How to Stop Google Chrome from Automatically Translating Pages

The Annoyance of Automatic Translation

Google Chrome has a built-in feature called Google Translate that automatically detects when you visit a webpage written in a language different from your system’s default language. When it detects a foreign language, it often displays a pop-up asking if you want to translate the page, or in some cases, it aggressively translates the page automatically without asking.

While this is an incredibly helpful feature for many users, it can be highly frustrating if you are bilingual, studying a new language, or working with code documentation that gets incorrectly translated by the algorithm. If you find yourself constantly clicking "Never translate this site," you can simply turn the feature off entirely or customize it to suit your specific needs.

How to Completely Disable Translation Prompts

If you want to stop Google Chrome from ever offering to translate a webpage again, you can disable the feature globally in your browser settings. This process works identically on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.

1. Open the Google Chrome browser.
2. Click the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the window.
3. Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
4. In the left-hand sidebar, click on Languages.
5. Scroll down to the Google Translate section.
6. Look for the toggle switch labeled Use Google Translate and toggle it to the Off position (greyed out).

Once disabled, Chrome will no longer scan pages for foreign languages and will never prompt you with the translation pop-up.

How to Stop Translation for Specific Languages Only

If you are bilingual and regularly read websites in both English and Spanish, you might not want to turn off the translation feature entirely. Instead, you can tell Chrome to ignore specific languages.

1. Navigate back to the Languages settings menu (Settings > Languages).
2. Under the "Google Translate" section, look for the sub-heading Never offer to translate these languages.
3. Click the Add languages button.
4. A list of languages will appear. Check the box next to the language(s) you are fluent in (e.g., Spanish, French).
5. Click the Add button.

Now, if you visit a Spanish website, Chrome will leave it alone. However, if you stumble upon a website written in Japanese, Chrome will still offer to translate it for you.

How to Stop Translation for Specific Websites

Sometimes the issue is not the language, but a specific website. For example, if you frequently visit a foreign news site to practice your reading comprehension, you can whitelist just that URL.

1. Go to Settings > Languages.
2. Under the Google Translate section, find Never offer to translate these sites.
3. Click the Add button next to this option.
4. Type in the URL of the website you want Chrome to ignore (e.g., www.lemonde.fr).
5. Click Add.

By customizing these three settings, you can tailor Google Chrome’s translation behavior perfectly to your reading habits and language skills.