What iPhone can do now
On compatible iPhones, press the side button and volume up together to open the screenshot view. Visual Intelligence can then analyze content that is already on your screen. You can search, ask questions, interact with recognized text, and translate.
On iOS 26, you can work with onscreen content from the screenshot interface. The entry point is still different from Android because you start with the screenshot buttons rather than holding the navigation area.
Source: Apple, Use visual intelligence on iPhone
What Circle to Search does differently
On supported Android phones, Circle to Search starts from the navigation gesture. It can search objects and images, translate selected text or the visible screen, and on supported devices offer translation while scrolling.
Circle to Search also handles visual search, including objects and products, so its job is broader than translation alone.
Source: Google, Search your screen with Circle to Search
If translation is the feature you miss
Onscreen Translate focuses on that one job. Choose Double Tap, Triple Tap, or the Action Button during setup. Then trigger the translation from the app you are already using.
The translated result is designed to keep the original layout and visual hierarchy instead of giving you a disconnected list of text.
Circle to Search, Visual Intelligence, and Onscreen Translate
| Feature | Circle to Search | iPhone Visual Intelligence | Onscreen Translate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Translate visible screen text | Yes | Yes, on compatible iPhones | Yes, when triggered |
| Start without the screenshot button combo | Yes | No | Yes, after trigger setup |
| Search objects and images | Yes | Yes | No |
| Translate while scrolling | Available on supported devices | No | No |
| Keep translation in the screen's visual structure | Uses the captured screen as context | Uses the captured screen as context | Designed around layout-preserving translation |
Which one should you use?
If your iPhone supports Visual Intelligence and you only need an occasional lookup, use the built-in tool first. If you translate app screens repeatedly and want a dedicated trigger, Onscreen Translate removes the manual screenshot routine. If you need object search, product search, or scrolling translation, Circle to Search still does more than a translation app.
Does iPhone have Circle to Search?
No. iPhone does not use the same Circle to Search interface. Compatible iPhones have Visual Intelligence for onscreen content, and the system workflow starts from the screenshot interface.
Can iPhone translate the whole screen?
iPhone can translate recognized text from the screenshot interface. Onscreen Translate can translate the current screen when you trigger it.
Does Onscreen Translate replace Circle to Search?
No. Onscreen Translate focuses on translation. It does not identify products or search objects like Circle to Search.