Skype Translator Privacy FAQ

When you use Skype’s translation features, Skype collects and uses your conversation to provide the translation service.  Voice conversations are only recorded when translation features are selected by a user. As you speak, we collect and process the audio to auto-detect the language you are speaking and use voice-to-text processing to transcribe your words. Then, we translate that written transcription. 

With your permission, your data may be used to help improve Microsoft products and services. To help the translation and speech recognition technology learn and grow, sentences and automatic transcripts are analyzed and any corrections are entered into our system, to build more performant services. This may include transcription of audio recordings by Microsoft employees and vendors, subject to procedures designed to protect users’ privacy, including taking steps to de-identify data, requiring non-disclosure agreements with vendors and their employees, and requiring that vendors meet the high privacy standards set out in European law and elsewhere. 

Unless you separately consent to TruVoice or choose to contribute your voice clips for Skype translator improvement, the audio we collect for this feature is used only as described above, and all audio is deleted by the end of your call.

To stop translation during a call:

1. Tap or click the translation button.
2. Select Stop translating.
3. Translation will be disabled and a notification will be sent to the chat.

To turn translations off from Skype Settings:

1. In Skype, select Settings.
2. Select Privacy.
3. Select Translation & language auto-detection.
4. Select Disable. Translation and language auto-detection will be disabled.

 

Your everyday use of Skype Translator could improve the accuracy of Microsoft's speech technology for everyone who speaks your language. Learn more about how Microsoft protects your privacy.

If you prefer not to contribute voice clips, you can still use Skype Translator.

Skype will ask you for your permission when you use Skype Translator for the first time. You can also enable or disable your voice clip contribution at any time:

1. In Skype, select Settings.
2. Select Privacy.
3. Select Voice Clip Contribution to enable or disable the feature.

Review our Privacy Statement.

Auto-detecion of the translated language detects the spoken langauge and translates automatically.

1. In Skype, select Settings
2. Select Privacy.
3. Select Translation & language auto-detection to enable or disable this feature.

Truvoice AI uses your voice to deliver the translation you have opted into, for everything you say in real-time for a more natural conversation. Truvoice AI can be enabled or disabled in Skype at any time:

1. In Skype, select Settings.
2. Select Privacy.
3. Select Truvoice AI to enable or disable the feature.

Note: To enable or disable Truvoice AI, Translation and language auto-detection needs to be enabled.


To turn on translation with Truvoice while on a call:

1. Select More to open additional options.
2. Select Translate.
3. Truvioce translation opt-in notification will be sent to the participant on the call

Note: To turn off translation with Truvioce while on a call, simply select More, and select Translate again.
 

Yes. When you make a change, your translation settings will automatically sync across your devices connected to your Microsoft account.

Yes, you can change your permissions at any time by changing the toggle in Translation settings to off.

1. In Skype, select Settings.
2. Select Privacy.
3. Select Voice Clip Contribution to enable or disable the feature.

 

Conversations using translation are encrypted in transit to and from Microsoft’s servers.

No, Skype doesn’t use the information collected through translation features to sell advertising.