Google’s Circle to Search feature helps users quickly look up visual information. Now, the feature is becoming more versatile with a live translation function, even when you scroll through a page.
Google states that real-time translation is one of the most frequently used features of Circle to Search. The option that gives the feature its name, circling what is on the screen and searching for information about it, is actually Google Lens. However, Circle to Search encompasses much more, making separate apps (including those from Google itself) practically redundant.
Translation continues
An example of this is Google Translate, which was once the only pre-installed option for translating text on Android phones. Browsers now include this feature, but even that is too limited to cover all use cases. Until now, users had to restart the translation process when viewing a new screen or scrolling through content. This limitation has been removed with the new update.
Google wants users to be able to read content in their own language in other apps as well. Think of Instagram feeds or restaurant menus, which will now also be translated when scrolling. A minimal pop-up appears at the bottom of the screen to indicate the language into which the content is being translated. The translations continue without manual restart. This simplifies use on devices where multiple languages are used interchangeably. The now familiar glowing edge of the rest of the screen indicates that Circle to Search is active. In this respect, it is similar to Apple Intelligence, but Google is further ahead with this AI feature set. Whereas iPhones currently have limited AI functionality, Google offers a wide range of possibilities through Gemini, Circle to Search, and more.
Users activate the feature by long-pressing the home button or navigation bar to launch Circle to Search. They then tap the “Translate” icon and select “scroll and translate.”
“Translation is one of the most used features in Circle to Search,” Google writes in a blog post. The feature helps users understand social media posts in other languages or browse restaurant menus while booking trips.