You receive an important email in a language you don’t understand. Manually copying text into a web translator is slow and breaks your workflow. Outlook has a built-in translation feature powered by Microsoft Translator. This article explains how to use the Outlook translator directly within your inbox to read messages in another language.
Key Takeaways: Translate Emails in Outlook
- Review > Translate > Translate Message: Instantly translates the entire text of a selected email into your preferred language.
- Right-click selected text > Translate: Translates only a specific phrase or paragraph you highlight within an email.
- File > Options > Language > Translation Options: Sets your default translation language and enables or disables the translation mini-menu.
Overview of the Outlook Translation Feature
The Outlook translator is a native feature for Microsoft 365 subscribers and newer standalone versions. It connects to the Microsoft Translator service online to provide translations. The feature works on the web version for Microsoft 365 and in the Outlook desktop app for Windows.
You need an active internet connection for translation to work. The service supports dozens of languages, including Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese. Your default translation language is usually set to match your Outlook display language, but you can change it.
Prerequisites for Using the Translator
You must have a Microsoft 365 subscription or Outlook 2021, 2019, or 2016. The feature is also available in Outlook on the web. Ensure your application is updated to the latest version. The translation option may not appear if your admin has disabled cloud-based services.
Steps to Translate an Entire Email Message
This method is best when you need to understand the full content of a received email.
- Open the email
Double-click the message in your inbox to open it in its own window. The translation feature works best in the Reading Pane or a separate message window. - Navigate to the Translate command
With the message open, go to the ribbon and select the Review tab. In the Language group, click the Translate button. From the dropdown menu, select Translate Message. - Confirm the translation language
A dialog box will appear. It shows the detected language of the message and the language it will translate into. Verify the To language is correct. You can change it using the dropdown list. - Execute the translation
Click the Translate button in the dialog box. Outlook will replace the original email text with the translated version in the same window. A banner at the top will indicate the translation has occurred. - View the original text
To switch back to the original language, click the See original message link in the banner at the top of the translated email.
Steps to Translate a Selected Text Passage
Use this method to translate just a sentence, paragraph, or technical term without converting the whole email.
- Highlight the text
In the open email, click and drag your mouse to select the specific words you want to translate. - Use the right-click menu
Right-click on the highlighted text. In the context menu that appears, hover over or click the Translate option. A submenu will show a quick translation. - View the translation result
The translation appears in a small pane on the right side of the Outlook window. You can copy the translated text from this pane if needed. The original email text remains unchanged.
Common Mistakes and Limitations
The Translate Button is Missing from the Ribbon
If the Review tab or Translate button is not visible, you may be using an older version of Outlook without the feature. Check your Microsoft 365 subscription status. Another cause is the Single Line Ribbon view. Click the small arrow at the far right of the ribbon to expand it and show all commands.
Translation Fails or Shows an Error Message
This usually indicates a lost internet connection. The Microsoft Translator service requires an online connection. Check your network settings. Corporate firewalls might also block the connection to the translation service. Contact your IT department if the issue persists on a work computer.
Translations Seem Inaccurate for Technical or Idiomatic Phrases
Machine translation can struggle with industry jargon, slang, and complex sentence structures. The feature provides a general understanding but is not perfect. For critical business or legal documents, consider using a professional human translation service.
Translate Entire Message vs Translate Selected Text
| Item | Translate Entire Message | Translate Selected Text |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Use Case | Understanding a full foreign-language email | Checking a specific phrase or term |
| Location in UI | Review tab > Translate > Translate Message | Right-click context menu on highlighted text |
| Output Location | Replaces text in the main email window | Shows translation in a separate sidebar pane |
| Original Text Preserved | Accessible via a See original message link | Remains unchanged in the email body |
| Best For | Formal communications or long messages | Quick checks, names, addresses, or short excerpts |
You can now read emails in other languages directly within Outlook. Set your preferred translation language in Outlook Options for faster results. For advanced use, try the Translate feature in Outlook on the web to translate messages on a computer without the desktop app installed.