For travelers
Camera menu translator: snap a menu, hear it in your language
Point your phone at a menu in a language you do not read. ReadLens translates it and reads it aloud in yours, so you know what a dish is, and how to say it, before the waiter arrives.
Quick answer
To translate a menu with your camera, open ReadLens, set the language you want to hear, and snap the menu. ReadLens pulls the text off the page with OCR, translates it, and reads it aloud in your language with every word highlighted, so you know what a dish is and how to pronounce it. It works on printed menus, chalkboards, handwritten specials, street signs, museum placards, and product labels, across 11 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, and Hindi. Each snap is saved to your library, so you can replay it offline while roaming abroad, and you can switch the reading language back to the original to practice ordering like a local. ReadLens is free to download with weekly free snaps, on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Android, with no account required.
Translate a menu in three steps
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1
Set your reading language
Pick the language you want to hear, for example English. Every snap is translated into it before ReadLens reads it aloud. Set it once, change it any time.
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2
Snap the menu
Point the camera at the menu or sign and tap the shutter. ReadLens runs OCR to read the text off the page, even a handwritten daily special on a chalkboard.
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3
Hear it in your language
ReadLens translates the menu and reads it aloud with every word highlighted. Want to order like a local? Switch the reading language back to the original and hear how each dish is pronounced.
More than a translation on the screen
Plenty of tools can show you a translated menu. ReadLens is built to read it to you, which changes how it feels at the table: you glance up, listen, and order, instead of squinting at overlaid text. And because every snap is saved, the menu from that little place you loved is still in your library when you get home.
- Hear it, do not just see it. A natural voice reads the translated menu so you can keep your eyes up.
- Learn to pronounce it. Read the original language aloud and practice before you order.
- Works beyond menus. Signs, museum placards, transit boards, product labels, the same snap-and-hear flow.
- Saved and offline. Replay any snap from your library without a connection.
Frequently asked questions
How do I translate a menu by taking a photo?
Open ReadLens, set the language you want to hear, and snap the menu. It extracts the text with OCR, translates it, and reads it aloud in your language with every word highlighted. It works on printed menus, chalkboards, and signs.
Which languages can ReadLens translate a menu into?
ReadLens reads and translates across 11 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, and Hindi.
Does the menu translator work offline?
Snapping a new menu needs a connection to translate and generate the voice, but once a read is saved to your library you can play it again offline, handy when roaming abroad.
Can it help me pronounce what I order?
Yes. Read the menu in its original language and hear it spoken by a natural voice, so you can practice saying the dish before the waiter arrives.
Try it yourself
Travel without the menu guesswork
Free to download, with weekly free snaps and no account required.
