Guide: Translate a comment and your reply
This page: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/inbox/translate-a-comment-and-your-reply
Topic: Inbox and comments
Time: about 3 minutes
Who can do it: Anyone on your team
Author: https://anantgupta.xyz (Anant Gupta, founder of CommentWatchDog)
Start in the app: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox
Result when done: You can read every comment in your language, and answer in theirs.
Context: Translation works in both directions and never replaces the original. A comment is translated for you to read; your reply can be translated into the language the person wrote in, immediately before it is sent. Translation is included from Starter.

Before you start:
1. The language a comment is translated into is your translation language, set once for the workspace, defaulting to your interface language.
2. Auto translate can do it for every foreign comment as it arrives.
3. Translations are kept, so opening the same comment again is instant.

Steps:
Step 1 of 3: Translate a comment.
Where: The translate icon at the start of the action row. The translation appears under the original, headed with the language it came from and the language it went to. Show original puts it back.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox (Open the inbox)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/translate.en.webp (A translated comment, with Show original to flip back.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/translate-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Both texts, the original and the translation, so nothing is lost in the middle.

Step 2 of 3: Translate your reply into their language.
Where: Translate into the commenter language, in the composer. It rewrites what you typed into the language they used. You can also pick a specific language when the guess is wrong.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/reply-composer.en.webp (Translate into the commenter's language, in the composer.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/reply-composer-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Your text is replaced by its translation, ready to read before you send.

Step 3 of 3: Turn on auto translate.
Where: Settings, then the Settings tab. Auto translate translates new foreign-language comments as they arrive. Translation language on the same tab decides what they are translated into; changing it clears the saved translations so they are made again in the new language.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/settings/general (Open Settings)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/general.en.webp (Auto translate, on the Settings tab.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/general-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: New foreign comments arrive already translated, with the original still there.

If something is off:
Problem: The translation says the comment is already in my language
Fix: The detected language matches your translation language, so there is nothing to do.
Problem: It translated into the wrong language
Fix: When a comment is too short to judge, the language is guessed from the post or the author name, and the header says which. Pick a language yourself in the composer.
Problem: Translation failed
Fix: Try again in a moment. Nothing is lost: the original is always the text on the platform.
Problem: I changed the translation language and the old translations are gone
Fix: That is by design, so nothing is left in a language you no longer read. They are made again as you open the comments.

Common questions:
Question: Which plans include translation?
Answer: Starter and every plan above it, for comments, messages and your drafts. On Mini and Lite, Translate opens a short explanation instead. Mini and Lite are offered in selected countries.
Question: Does translating a comment change what is shown on Facebook or Instagram?
Answer: No. Translation never replaces the original, and the text on the platform is untouched. The translation appears under the original comment, headed with the language it came from and the language it went to, and Show original puts it back.
Question: Which language are comments translated into?
Answer: Your translation language. It is set once for the workspace, on the Settings tab under Settings, and defaults to your interface language.
Question: Can I translate my reply before it goes out?
Answer: Yes. Translate into the commenter language, in the composer, rewrites what you typed into the language they used, and you can pick a specific language when the guess is wrong. Your text becomes its translation, ready to read before you send.
Question: Does auto translate cover comments that arrived before I turned it on?
Answer: No. Auto translate translates new foreign-language comments as they arrive, with the original still there. Older comments can be translated one at a time with the translate icon at the start of the action row.

Related guides:
- Reply in public or by private message: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/inbox/reply-in-public-or-by-private-message
- Write replies faster: AI drafts and saved replies: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/inbox/write-replies-faster-ai-drafts-and-saved-replies
- Every action on a comment: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/inbox/every-action-on-a-comment

Plain text of this guide: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/inbox/translate-a-comment-and-your-reply.md
All guides for assistants: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/llms.txt