How do I setup and use language translation in Zoom?

OVERVIEW

This article explains how to set up and use the language translation feature within Zoom. Language translation requires a person to do the actual translation on the fly during a meeting. Generally speaking, the language translator listens to the speaker on the main audio channel in Zoom while also speaking in another language into another audio channel.

This article focuses on the three areas of using language translation in Zoom:

1. Enabling language translation before the meeting

2. Starting language translation in a meeting and customizing the options

3. The actual language translation process of the interpreter

This Loom video explains parts 1 & 2, which are also written below.

INSTRUCTIONS

Part 1: Enabling language translation

1. Log into your Zoom account.

2. Click Schedule a Meeting (or you can edit an existing meeting)

3. Setup any times/dates/descriptions for the meeting.

4. At the very bottom, check the checkbox for “Enable Language Interpretation”

5. Enter the email address of the interpreter and the language they will be interpreting from/to. You can add as many interpreters as you’d like:

6. Press save. You will now see the language interpretation menu item in your Zoom meeting.

Part 2: Starting language translation (and making live changes)

1. In the Zoom meeting, click on the language translation menu item on the Zoom menu (if your screen is small it may be hidden to the right in the “more” section. ). If you do not see this menu, quit the Zoom meeting and go back and complete Step 1 above.

   

    

2. If the translator has joined the meeting, you should see them show up as a translator at the top. If they haven’t joined yet, their name will be hidden by asterisks. NOTE: Zoom isn’t great at automatically detecting when interpreters join. See the next step!

   • If you see the full translator’s name, press the start button at the bottom of the window to begin language translation. The ball is now in the interpreter's court (Part 3 below).

   • If you see asterisks and you know the interpreter has joined, you can add them manually. You can also add new interpreters now.

   • To add them manually, click the +Add Interpreter button

     • In the section that opens click on the “Search by name” field and choose the interpreter from the list. This list is a list of people currently in this meeting.

     • Choose the from/to languages from the drop-down.

3. Click Start.

Part 3: In-meeting Interpretation

Note: This must be done by the interpreter.

1. As soon as the host enables language interpretation, you should receive a pop-up letting you know you are now an interpreter.

   

2. Click ok.

3. You likely want to make sure your video is turned off.

4. Unmute yourself and choose the correct language channel. If you are translating from English to Spanish, choose the Spanish channel. Families wishing to listen in Spanish will do the same.

5. You can now listen to the host(s) speak, while at the same time you can translate directly into the Spanish audio channel.

6. Families listening in the Spanish channel will only hear you speaking in the Spanish channel and not the host(s), who are speaking in a different channel.