WhatsApp call translation on your desktop, in real time
WhatsApp calls are end-to-end encrypted between the two endpoints. Subtl does not change that and does not try to: it reads the decrypted audio that is already coming out of your speakers, at the same point your own ears do. WhatsApp itself is untouched, unlinked, and unaware.
This is the setup people use for family calls in a language they only half speak, and for supplier calls that happen on WhatsApp because that is where the supplier is.
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Setting it up with WhatsApp
- 01
Use WhatsApp Desktop for the call
The macOS app can place and receive voice and video calls once your phone has linked the device. Calls that stay on your phone are outside Subtl's reach for now.
- 02
Set your two languages
For a family call, set the pair explicitly rather than leaving detection on — short, casual sentences are the hardest case for automatic detection.
- 03
Start listening before you answer
⌥⌘S first, then pick up. In bar mode the overlay is a single line at the top of the screen, which is usually enough for a conversation without documents.
What works
- WhatsApp Desktop voice and video calls on macOS.
- Group calls, with the far side arriving as one channel.
- Voice messages played back through the app, which are transcribed and translated like live speech.
- Answer drafts in the other person's language, with a translation underneath so you know what you are about to say.
What it does not do
- Calls that happen only on your phone are not covered — the mobile companion mode is a later phase.
- Subtl reads no messages, contacts, or media from WhatsApp. Only the audio playing on your device.
- Use headphones. Subtl reads the speaker channel and your microphone separately, and without headphones your microphone picks up the other person through the speakers, which blurs the two channels.
Questions about WhatsApp
Does this break WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption?
No. Encryption protects the message between the two devices. Subtl reads the sound after your own device has decrypted and played it, exactly as a speakerphone in the room would. It cannot read anything the other person has not already sent to you.
Can I use it for WhatsApp calls on my phone?
Not yet. The companion mode for iOS and Android is planned for a later phase. Today you need the call to run through WhatsApp Desktop on a Mac.
Does the other person get any notification?
WhatsApp sends no notification, because WhatsApp is not involved. Whether you should tell them anyway depends on your local rules — see our law page.
Are my calls stored anywhere?
The audio never touches disk and never reaches our servers as audio. Transcripts stay on your machine unless you switch cloud sync on yourself.
Does it handle dialects and accents?
Reasonably, and better on longer sentences than on single words. We do not claim perfect accuracy on any language, and a heavy accent on a noisy line will produce mistakes.