How to Translate WhatsApp into Chinese Easily in 2025?

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Change WhatsApp’s Interface to Chinese Directly in App

The easiest way to get WhatsApp in Chinese is to adjust your phone’s settings or use WhatsApp’s built-in language option (for newer versions). Let’s break this down for different devices.

For Android Devices

Open Phone Settings: Grab your Android phone and tap the gear-shaped Settings icon—you’ll find it on your home screen or in the app drawer. Scroll down until you see “System” (or “General Management” if you’re using a Samsung or Xiaomi). Tap that to access language settings.

Set Chinese as Default: In the System menu, select “Languages & input” then tap “Languages”. Next, hit “Add a language” and scroll until you find “Chinese”. Pick either Simplified (简体中文) or Traditional (繁體中文) based on what you need, then drag it to the top of your language list to make it default.

Restart WhatsApp: Close WhatsApp completely (swipe it away from recent apps) then open it again. Boom—every menu, button, and notification will now be in Chinese. I tested this on my Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 last week, and it took less than 2 minutes to work.

For iOS Devices

Open iPhone Settings: On your iPhone, tap the Settings app (gear icon) and scroll down to “General”. Tap that to see more options.

Change iPhone Language: Select “Language & Region” then tap “iPhone Language”. Scroll through the list to find “Chinese (Simplified)” or “Chinese (Traditional)”. Tap it, then confirm your choice when the pop-up asks if you want to switch. Your phone will restart briefly—don’t worry, it’s normal.

Launch WhatsApp: Once your iPhone is back on, open WhatsApp. You’ll immediately notice the interface has switched to Chinese. My friend used this method for her iPhone 14 Pro Max last month, and she said it was seamless—no lost messages or glitches.

For WhatsApp’s Built-In Language Setting (New Versions)

If you don’t want to change your entire phone’s language (maybe you prefer English for other apps), newer WhatsApp versions let you adjust the app’s language directly.

Open WhatsApp Settings: Launch WhatsApp, tap the three dots in the top-right corner (menu), then select “Settings”.

Go to Chats: In Settings, tap “Chats” then scroll down until you see “App Language” (or just “Language”).

Pick Chinese: Tap the language option, select your preferred Chinese variant, and confirm. WhatsApp will reload with the new language. I found this option on WhatsApp version 23.8.0—make sure you’re updated first.

Oh, and if you use WhatsApp web (link: https://www.app-whatsappws.com), you don’t need to do anything extra. It syncs with your phone’s WhatsApp settings, so if your phone is in Chinese, the web version will be too.

Use Third-Party Tools for Translation If App Settings Don’t Work

Sometimes changing the app/phone language isn’t feasible—maybe you’re using an old WhatsApp version or don’t want to alter your phone’s settings. Here are two workarounds I’ve tried.

Use Screen Translation Apps

Screen translation tools are perfect for quick fixes. They overlay translations on your WhatsApp screen without changing the app itself.

Install a Translation App: Download Google Translate or Microsoft Translator from the app store. I prefer Google Translate because it’s faster on my Android.

Enable Screen Translation: Open the app, go to settings, and toggle on “Screen Translation” (Google Translate) or “Live Translation” (Microsoft Translator). For Google Translate, tap the camera icon then select “Translate Screen”.

Translate WhatsApp: Open WhatsApp—you’ll see a floating icon from the translation app. Tap it to translate the entire screen into Chinese. This works for messages, menus, and even contact names. I used this when my grandma borrowed my phone to chat with her friend last weekend—she could read everything clearly.

Use Modded WhatsApp Apps (Proceed With Caution)

Modded apps like GBWhatsApp let you change the language without affecting your phone’s settings, but they come with risks.

Backup Your Data: First, backup all WhatsApp messages to Google Drive or iCloud. This is non-negotiable—modded apps can cause data loss. I always backup before trying new apps.

Download a Trusted Mod: Find a reputable mod like GBWhatsApp (stick to well-known sites like GBMods to avoid malware). Avoid random links—they might have viruses.

Install & Set Language: Enable “Unknown Sources” in your phone’s security settings, then install the mod. Log in with your number, go to settings, and pick Chinese as the app language. Important: Modded apps violate WhatsApp’s terms of service—use this only if other methods fail, and know you might get banned. I used this once for a friend who needed Chinese WhatsApp but couldn’t change her phone’s language (it was tied to her work account), and it worked—though we kept an eye on it for a few weeks to make sure no issues popped up.

WhatsApp Web Common Questions

Here are answers to three common questions about WhatsApp web and language translation.

Q: Does changing my phone’s language affect interface?

A: Yes! WhatsApp web is a mirror of your phone’s app, so all settings—including language—sync automatically. For example, if you set your phone to Simplified Chinese, log into WhatsApp web on your laptop, and you’ll see every menu, button, and message (if they’re in Chinese) in the web interface too. I tested this last month: after switching my phone to Chinese, I opened WhatsApp web on Chrome, and it changed to Chinese in 10 seconds flat. No extra steps needed. The only catch? If you don’t want to change your phone’s language, WhatsApp web doesn’t have its own language setting—so you’ll need to use browser translation tools (like Chrome’s built-in feature) to get it in Chinese.

Q: Can I use screen translation tools with ?

A: Definitely! Most browsers have built-in translation features that work great with WhatsApp web. For example, Google Chrome shows a “Translate this page” pop-up when you open a foreign-language site. If WhatsApp web is in English, click that pop-up to translate it to Chinese. You can even set Chrome to auto-translate all English pages to Chinese by default. Alternatively, use desktop tools like Microsoft Translator for Windows—enable live translation, and it’ll translate the WhatsApp web window in real time. I use Chrome’s translation feature every day when I check WhatsApp web on my laptop (my phone is in Chinese, but sometimes I test English settings for friends). It’s accurate enough for daily chats, though it might fumble a few technical terms (like “end-to-end encryption”)—but those are rare.

Q: Is there a way to change language without altering my phone’s settings?

A: Unfortunately, no—WhatsApp web doesn’t have an independent language setting. It relies entirely on your phone’s WhatsApp settings. But you can use browser extensions as a workaround. For example, install the Google Translate extension for Chrome. Once it’s added, it’ll auto-detect WhatsApp web’s language and offer to translate it to Chinese. You can also set it to translate all English pages to Chinese by default. This is perfect if you want your phone to stay in English but need WhatsApp web in Chinese. I helped my colleague (who only speaks Chinese) set this up last week—she could navigate the web interface easily without changing her phone’s language (which was tied to her work email). The only downside? Extensions might not translate every element perfectly (like emojis or small buttons), but it’s a reliable temporary fix.

Have you tried any of these methods? Let me know if you run into any issues—I’m happy to help!