Skip to main content

Auto-translate messages

From Mattermost v11.5, messages in channels with auto-translation enabled are automatically translated into your preferred language. This enables seamless multilingual collaboration — you can read and respond in your own language while teammates do the same in theirs.

How auto-translation works​

Your system admin must first enable auto-translation for your Mattermost instance. Then, a system admin or channel admin can enable it for individual channels. When autotranslation is enabled in a channel:

  • The language of each message is automatically detected.
  • Messages are translated into your preferred display language and shown in place of the original text.
  • Code blocks, URLs, and @mentions are preserved and not translated.
  • Translations happen asynchronously — there may be a brief delay before the translated text appears.
  • Messages written in your preferred language are not translated.

View translated messages​

Translated messages display in place of the original text. To view the original untranslated message, select the translation icon on the message.

Set your preferred language​

Auto-translation translates messages into your Mattermost display language. To change your display language:

  1. Select the gear icon to open Settings.
  2. Select Display > Language.
  3. Choose your preferred language.
  4. Select Save.

See the language documentation for more details.

Opt out of auto-translation in a channel​

You can opt out of auto-translation on a per-channel basis if you prefer to see original messages in a specific channel. To opt out:

  1. Open the channel where you want to disable auto-translation.
  2. Select the channel name at the top to open the channel menu.
  3. Disable the auto-translation option for this channel.

You'll see original, untranslated messages in that channel going forward. You can re-enable auto-translation at any time using the same steps.

Limitations​

  • Direct and group messages: Your system admin may have restricted auto-translation in direct and group messages. If auto-translation isn't available in a direct or group message, contact your system admin.
  • Short or mixed-language messages: Very short messages or messages that mix multiple languages may not be reliably detected and translated.
  • Code-only messages: Messages that contain only code blocks are not translated, as code is preserved in its original form.
  • Translation accuracy: Translation quality depends on the translation provider configured by your system admin. Some languages or specialized terminology may produce less accurate results.