Found a page in a language you do not read? Chrome can translate a whole webpage, and on desktop it can also translate only a selected passage. That second option is handy when you want to check one paragraph without changing the rest of the page.
Translate the complete page
Open the page in Chrome and look for the Translate icon near the address bar. Choose it and select the language you want. You can also right-click the page and choose Translate to a listed language. If the translation does not appear, refresh the page and try again. Chrome’s translation controls and available languages can vary by device and settings.
Translate only a section
On a computer, highlight the text you want to understand, right-click the selection and choose Translate selection to your preferred language. Chrome opens a translation for that passage, which can be easier to compare with the original than replacing the entire webpage.
Check critical information against the original
Machine translation is a useful aid, not a guarantee that every idiom, technical term or legal phrase is correct. For travel directions, medical information, contracts, safety instructions or financial details, verify key wording with a trusted source or a fluent speaker. Page layouts and dynamically loaded text may also not translate exactly as expected.
If Chrome does not offer the language you want, check the browser’s language and translation preferences. Google also documents a separate way to translate websites through Google Translate. Avoid copying sensitive account or workplace material into an unfamiliar translation service.
For casual reading, translating a selection can be the quickest way to decode a sentence. For important decisions, treat the output as a starting point and confirm the meaning.
Featured image credit: Kristoferb at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0 (license).
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