# Realtime Translation: Realtime Translation turns speech in one language into speech in another while the…

By Steven Van · 2026-10-19

Enterprise workspaces can stream speech through a WebSocket API and get translated speech back in a chosen voice, with optional Zero Retention Mode.

Realtime Translation, a new [ElevenLabs](<https://creatorstoolbox.com/tools/elevenlabs>) API, turns speech in one language into speech in another while the speaker is still talking. It is a WebSocket API and is available now for enterprise workspaces, as described in the [vendor's documentation](<https://elevenlabs.io/docs/eleven-api/resources/zero-retention-mode>).

## How the connection works

You open a connection with a target\_language and a voice\_id, then stream audio in. Translated speech comes back in that voice. The speaker's language is detected automatically, so source\_language is optional and only needs setting if you know it.

## Transcripts and speed settings

- The server also sends live transcripts of the original speech and of the translated text, which can be used for captions.

- eagerness trades speed against quality. high starts translating soonest, and low waits for more of the sentence.

- The translated voice uses Eleven v4 Turbo by default. tts\_model\_id switches it to eleven\_v3 or eleven\_flash\_v2\_5.

## Sensitive conversations

Setting enable\_zrm=true turns on Zero Retention Mode for sensitive conversations. ElevenLabs describes that mode as an enterprise option that restricts logging of request inputs and outputs.

![ElevenLabs](<https://elevenlabs.io/android-chrome-512x512.png>)

ElevenLabs

AI audio platform for text to speech, voice cloning, and video dubbing across dozens of languages while preserving the original tone and emotion.

[View ElevenLabs →](<https://creatorstoolbox.com/tools/elevenlabs>)

Sources

[Original source](<https://elevenlabs.io/docs/changelog/2026/10/19#realtime-translation>)

[Read Realtime Translation: Realtime Translation turns speech in one language into speech in another while the… on Creators Toolbox](<https://creatorstoolbox.com/blog/elevenlabs-realtime-translation-realtime-translation-turns-speech-in-one>)

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