TextLanternBefore you begin
You need access to TextLantern and Discord’s Manage Server permission. The bot also needs permission to read and reply in the channel. If it has not been added yet, follow getting started.
1. Choose the channel and languages
Open TextLantern’s server settings and select the channel you want to translate. Choose or create the language and reply settings that the channel will use.
Choose two main languages. With channel translation enabled, TextLantern translates a message into the other main language when it recognizes the source as one of the pair. If there is not enough language information, a translation may not appear automatically.
For example, with English and Japanese, an English message gets a Japanese reply. A Japanese message gets an English reply.
Add extra reader languages if your community needs them. A channel can use up to eight languages in total, including its two main languages. See the language list.
2. Choose where translations appear
| Translation | Available locations |
|---|---|
| Main languages | A reply beside the original message, or a translation thread |
| Extra languages | A shared reply, a thread, or a private result for the person requesting it |
Readers can request another enabled language when they need it. If the result should be shared, choose a channel reply or a thread. To translate extra languages automatically, also set their translation timing to automatic; choosing a shared location alone does not turn this on. A private result is always requested by the reader.
Use shared replies when members want to see translations in the conversation. Use threads when you want to keep them together. Use private extra results when each reader only needs their own language.
3. Save, enable, and try it
Save the settings, make sure the channel uses them, and enable translation for that channel.
Send a short text message yourself in one main language. Messages from bots or webhooks do not trigger automatic translation. Check for the other language in the reply location you chose. Then try the other direction. If you added an on-demand language, request it once too.
If nothing appears, follow translation troubleshooting.
A two-message setup check
For an English–Japanese channel, try these made-up messages in a channel where testing is appropriate. Check the translation’s language and location; its exact wording can vary.
| Send this message | Check for |
|---|---|
| English: “Can we start at 8?” | A Japanese translation in the configured reply or thread |
| Japanese: “8時に始められますか？” | An English translation in the same configured location |
If one direction fails, check the main language pair and the selected reply location before enabling more channels. If you use an extra language on demand, request it separately; it does not replace the two-way test.
Reuse settings across channels
You can reuse saved language, reply, and terminology settings. When changing settings shared by several channels, check which channels use them before saving.
If terminology settings are available for your account, use them for character names or community terms that need consistent wording. Start with a few important terms, then check how they appear in translated messages.