Microsoft is Adding Translator to Skype for Windows

Microsoft announced today that it is adding its Skype Translator capabilities to the flagship Skype client for the Windows desktop.

Skype Translator debuted in December 2014 as a modern app for Windows 8.1 in preview form, and it was made more broadly available to the public in May 2015. But with Microsoft’s Skype strategy shift on Windows—at one time it actually intended to replace the desktop app with the modern (mobile) Skype app the—this functionality is now coming to the desktop application.

Aside from the inclusion of Skype Translate in the Skype desktop client—a process that will occur over the next few weeks, Microsoft says—there are a few other changes. The biggest is language support: Skype Translator now supports 6 voice languages—English, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish—and 50 messaging (IM) languages.

You can tell you got the update when you see the Skype Translator icon in the application, as highlighted below.