Image Translator — Translate Image to English or Another Language

Extract and translate text from menus, signs, labels, documents and screenshots in supported languages.

Upload an Image to Translate

Drop a photo of a menu, sign or document — get the text back in your language.

All image formats (JPG, PNG, WEBP, HEIC, TIFF…)

Translate an image to English or another language from a photo

Image Translator is an online image translator that reads the text in a photo of a menu, sign, label, document or screenshot and translates it into the language you choose. You set the language printed in the picture and the language you want back, and the tool returns the translation in an editable box, with the detected text one click away. It opens in the browser on a phone or a computer.

Photo translate to English in 4 steps

Image language starts on English, so change it to the language printed in the picture before you run; the tool does not detect the source language for you. Translate to is the language you want to read, and English is its starting choice, so translating to English needs no change there. Nothing is read or translated until you choose Translate image, and the result appears on screen as a free preview before you copy or download it.

  1. Drop in a photo or screenshot of the menu, sign, label or page.
  2. Set Image language to the language printed in the picture.
  3. Set Translate to the language you want to read, such as English.
  4. Choose Translate image, then copy the translation or download it as a .txt file.

Translate picture text from menus, signs, labels and screenshots

To translate picture text, the tool first reads the words in the image and then translates them, so the result is only as good as the reading. That suits a menu, a medicine label or a notice, and you can translate photo text into English or any language in the Translate to list. Printed type reads well; stylized lettering may need another OCR engine.

Translate Japanese, Spanish, Chinese or Korean photos to English

For a Japanese to English photo translator job, set Image language to Japanese and Translate to English, then choose Translate image. It suits menus, train signs, product labels and captions photographed straight on. Kanji are read like any other script, so a shop sign works the same way, although small or stylized print is the likeliest to be misread.

The same steps work for other languages. As a Spanish photo translator, pick Spanish as Image language for a menu or a sign; for Korean text pick Korean, and for Chinese pick Chinese (Simplified) or Chinese (Traditional). Leave Translate to on English and the translation comes back in English.

Scan a page or capture a screen, then translate it

As a photo translator online, the tool works from a file: scan or photograph the page, upload the image and translate it. It is a scan translator that starts from a picture rather than a live camera view, so a hardware scanner is just one way to make the image first: save the page as an image, then upload it. A screen capture works the same way: capture the app or web page, then upload the capture.

Translate signs, posters and other words in the street

Photograph a street sign, shop window or notice straight on, then translate image words in one run. For a poster or a whiteboard, crop to the lettering first so only that writing is read. Text on a screen works the same way once you capture it as a screenshot. To get English from another script, leave Translate to on English.

Check names, numbers and prices before you rely on the translation

Photo translation is only as good as the text pulled out of the picture. The words arrive as one run of text without the picture's line breaks, and a button above the box switches between the translation and the detected text, with Copy taking whichever one is showing. Compare the detected text with the picture first, because a misread word becomes a wrong translation. Editing the detected text does not translate it again, so fix the picture settings and run again, or correct the translated text directly. The .txt file saves the translated text, including any corrections you typed.

Translate many images, a PDF or just the words

Batch mode, a Premium feature, reads and translates every image with the same languages and engine and collects one row per image in a spreadsheet. A PDF is a different job: translate the whole PDF instead. If you only need the original words, extract the text without translating it, and for one line off a sign, select and copy it right on the picture.

Before you translate a picture

  • Set Image language to the language printed in the picture, not the one you want to read.
  • Photograph the sign or page straight on and keep the lettering sharp.
  • Choose Translate to last, then check names, numbers and prices in the detected text.

To keep the wording in its original language, extract the source text without translating it, or highlight and copy a single line from the picture when all you need is one dish name or street sign. A menu shot sideways can be turned upright before you run it, and for a brochure saved as a PDF, translate the whole PDF file instead.

What you can do with Image Translator

Review the main capabilities before you begin.

  • Translate text in photos into 20+ languages
  • Snap a menu abroad and read it in your language
  • Understand foreign signs from a single photo
  • Translate printed documents without retyping
  • Pick the source language for accurate reading

Settings reference

Available controls for Image Translator.

Processing modePresets
Process one input, or switch to Premium batch mode to process multiple inputs with shared settings. Available input types depend on the tool.Options: Single imageBatch

Language

Image languageDropdown
Choose the main language in the source. The available choices depend on the selected reader; unsupported languages are hidden. English is the default. Review the extracted text for recognition errors.Options: EnglishFrenchGermanSpanishItalianPortugueseDutchRussianJapaneseKoreanChinese (Simplified)Chinese (Traditional)ArabicHindiBengaliPunjabiUrduVietnameseThaiPolishSwedishDanishNorwegianFinnishTurkishUkrainianIndonesianTamilTeluguMarathiNepaliPersianGreekHebrew
Translate toDropdown
Chooses the output language for the translation (defaults to English); changing it clears the result, and pressing Translate image again runs the read and the translation together.Options: EnglishSpanishFrenchGermanItalianPortugueseRussianJapaneseChinese (Simplified)KoreanArabicHindiPunjabiUrduDutchPolishSwedishTurkishVietnameseIndonesianDanishNorwegianFinnish
OCR engineDropdown
Switches between three text-recognition engines when Default misreads stylized fonts, low-contrast photos, or an unusual script; changing it clears the result and takes effect when you press Translate image again, and a source language the new engine doesn't support falls back to English.Options: DefaultEngine 1Engine 2
Free to use · No signup required · Without watermarkUploads are encrypted in transitRemoved under our retention policy

Frequently Asked Questions

How Image Translator helps you get it done

Real problems it solves every day — for businesses, creators, and everyday tasks. Find the use case that fits you and start.

Personal Use

Restaurant Menu Translations

Translate supported menu text for reference. Confirm allergens and safety-critical details with the venue rather than relying on automated translation alone.

Personal Use

Road Sign & Shop Sign Translation

Translate foreign road signs, shop names, transit signs and warning labels on the go so you can navigate unfamiliar cities and stay safe without internet hopping.

Personal Use

Pharmacy & Medicine Label Translation

Travellers and immigrants translate foreign pharmacy labels, prescription instructions and dosage warnings to avoid misunderstandings about active ingredients and dosing.

Education

Museum Plaque & Exhibit Translation

Translate plaques, captions and exhibit descriptions in museums and galleries that don't offer English signage — the trip becomes far more informative and immersive.

For Business

Tax, Customs & Immigration Forms

Translate foreign tax, customs declarations and immigration paperwork before filling them in — avoid costly mistakes on visa applications and border declarations.

Personal Use

International Recipe Conversions

Home cooks translate Italian, French, Japanese and Chinese cookbook pages so they can follow grandma's authentic recipes regardless of the language they were written in.

For Creators

Manga & Comic Strip Reading

Fans translate raw Japanese manga, Korean webtoons, French BD and Italian fumetti panels so they can enjoy series before official translations arrive.

For Business

Foreign Resume / CV Translation

Translate a CV or resume from a candidate's native language so recruiters can quickly evaluate skills and experience without round-tripping through a paid translator.

Real Estate

Translate Overseas Rental Listings & Lease Flyers

Screenshot a foreign-language apartment listing or lease notice while house-hunting abroad and get an instant read on price, deposit and terms before you commit.

For E-commerce

Check Imported Product Labels Before Reselling

Translate supplier packaging, spec sheets or safety labels photographed at a trade fair or factory before you list an imported product on your own store.

Education

Understand a Child's Foreign-Language School Notice

Parents translate a report card, permission slip or school newsletter written in a language they don't read, without waiting on a bilingual staff member to help.

For Developers

Read Imported Equipment Safety & Warning Labels

Translate the foreign-language warning stickers and instruction plates on imported machinery or appliances so operators understand hazard and maintenance text.

Watch each transformation land

Every photo crosses the slash untouched and comes out the other side finished.