AirPods Live Translation Disabled in the EU for Users with EU Apple Accounts
Originally published in Turkish. Read the original →
Apple is initially disabling Live Translation for users who are both physically located in the EU and have an EU Apple Account; the likely reasons are AI Act and GDPR compliance.
Apple's new Live Translation feature for AirPods will be off for millions of European Union (EU) users when it launches. It appears that strict EU regulations are limiting the rollout for now.
On its feature availability page, Apple states that “Apple Intelligence: Live Translation with AirPods” is not available if the user is both physically located in the EU and has an Apple Account region in the EU. Apple does not explain the reason for this restriction; the most likely justification is legal and regulatory pressure.
In particular, the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) impose strict requirements on how speech and translation services are offered. Regulators may want to examine how Live Translation works and its implications for privacy, consent, data flows and user rights. Apple, for its part, will want to be sure its system is fully compliant with these rules before enabling the feature for EU accounts.
Introduced during the AirPods Pro 3 announcement, Live Translation is also coming to certain earlier models, including AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and AirPods Pro 2.
Live Translation enables hands-free communication by letting users speak naturally while wearing AirPods. When talking to someone who isn't using AirPods, the iPhone can show a live transcription in landscape mode and present translations in the other person's preferred language.
The feature becomes even more powerful when both speakers use compatible AirPods that support Live Translation. Active Noise Cancellation automatically lowers the volume of the other person's voice, making it easier to focus on the translated audio and preserving the natural flow of the interaction.
Requirements
- An Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone (iOS 26 or later) — iPhone 15 Pro and newer models are supported.
- Compatible AirPods with the latest firmware (AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4 ANC, AirPods Pro 2).
- Note: Apple is testing AirPods firmware alongside the iOS 26 betas; the timing of the public release may change.
Supported languages (at launch)
- English (UK and US), French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish.
- Coming soon: Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified).
It is not yet clear when the EU/Apple Account restriction will be lifted. I may update this post as more details come from Apple.
> Editor's note: This content was compiled based on Apple's public feature announcements and the known requirements of the EU regulatory framework. Release and rollout schedules may change.
