How to translate images with smart translations
Smart translations can now translate the text inside the images in your messages. Klaviyo reads the text in an image, translates it into each language you send in, and makes a new version of the image with the translated text in place. Each recipient then sees the image in their own language, along with the rest of the translated message.
Use image translation for banners, hero images, promotional graphics, and other images that contain words, so you don't have to design and upload a separate image for every language.
Before you begin
- Smart translations must be on. Image translation is part of smart translations and uses the same translation engine. If image translation is not available, the message shows Image translation is not available for this account.
- Add at least one language. The message must have one or more target languages. If it has none, the button shows Add a language to translate this image.
- The image must be uploaded to Klaviyo. Image translation works on static images in your email content. Images set with dynamic content (for example, a
{{ }}variable or template tag) are not translated. - Set up your glossary and do-not-translate terms first. Image translation uses the same glossary and do-not-translate list as text translation. Add brand names, product names and fixed terms before you translate so they come out correctly in your images.
- You need edit access to the message. If translations are read-only for you, the image actions do not show.
How image translation works
Image translation is separate from text translation, and nothing changes in your message until you approve it.
- You choose an image and the languages to translate it into.
- Klaviyo reads the text in the image and translates it, using your glossary and do-not-translate terms. This takes 1–3 minutes per language.
- Klaviyo creates a new version of the image for each language, with the translated text in place of the original.
- Klaviyo checks each new image. It flags text that may be hard to read, may not match the translation, or may still show the original language.
- You review each result. Only when you select Use translated image does the new image replace the current image for that language.
Text translation actions such as Update translations, Retranslate, Update now and Update all translate text only. They do not translate images, and they do not replace an image you have already translated unless the source image changes.
Translate the text in an image
You can translate images in a campaign or flow email from the translations overview, on either the Assets tab or the By field tab. Translations you start on one tab also show on the other.
From the Assets tab
The Assets tab lists every image in the message that has text to translate. For each image, it shows the source image and the current image for each language.
- Open the campaign and go to the Review step. Next to Translation, select Review to open the translations overview.
- Select the Assets tab.
- Find the image and select Translate image text.
- Under Choose languages, select the languages to translate into. Languages that still show the source image are selected for you. Languages that already have a translated image, or a result waiting for review, are not selected. Select one of these only if you want to replace its image.
- Select Translate image text to start.
A progress bar at the top of the page shows how many languages are done. You can keep working while the images translate; each language shows its result as soon as it is ready.
From the By field tab
- In the translations overview, select the By field tab.
- Select the image field. Image fields are tagged Image text.
- Select Translate image text, choose your languages, and start the translation as above.
Use the By field tab when you want to review an image one language at a time. From the Assets tab, select Open in By field to go straight to an image's field.
Review and use translated images
Each language shows its result with a status. Your message keeps its current image until you choose to use the new one.
Status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
Ready to use | The image translated and passed all checks. | Select Use translated image. |
Needs a check | The image translated, but Klaviyo flagged something to look at. A note says what, for example Check prices, dates and codes. | Look at the image closely. Use it if it is correct, or select Discard. |
Partly translated | Some text could not be read and was left in the original language. | Check the image before you use it. |
Withheld | The translated text could not be verified, or some text could not be read, so Klaviyo did not offer the image. | Your current image is unchanged. Try again, or use a different version of the source image. |
Update failed | The translation did not finish. The reason shows below the status. | Your current image is unchanged. Select Try again. |
To use all results that passed every check at once, select Use all ready in the progress bar. Results marked Needs a check, and images that changed while the translation ran, are not included. Review these one at a time.
After you use a translated image, that language shows a Translated image tag.
Go back to the source image
On the Assets tab, select Reset to source under a language to replace its translated image with the source image. To reset every language for an image, select Reset all to source.
When you change the source image
If you change the image in your source message, translated images are not updated for you. When you update translations, Klaviyo tells you how many images changed. Each language then shows the new source image until you translate it again on the Assets tab.
Limitations and troubleshooting
Limitations
- Image translation works on static images in email content. Dynamic images are not translated.
- Bulk text actions (Update all, Retranslate) do not translate images. Start image translation on its own from the Assets or By field tab.
- You can't start a new translation for an image while one of its languages is translating or saving.
- Always check prices, dates, discount codes and other exact values in a translated image before you send.
Error messages
Message | What to do |
|---|---|
The source image could not be loaded. | Make sure the image is uploaded to Klaviyo and opens in your browser, then try again. |
This image is too large or not a supported type. | Upload a smaller image in a common format, such as JPG or PNG, and try again. |
This took too long. | Select Try again. |
Image translation is not available for this account. | Make sure smart translations is turned on for your account. |
Some text in this image couldn't be read, so it wasn't translated. | Use a source image with clearer, higher-contrast text. |
The translated image could not be saved. | Select Use translated image again. |
Frequently asked questions
Does image translation change my images without asking? No. A translated image is used only after you select Use translated image or Use all ready.
Does image translation use my glossary? Yes. It uses your glossary and do-not-translate terms, the same as text translation.
What happens to my translated images when I retranslate the message? They stay in place, unless you changed the source image. If the source image changed, each language shows the new source image until you translate it again.
Can I upload my own image for a language instead? Yes. You can still upload a different image for any language. Image translation is an option, not a requirement.
I left the page while images were translating. Did I lose the results? No. Results for translations already in progress show again when you come back to the page in the same browser session.