# Conversation translation

Translate eligible conversation text and select the visitor language used for localised messages.

*Release 3.3 · admin, operator, visitor*

**Settings › AI › Features › Chat Translate** · **Conversation › language controls** · **Settings › Account › Operators**

## What it is

**Chat Translate** translates eligible conversation text between the visitor's and operator's languages. INSIDE retains translation information alongside the original message. Selecting a visitor language also controls localised configured content, which is separate from machine translation.

## Who uses it and why

Operators use translation to handle conversations in other languages. Operators with the **Settings** or **Developer** role configure the translation service and rules. Operators with the **Settings** or **Manager** role maintain operator languages. Visitors receive translated operator replies where translation is enabled and required.

## Where to find it

With the **Settings** or **Developer** role, configure **Chat Translate** under **Settings › AI › Features**. With the **Settings** or **Manager** role, maintain **Spoken Language(s)** in the operator's account settings. The conversation pane provides language controls and translation results beside messages.

## How it works

INSIDE considers the visitor language, the operator's language and spoken languages when deciding whether to translate. An operator can manually change the visitor language if detection is wrong.

Plain text and supported formatted text can be translated. Content such as numbers, emoji-only messages, standalone links, empty messages and some automatic or structured messages can be skipped. A message already in the target language does not need translation.

When translation fails, the conversation shows a failure state. Use **Retry Translation** for an incoming message where offered. An outgoing failure can offer retry or **Send without translation**. Check the message status before sending again.

With **Allow On-Demand Transcript Translation** enabled, operators can also translate historical transcripts in **History**, visitor history and ended chats.

## Configure it

With the **Settings** or **Developer** role, create or edit an enabled **Chat Translate** feature and choose its AI account. Set the language detection provider, translation instructions and any examples. **Translate with History** supplies conversation context.

With the **Settings** or **Manager** role, maintain each operator's **Spoken Language(s)**. With the **Settings** or **Developer** role, enable **Always Translate Visitor messages to the Operator's Primary Language** if visitor messages should still be translated when the operator speaks that language.

With the **Settings** role, grant **Allow AI Translations** to the operators who need it. Ask Powerfront to configure supported languages and their fallbacks. Operators with the **Settings** role configure translated website messages separately.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Language | Settings › Account › My Account | operator | English | Developer role, Co-Browse role, Manager role, Settings role, Chat role, Video Chat role, Live Shows role, Stats role, Monitor role, Top Stats role, Audit role, Bot Trainer role, Reports role, Reports Dashboard role, Store App role, Video Feed role | Sets the operator's primary language used for the interface and translation target. |
| Fallback Language | Settings › General Settings › Supported Languages | website | Not set | Powerfront, on request | Selects the fallback for a supported language when localised content is unavailable. No alternate language is selected until one is configured. |
| Language | Settings › Chat › Themes › General › Settings | website | Auto-Detect Visitor Language | Settings role | Selects the visitor theme language or its automatic language selection option. |
| Translate with History | Settings › AI › Features › Chat Translate | website | Off | Settings role, Developer role | Includes conversation history as context for translation. |
| Allow On-Demand Transcript Translation | Settings › AI › Features › Chat Translate | website | Off | Settings role, Developer role | Allows manual transcript translation in History, visitor history and ended chats. |
| Detect language on every message | Settings › AI › Features › Chat Translate | website | Off | Settings role, Developer role | Reassesses the message language during translation instead of relying only on the established language. |
| Always Translate Visitor messages to the Operator's Primary Language | Settings › AI › Features › Chat Translate | website | Off | Settings role, Developer role | Translates visitor messages even when the operator lists the visitor's language as spoken. |
| Translate Rules | Settings › AI › Features › Chat Translate | website | Not set | Settings role, Developer role | Supplies website-specific translation instructions. |
| Setup Translation Examples | Settings › AI › Features › Chat Translate | website | Not set | Settings role, Developer role | Supplies examples to guide translation wording. |
| Detect Language Provider | Settings › AI › Features › Chat Translate | website | AI Account (Default) | Settings role, Developer role | Chooses the language detection service. |
| Account to Detect Language | Settings › AI › Features › Chat Translate | website | Not set | Settings role, Developer role | Selects an AI account for language detection when the selected provider uses one. |
| Spoken Language(s) | Settings › Account › Operators | operator | Not set | Settings role, Manager role | Identifies languages the operator understands and can avoid unnecessary visitor-message translation. |

### Fields

| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Settings › General Settings › Supported Languages | Yes | Adds a supported language for localised website content. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Allow AI Translations | Allows the operator to use AI translation features. |

## Limits and good to know

- Translation is not applied to every message type. Structured cards and some automatic messages follow their own handling.
- A skipped same-language message is not a failed translation.
- Failures can remain visible after reopening the conversation.
- **Send without translation** sends the original wording. Read it before choosing this action.
- Missing translations of configured phrases can fall back to their original text.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [AI accounts and shared defaults](AIP-001.md): Machine translation needs a configured AI account.
- **Configured in** [Roles and permissions](ADM-008.md): AI role permissions control whether an operator can use AI translations.
- **Configured in** [Operator settings](ADM-010.md): Operator settings supply the primary and spoken languages used when deciding whether to translate.
- **Configured in** [Supported languages](ADM-022.md): Supported and default languages control localised configured content.
- **Configured in** [AI feature settings and change history](AI-001.md): AI feature setup controls enablement, account and translation options.
- **Configured in** [Visitor chat languages and text direction](VX-031.md): Visitor language settings determine the language used for localised chat content.
- **Related** [Chat Translate and language detection](AI-010.md): The AI translation guide explains language detection and translation assistance.
- **Related** [Conversation history and search](CHAT-024.md): History provides access to stored conversations for on-demand transcript translation.
- **Needs licence or module** Admin settings and feature switches (managed by Powerfront): AI must be enabled for the website before AI conversation translation can be used.

### Used by

- **Configures** [Chat Translate and language detection](AI-010.md): Conversation language controls let operators change the visitor language used for translation.
- **Enhances** [Operator replies and comments](CON-015.md): Translation can affect outgoing messages and their error feedback.
- **Enhances** [Messages and rich content](CHAT-002.md): Translation adds translated message content where enabled.
- **Enhances** [Message delivery and read receipts](CHAT-003.md): Translation failures can stop a message before it is sent.
- **Enhances** [Captured data expiry and message sanitisation](SEC-022.md): PII-only processing can also update stored translations of eligible visitor messages.
- **Related** [Visitor chat languages and text direction](VX-031.md): Conversation translation translates message text separately from interface labels and configured content.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why are visitor messages not translated?

Check the operator's spoken languages, translation permission, selected visitor language and whether **Chat Translate** is enabled. The message may also be a type that is skipped.

### Why is the detected language wrong?

Short text can be ambiguous. Correct the visitor language in the conversation and ask an operator with the **Settings** or **Developer** role to review language detection settings.

### Can I recover from a translation error?

Use the available retry control. For an outgoing message, **Send without translation** may be offered if you want to send the original text.