The live translation feature on Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, introduced globally in April 2025, allows wearers to translate conversations in real time among a limited set of languages: English, Spanish, French, and Italian. Users set up the feature through the Meta View app by pairing the glasses with a smartphone, selecting language packs (which enable offline use), and activating translation either via voice command or app controls. Once activated, the glasses pick up speech through built-in microphones, process the language through the Meta app, and output translations audibly through the glasses' speakers. The other person's speech can be translated back if they speak one of the supported languages.
Accuracy and performance of this live translation feature have been reviewed by various users and tech outlets, with mixed but informative results. Generally, it works best for short, everyday conversations such as ordering food, asking for directions, or quick exchanges. Translations are described as smooth and clear for basic communication but fall short when dealing with slang, idiomatic expressions, fast speech, or noisy environments. The technology struggles when non-verbal sounds like laughter occur, which can confuse the system and cause translation errors. The glasses are not yet proficient at handling complex or nuanced conversations akin to human interpreters.
Voice activation for starting translation sessions has been reported as unreliable, often requiring manual activation through the app for smooth operation. Once active, the system can translate fairly quickly, providing near-real-time experience although not instantaneous. The translation is also available offline, provided the appropriate language packs have been downloaded beforehand, which is useful for travelers without consistent internet access.
Compared to competitors like Google Translate, Meta Ray-Ban's live translation service is less accurate overall, supports fewer languages, and sometimes falters in capturing context. However, the hands-free and discreet nature of the glasses makes the experience feel futuristic and offers convenience that phone-based translation apps cannot match during conversations.
The glasses can also translate written text such as signs, menus, or labels, but these translations tend to be summarized or paraphrased rather than precise word-for-word outputs. This makes it suitable for quick understanding but less reliable for tasks requiring exact translation.
In summary, the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses' live translation is a promising but still developing feature. It excels at basic, practical conversation translation in supported languages under relatively controlled conditions. However, it is not yet a replacement for professional translation services or comprehensive translation apps, especially in challenging conversational contexts or for a broader array of languages. Meta continues to enhance AI features for the glasses, and future updates may improve both accuracy and language support.