Microsoft Translator: a lightweight translator, minus multi-device chat
Microsoft Translator is a 26MB app that translates text, speech, and photos. We check why its multi-device conversation feature is gone.
Microsoft Translator is the lightest app in this roundup by a wide margin — 26MB against 213-295MB for the rest. The feature set stays basic but working: text, speech, photos.
What it gives you
Compactness. A fraction of the size of the other picks here — noticeable on a slow connection or a phone low on storage.
Real-time speech translation and photo translation — the same core functions the heavier competitors offer.
Translation across 100+ languages for text, per the developer.
What it costs
Reduced functionality compared to earlier versions. The developer states directly that the multi-device conversation feature has been retired — previously, people speaking different languages could hold a conversation through the app across separate phones; that capability is gone now.
Fewer extras than Google Translate — no dedicated conversation mode or handwriting input here.
Who it's for
Anyone who wants a lightweight translator for basic text, speech, and photo translation and doesn't need the retired multi-device conversation feature.
The rest of the picks are in our best translator apps roundup.
Common questions
- Is Microsoft Translator available on Android?
- Yes, on both iPhone and Android. We checked both stores on September 21, 2026.
- Can Microsoft Translator handle a conversation across multiple devices?
- Not anymore. The developer's own description says plainly: "the multi-device conversation feature has been retired." Speech translation still works, but only within one device at a time now.
- Is Microsoft Translator free?
- Yes, entirely free — no subscription or in-app purchases listed in the current description.