Guide
How to watch TVer, ABEMA and SHOWROOM with translated subtitles on iPhone
None of the three offers subtitles in other languages. TVer and ABEMA have Japanese captions on some programmes at most, and SHOWROOM lives have none. To follow them in your own language, use an app that listens to the audio your iPhone is playing and translates it: Hono Translate floats subtitles over TVer, ABEMA or SHOWROOM, on the device.
What each app offers
| App | What it is | Subtitles in your language |
|---|---|---|
| TVer | Free catch-up, and some live broadcasts, from Japan's TV networks | None |
| ABEMA | Streaming channels: news, anime, variety shows, sports | None |
| SHOWROOM | Live streams from idols and performers, with gifts and comments | None |
TVer and ABEMA are made for viewers in Japan, and many programmes can only be watched there. If you live in Japan and your Japanese is not yet enough for TV, this guide is for you.
Set it up
- Start the programme or live in TVer, ABEMA or SHOWROOM.
- Open Hono Translate, choose Japanese as the spoken language and the language you read.
- Tap Start translating sound, confirm on the iOS sheet, then tap the empty space below the sheet.
- The subtitle window floats up on its own and the iPhone returns to the Home Screen. Go back to the app.
What to expect
- News and talk shows translate best: clear speech, one person at a time.
- Variety shows are harder. Several people talk at once over laughter and sound effects, and many of the jokes are in the captions on screen, which are not translated.
- Dramas and anime work, with music under some scenes costing accuracy.
- SHOWROOM lives suit it well: one person talking to the camera. The comments and gifts are not translated.
Questions
Does it work with TVer's live broadcasts?
Yes. Live or catch-up, it translates the audio TVer plays.
Can I use it outside Japan?
The subtitle app works anywhere. Whether TVer or ABEMA plays a programme where you are is up to them.
Does it translate the captions on the screen?
No. It translates what is being said. Text burned into the picture, and the chat, are not translated.
Does it work with other Japanese apps?
Usually. It reads the audio rather than connecting to the app. A few streaming apps block audio capture for protected content; there, no subtitles appear.
Which languages can I read it in?
Japanese and Korean speech can be read in English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German and the other languages Apple's translator handles on iPhone. The exact lists come from iOS itself.
Can an iPhone app hear the sound another app is playing? Do I need a second phone?
Yes, and one iPhone is enough. Through screen sharing — the iOS sheet you confirm when you start — iOS hands the sound that is playing to the app you pick. Hono Translate takes that audio from iOS, not from the microphone, so headphones are fine, and its subtitles float in a Picture-in-Picture window over TikTok, YouTube or any other app.
For livestreams on other platforms, see how to translate any livestream on iPhone.
Guides for specific apps
- How to translate a YouTube video or live stream on iPhone, even with no captions (free to try)
- How to translate a TikTok LIVE on iPhone in real time (one phone, free to try)
- How to translate an Instagram Live on iPhone in real time
- How to get live translated captions on a Twitch stream on iPhone
- How to get translated subtitles on a Weverse live on iPhone (one phone, with or without membership)