Getting started
- Install HanCam from the App Store and open it.
- Allow camera access when iOS asks. HanCam only uses the camera to read text in front of you; nothing is recorded or uploaded.
- Point the camera at Chinese text and hold still for a moment. The panel shows the hanzi, the pinyin with tone marks and the English translation.
- Tap Freeze to hold the text. Copy All and Share take all three lines.
The first time you translate, iOS offers to download a language pack. Accept it once for each language; after that, recognition and translation work offline.
The capture area and zoom
HanCam reads the text inside the capture area. The wide rectangle is the default. In Settings you can switch to a square or to the full screen, or choose Custom and drag across the camera to draw your own box. Pinch to zoom the camera.
The language of the meaning
Open Settings in HanCam and choose a language under Translate into. Without a choice, the meaning is shown in your iPhone's language where Apple's on-device translation offers it, otherwise in English. Each language needs its language pack, which is downloaded once.
Reading photos and screenshots
Tap the photo icon to pick an image from your library. HanCam scans it for Chinese text and shows the same hanzi, pinyin and English panel. This is the easiest way to read a long paragraph, a screenshot of a chat, or a photo you took earlier.
Translating text from other apps
HanCam includes a share extension, so you can get pinyin for text in Safari, Mail, Messages, Books or a PDF without leaving the app you are in.
How do I enable the HanCam share extension?
Select Chinese text in any app, tap Share, and look for HanCam in the list of actions. If it is not there, scroll to the bottom of the share sheet, tap Edit Actions, and turn HanCam on. It then appears every time you share text.
Simplified and Traditional Chinese
How do I switch between Simplified and Traditional Chinese?
Open Settings inside HanCam and choose Simplified or Traditional.
Use Simplified for mainland China, Singapore and Malaysia, and Traditional for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. If the characters look right but the readings seem off, the script setting is the first thing to check. The hanzi to pinyin guide has more on the difference.
Free limit, Premium and Restore Purchases
How many free translations do I get?
Reading with the camera is unlimited and free. Copying or sharing a result is free 10 times a day; the counter resets daily. HanCam Premium is a one-time purchase that removes the limit; there is no subscription.
I bought Premium on another device. How do I restore it?
Open the upgrade screen and tap Restore Purchases while signed in to the same Apple Account you used for the purchase. Purchases are handled by Apple, so refunds go through Apple's Report a Problem page.
Requirements
- iPhone or iPad running iOS 18 / iPadOS 18 or later.
- A one-time download of a language pack, which iOS prompts for on first use.
- No account, no sign-in, no network after that.
Troubleshooting
Why is no translation appearing?
HanCam needs iOS 18 or later for Apple's Translation framework. The first translation also downloads a language pack, which needs a network connection once. Accept the download prompt, or check Downloaded Languages under Translate in iOS Settings, then try again.
Why is text not being recognised?
Make sure there is enough light, hold the phone still and fill the frame with the text. HanCam works best on clear, horizontal printed text. Vertical text and handwriting are not reliably recognised yet. If the readings look wrong rather than missing, check that the Simplified or Traditional setting matches what you are scanning.
The camera view is black or frozen
Check that HanCam has camera permission in iOS Settings under Privacy & Security, then Camera. If another app is using the camera, close it. Force-quitting HanCam and reopening it resolves most remaining cases.
Vertical text and calligraphy
HanCam currently reads horizontal text only, and stylised brush fonts are harder for any OCR. Where possible, scan a printed line of the same text, or select the text and share it to HanCam if it is on a screen.
Privacy
Everything HanCam does happens on your device. Camera frames, photos and text are never uploaded, and the app has no analytics or advertising. The full privacy policy covers all Blaris apps.
Still stuck?
Email us and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Please include your device model, your iOS version, and if you can, a photo of the text that did not read correctly.