New Delhi, August 19, 2025 – Google’s Circle to Search, one of the most innovative features added to Android in recent years, is about to become even smarter. According to reports from Android Authority, a small group of Pixel phone users running the Google app beta have spotted a brand-new tool called “Scroll and Translate.” The feature expands on the company’s live translation efforts and aims to make multilingual browsing more seamless.
What is Scroll and Translate?
Circle to Search was introduced as a way to quickly search any part of the screen by circling, highlighting, or scribbling over it. Until now, translation required either copying text into Google Translate or manually selecting portions of a webpage. But the new Scroll and Translate function changes that by automatically translating the entire screen—including scrolling web pages—into the user’s preferred language.
The feature is designed to remove the hassle of switching apps or translating text in chunks. Instead, users can activate it once and get a continuous translation overlay for everything on-screen. This could be especially useful for browsing foreign websites, reading long-form articles in another language, or even scanning content in apps that don’t natively support translation.
How It Works
Currently, there’s no dedicated “Live Translate” button inside Circle to Search. Instead, users can tap the translate icon and select the new Scroll and Translate option. Once enabled, Google attempts to translate everything visible on the screen, even as users scroll through longer pages.
Early reports suggest the system works reasonably well but is still in testing. Some users have noticed delays in processing, and the translated overlay can feel slightly cluttered on busy web pages. Another limitation is that you cannot crop or highlight a specific section for translation—the feature translates everything together. Still, it represents a big leap forward in terms of convenience compared to the traditional copy-paste method.
Limited Testing on Pixel Phones
As of now, the Scroll and Translate feature is restricted to Pixel devices running the Google app beta. Non-Pixel users have not reported access, and there’s no word yet on whether or when the feature will make its way to other Android smartphones.
Interestingly, developers inspecting the Google app’s code have noticed the company using two different names for the tool: “Live Translate” and “Scroll and Translate.” This inconsistency has caused some confusion, particularly since Pixel phones already have a Live Translate system feature that handles real-time speech and on-device text translation. Whether Google merges the branding or keeps them separate remains to be seen.
Why It Matters
Google’s push into seamless translation is part of a broader strategy to make the internet more accessible across languages. With billions of non-English speakers worldwide, the ability to instantly translate entire webpages or app content without leaving the screen could be a game-changer. It will particularly benefit users in multilingual countries like India, where switching between English and regional languages is a daily necessity.
For now, however, it’s clear that Scroll and Translate is still experimental. Its rough edges—like lack of cropping controls and occasional delays—suggest that Google is gathering feedback before rolling out a polished version to a wider audience.
The Road Ahead
While Google has not officially announced a release date, the presence of the feature in the beta channel indicates that wider testing may begin soon. If successful, Scroll and Translate could be integrated into more Android devices later this year.
For Pixel users, this is another example of how owning a Google flagship can give early access to cutting-edge features. For the rest of the Android community, it may be a matter of waiting a little longer before this powerful translation tool becomes standard.
In short: Scroll and Translate is a promising addition to Circle to Search that could redefine how we consume content across languages. While limited for now, its eventual rollout could make Android an even more powerful tool for global communication.
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