed while changing permission, then test a different supported language if the control remains disabled. This separates a language limitation from an audio-device problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I slow down Google Translate voice?
On Android, open Menu > Settings > Speed and choose Normal, Slow, or Slower. On iPhone or iPad, open Profile > Settings > Pronunciation speed and choose the same option. In a computer browser, click Settings at the top right of the translation panel and select Normal, Slow, or Slower.
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How do I make Google Translate speak automatically?
On Android, open Menu > Settings > Speech input and turn on Speak output. This makes translated text play automatically after it is produced. It does not enable microphone access or continuous listening.
How do I change the voice in Google Translate?
On Android, use Menu > Settings > Region to select an available dialect or region. Some languages also provide Menu > Settings > Tone with Male or Female choices. On iPhone and iPad, use Profile > Settings > Speech region. These choices are language-dependent.
Where are Google Translate speech settings on iPhone?
Open the Google Translate app, tap the Profile icon, and tap Settings. Speech region, Pronunciation speed, and Speech input options are in that area.
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Why is the microphone button disabled in Google Translate?
Google says a disabled button means the spoken language cannot be translated. Select a language that supports voice input. On a computer, also allow microphone permission and use a browser with the documented support.
Does Google Translate automatically detect the language I speak into a computer microphone?
No. Google’s computer instructions say microphone translation does not automatically detect the spoken language. Select the language you intend to speak before using the microphone.
Why can’t I find a dialect or tone option?
Speaking dialects and tones are available only for some languages. Change the selected language and check the Region, Speech region, or Tone menu again. A missing control is not necessarily an app or device fault.
Do I need headphones to use Google Translate?
No. Google recommends headphones specifically when an audible screen reader or other spoken accessibility feature is picked up by the microphone during transcription. They are not a general Translate requirement.
Will Chromebook text-to-speech settings change Google Translate’s voice?
Not necessarily. Chromebook text-to-speech controls are system accessibility settings for features such as Select-to-speak. Use Translate’s own app or browser controls for Translate playback and speech.
The Bottom Line
Use the controls for your platform: Android Menu > Settings, iPhone/iPad Profile > Settings, or the computer browser’s top-right Settings. Choose Normal, Slow, or Slower for playback, and remember that dialects, tones, and microphone input depend on the selected language. On computers, microphone permission and browser support are separate requirements.
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