How to Translate Web Pages in Google Chrome

The internet connects the entire world, but language barriers can still make it difficult to read foreign news sites, buy products from overseas, or do research. Thankfully, Google Chrome has Google Translate built directly into the browser, allowing you to instantly convert almost any webpage into English (or your preferred language) with a single click.

How to Translate a Webpage on a Desktop (PC or Mac)

When you visit a website that is written in a language different from your browser’s default language, Chrome will usually detect it and offer to translate it automatically.

1. Navigate to a foreign language website.
2. Look at the very right side of the URL address bar (next to the star bookmark icon). You should see a small icon that looks like the letter ‘G’ and a foreign character.
3. Click that Translate icon.
4. A small menu will pop up. Click on English.
5. The entire page’s text will instantly transform into English.

If you don’t see the Translate icon in the address bar, you can simply right-click anywhere on the blank space of the webpage and select Translate to English from the drop-down menu.

How to Always Translate a Specific Language

If you frequently read Japanese news or French fashion blogs and are tired of clicking the translate button every time, you can tell Chrome to do it automatically in the background.

1. Go to a webpage in the language you want to automate.
2. Click the Translate icon in the address bar.
3. Click the three vertical dots in the translation pop-up box.
4. Select Always translate [Language].

From now on, whenever you visit a page in that language, Chrome will instantly translate it before you even start reading.

How to Translate on a Mobile Device (iPhone or Android)

The process is just as easy on your smartphone.

1. Open the Chrome app and go to the foreign language website.
2. At the bottom of the screen (or the top, depending on your phone), a translation bar will automatically appear offering the original language and English.
3. Tap English to translate the page.
4. If the bar does not appear automatically, tap the three dots in the top-right corner of the Chrome app (or bottom-right on iPhone) and select Translate… from the menu.

Conclusion

While automated translation is not always 100% grammatically perfect, Google Chrome’s built-in translation tool is more than accurate enough to help you understand the context and read content from anywhere in the world without having to copy and paste text into a separate app.