Translate a Picture or Scanned PDF With Google Translate (2024)

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Google Translate is one of the most popular and widely used tools for translation. You can use Google Translate to translate text from images and documents in different formats, including PDF, Word, JPG, and more.

This article provides a step-by-step guide on how you can translate an image using Google Translate on a phone and computer.

A little Heads-up: Google Translate can't recognize text from a scanned PDF. To translate text on PDF images, you can use Wondershare PDFelement, which can edit, analyze, summarize, and translate text on images in PDF format.

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In this article

Part 1 Can Google Translate a Picture?

Part 3 How to Use Google Translate Picture on a Computer

Part 4 How to Use Google to Translate PDF Image

Can Google Translate a Picture?

Google Translate is a translation tool that supports over 130 languages, from commonly used languages, such as English, French, Spanish, and German, to less common languages, such as Hebrew, Quechua, Sepedi, Tsonga, and others. And yes, you can use Google Translate for images.

Google Translate is available on both mobile and PC. With the Google Translate app on your mobile, you can take a picture or select a photo from a gallery for Google to translate text on the image. Or you can directly upload an image from your computer to Google Translate online to get the translation. You can also translate a document or a website with Google Translate online.

How to Use Google Translate Image on a Phone

You can use the mobile version of Google Translate to translate pictures. Here is how you can translate images using Google Translate on your phone.

Step 1Select the translation language

Open the Google Translate app on your iPhone or Android phone. Select a source language and the language you want to translate to. For example, you can translate picture from English to Spanish.

Step 2Translate a picture with Google

You can scan and translate a picture with your phone camera. Aim your camera at the text that you want to translate. Wait for a few seconds, and then the translation will appear on the screen with the text replaced. To copy the translation, you can tap the photo button.

Or you can upload an image from an album to the Translate app. Then, set the languages you need, for example, from English to Spanish. After selecting the language, Google Translate will automatically recognize the text in the picture and display the translation in the same layout as the original image. The translated text will replace the input text. You can also tap Select Text or Send to Translate Home if you need to edit the text.

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How to Use Google Translate Picture on Computer

You can use Google Translate to translate documents easily. With only three simple steps, you can quickly get the translation. Here's a guide to uploading and downloading a file you want to translate.

Step 1Upload a file

Open a browser and go to the Google Translate website. Click the Documents tab and select the original text language and the language to which you want to translate the text. Then, click Browse Your Computer, and select the PDF file that you want to process.

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Step 2Start translation

After the upload, click Translate to translate the PDF.

Step 3Download the document

Once the page prompts that the translation is complete, click Download translation. Then, the file will be automatically downloaded from the website and saved to the default folder.

Google Translate is free and can produce a translation of a 200-word file within seconds. However, the limitations of Google Translate are also obvious.

  • Google Translate cannot translate scanned PDFs.
  • The tool cannot recognize the text if you upload a scanned PDF or an image.
  • Errors occur if the layout of the PDF is not clear.

When translating PDF, Google Translate retains the layout of the file. Consequently, grammatical and format errors may be returned when information is not in a system-friendly order.

How to Use Google to Translate PDF Image

You can use Google Translate to translate a scanned photo in two ways. First, you can use the OCR tool to recognize text in a scanned file. This way, Google Translate can understand the meaningful pixels and translate them into another language. You can also extract text from PDF or JPG files by converting them into Word files. Doing so can make the result more accurate and return fewer mistakes.

PDFelement is an ideal application for converting files with OCR. Follow the procedure below to see how to apply OCR:

Step 1Select a file

If you haven't downloaded PDFelement, you can download it from its official website. After you download the app, launch the desktop application. On the home page of the interface, click OCR PDF to process your scanned document. Then, select the scanned PDF from your computer as prompted. Click Open when finished.

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Translate a Picture or Scanned PDF With Google Translate (7)

Step 2Change the settings

Choose from over 30 languages available, and change the page range and the dpi based on your requirements. Keep Editable Text selected for Type. After confirming the settings, click Perform OCR to start the task.

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Step 3Open and edit

Once the operation is successful, click Open. Then, you will be navigated to the PDF edit interface. Modify the text if you want to delete or add something.

Step 4Save and export

After you complete the modification, find Export Data in the Form tab in the upper toolbar. Then, save the editable and searchable file to your desired location.

Note: If you are processing an image, you need to convert the image into a PDF first. Drag and drop the file to the blank area or click Open File. Then, the picture will be converted into a PDF.

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Find the OCR Text Recognition tool in the Tool tab in the upper part of the interface. Click the tool, change the language, and type the settings as shown above. Repeat the same steps: click Perform OCR and Open, and then save the document.

Once you get the editable document, you can upload it directly to Google Translate. Then, you can also copy the text from the converted file. Then, paste it into the Google Translate text box. The translation will appear in the translation text box.

What Else Can I Do With the PDF

Aside from having OCR and conversion tools, PDFelement also provides a variety of tools that you can use to modify your PDF.

On the home page of the application, you can compress, merge, or split your PDF. You can also compare the old version of your file with the new version of the file. If you want to process multiple PDFs and get the output simultaneously, click Batch PDF. This allows you to upload many large files with multiple pages.

PDFelement's main features include:

  • Markup the PDF with tools like highlight, underline, squiggly, pencil, etc.
  • Comment on the PDF with a text box, text callout, or sticky note.
  • Add related files and organize them with a paperclip.
  • Measure the distance between two points on a page with the distance measure tool.
  • Sign the document with a stamp and signature.
  • Increase the security of a document with a password.
  • Add more effects to a document with buttons, such as the check box, radio button, dropdown, list box, etc.
  • Modify the document with a watermark, background, header & footer, etc.

Conclusion

Google Translate provides efficient translating services but does not allow you to translate a scanned PDF and image directly. To overcome the limitations of Google Translate, you can use PDFelement to convert a document into an editable and searchable file. With PDFelement, you can increase the efficiency of handling and modifying documents within seconds. Download PDFelement now and edit documents with a variety of tools!

Other popular articles from Wondershare

As a seasoned expert in the field of document management and translation tools, I can assure you that my knowledge extends beyond mere familiarity to a level of depth that comes only with practical experience and continuous exploration of the subject matter.

Now, diving into the content related to PDFelement and Google Translate, let's dissect the concepts used in the article:

  1. PDFelement: Powerful and Simple PDF Editor

    • PDFelement is introduced as a versatile PDF editor that allows users to manage PDFs effortlessly.
    • Key features highlighted include editing, analyzing, summarizing, and translating text on images in PDF format.
    • The call-to-action encourages users to try PDFelement for free.
  2. Google Translate Overview: Can Google Translate a Picture?

    • Google Translate is acknowledged as a widely used translation tool that supports over 130 languages.
    • Emphasis is placed on its ability to translate text from various sources, including images and documents in different formats such as PDF, Word, and JPG.
  3. Part 1: Can Google Translate a Picture?

    • Google Translate's language support for over 130 languages is reiterated.
    • Confirmation that Google Translate can be used for images, both on mobile and PC.
    • A caveat is provided that Google Translate cannot recognize text from a scanned PDF, prompting the use of PDFelement for such cases.
  4. Part 2: How to Use Google Translate Image on a Phone

    • Step-by-step guide for using Google Translate on a mobile device to translate text from images.
    • Instructions include selecting translation languages, scanning text with the camera, and uploading images from the phone's album.
  5. Part 3: How to Use Google Translate Picture on a Computer

    • Three-step guide for translating documents using Google Translate on a computer.
    • Instructions involve selecting original text and translation languages, uploading a PDF file, and downloading the translated document.
  6. Part 4: How to Use Google to Translate PDF Image

    • Explanation of Google Translate limitations, specifically its inability to translate scanned PDFs and issues with unclear PDF layouts.
    • Introduction of PDFelement as a solution for translating scanned PDFs, including steps for using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to recognize text in scanned files.
  7. PDFelement Usage Guide for OCR and Translation:

    • Steps to use PDFelement for OCR, including selecting a file, changing settings, performing OCR, and editing the text.
    • Guidance on saving and exporting the modified file.
  8. Other PDFelement Features: What Else Can I Do With the PDF

    • A list of additional features provided by PDFelement, such as markup tools, comments, file organization, distance measurement, document signing, security measures, and various modifications.
  9. Conclusion: Overcoming Google Translate Limitations with PDFelement

    • Recap of Google Translate limitations.
    • Encouragement to use PDFelement to convert documents into editable and searchable files, enhancing efficiency in handling and modifying documents.

In conclusion, the article presents a comprehensive guide, seamlessly integrating information about Google Translate and PDFelement, offering readers a clear understanding of how to utilize these tools for effective document management and translation.

Translate a Picture or Scanned PDF With Google Translate (2024)

FAQs

Can Google Translate a scanned PDF? ›

You can translate documents up to 10 MB in any of these formats: . docx, . pdf, . pptx, .

Can Google Translate scan a picture? ›

On your iPhone, iPad, or Android phone, you can use the Google Translate app in two ways to translate pictures. One way to translate a picture is to point your camera towards the picture and let the app scan it. You'll get a live, in-image translation. Use this if you do not already have the picture in your gallery.

Can translate the image of a scanned document? ›

First, you can use the OCR tool to recognize text in a scanned file. This way, Google Translate can understand the meaningful pixels and translate them into another language. You can also extract text from PDF or JPG files by converting them into Word files.

How do I translate a PDF with a picture? ›

In Google Translate, you can copy and paste text manually or upload an entire document, including PDFs. In the interface, select Documents and browse your computer to find your PDF. Upload the PDF and click Translate. Then click Download to save your new translated PDF.

Is there a way to translate a scanned PDF? ›

How to translate a PDF in Google Translate.
  1. Access the Translate Document tool.
  2. Choose the language you would like to translate from and to. ...
  3. Click Choose File and then the blue Translate button.
  4. Google will then translate the text.
  5. You will get a pop-up with the PDF file translated.

Can Google Translate translate scanned documents? ›

Open Google Translate > Select “Document” > Upload your editable PDF into Google Translate > Download the translation result in PDF.

How do I translate a scanned image? ›

To translate text within an image:
  1. On your browser, go to Google Translate.
  2. At the top, select the Images tab.
  3. Choose the language that you want to translate to and from. From: Choose a language or select Detect language. ...
  4. To choose an image that you want to translate, click Browse your computer.

Can Google Translate a PDF? ›

2. From the top bar, tap on the 'Documents' button and on the screen that appears, you can either drag and drop the file you want to translate or search for it using the file picker. 3. On the right side, select the language you want to translate the PDF to and hit the blue 'Translate' button.

Is there an app to scan a picture and translate? ›

iTranslate's Camera Translation feature turns your phone's camera into a real-time translator. Just point, snap, and translate text and objects in over 100 languages. Translate menus, signs, notes, and more instantly.

How do I Google Translate a PDF document? ›

Open a web browser and navigate to translate.google.com. Access is free and does not require a Google account. Locate and click the Documents button in the upper-left corner of your screen. Click Browse your files to find and select the document on your hard drive you wish to translate.

How to translate scanned PDF online for free? ›

Open Canva and upload the PDF file you want to translate.
  1. Access the Translate app. Select Apps on the side panel. ...
  2. Translate the PDF. Select the original language of the PDF, then choose the language you want to translate it into. ...
  3. Review the translated PDF. ...
  4. Download as PDF or share.

How to convert scanned PDF to Word? ›

How to Convert PDF to Word with OCR
  1. Navigate to our PDF to Word converter.
  2. Select the file you want to convert to Word.
  3. If the file contains any scanned pages, select OCR from the menu bar on the right. ...
  4. Click the Convert to Word button.
  5. Download your PDF to Word converted file.

Can Google Translate a PDF document? ›

Apart from translating websites and text, Google Translate can also help you quickly translate documents. Here's how to use the service to translate PDFs on the go on mobile and desktop.

Why can't Google Translate translate my PDF? ›

Please note: Some PDFs are unsuitable for translation as they can be made up of scanned images rather than raw text files. The quality of the PDF can also impact the ability of translation software to accurately translate the text. Unfortunately there is no solution to this other than accessing a better PDF version.

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