AirPods Live translation Feature Restricted in the EU
Cupertino, CA – September 12, 2025 - Apple’s highly anticipated Live Translation feature for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 is launching with a meaningful limitation: it will not be available to users within the European Union, or those with an Apple Account Country or Region set to an EU nation. the restriction, revealed in a recently updated Apple support document and reported by Macrumors, casts a shadow over the feature’s initial promise of real-time conversation translation.
The Live Translation capability, powered by Apple Intelligence and processing on a linked iPhone 15 Pro or newer running iOS 26, allows for two-way translated conversations. Though,the EU restriction means that even travelers within the EU will be unable to utilize the feature if their Apple Account is registered to an EU country. This creates a complex scenario where nationality and location determine access, as highlighted by examples: an American visiting Spain can use the feature, while a German visiting France cannot.
According to Apple’s support documentation, “Live Translation with AirPods is not available if you are in the EU and your Apple Account Country or Region is also in the EU.” The limitation stems from regulatory compliance concerns surrounding Apple Intelligence features within the EU,though Apple has not publicly detailed the specific issues. Some observers speculate the move may be a response to what Apple perceives as excessive EU regulation. The availability of the feature within the EU remains uncertain.
