Bilingual Web Translation is a browser extension designed to make foreign-language articles and content-heavy web pages easier to read in a natural, side-by-side format. Rather than replacing the whole page with a machine-converted version, it focuses on the main readable body of the current page and inserts translated text directly beneath the original content. This approach helps readers compare the source and translated text line by line while preserving the page’s original structure and context.
Based on its package contents, the extension is optimized for article-style reading and progressive comprehension. It scans visible page content for translatable text blocks such as headings, paragraphs, list items, blockquotes, and table cells. At the same time, it deliberately avoids areas that are usually unrelated to the main reading flow, including scripts, styles, editable inputs, navigation sections, headers, footers, sidebars, menus, dialogs, and explicitly marked non-translate regions. This selective behavior helps keep translation focused on meaningful content rather than cluttering the page with unnecessary output.
A key part of the reading experience is its progressive translation workflow. Instead of attempting to process an entire page all at once, the extension can translate according to the currently visible area of the page. As the reader scrolls, it continues translating newly visible body content. This visible-area approach is intended to keep reading responsive, especially on long pages, and allows translation to happen on demand as users move through the article. The extension also includes controls for translation state, letting users hide translated content and return to the original page text when needed. A floating on-page control serves as a quick access point for page actions, and the optional user input indicates this control can appear as a draggable floating ball at the page edge for convenient activation.
Configuration is handled through a dedicated options page. The extension supports up to four translation model setups, each described as an OpenAI-compatible API service. For each model, users can define the API URL, model name, API key, and whether that model is enabled. Users can also choose a native language from built-in options including Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, French, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Russian. To improve consistency, the extension includes a glossary feature where users can add term mappings line by line, helping preserve preferred wording across translations.
In addition to page-level translation, the extension offers selected-text tools for quicker, more targeted help. When users highlight text on a page, a shortcut button can appear for instant translation. It also supports an interpretation mode for selected text, intended to provide a more contextual explanation and clarify important terms when useful. For longer or more complex reading sessions, the extension can generate an article guide from page content. This guide is structured as a concise reading aid in the target language and can include a summary, outline, core points, and key terms. The package description also indicates that the guide is designed to distinguish the author’s claims from established facts and to note when support is missing, making it a study-oriented aid rather than a simple rewrite.
The extension also functions as a lightweight reading companion through its built-in notes system. Notes are stored locally and can be reviewed from a dedicated notes page. The package indicates support for three note types: selected-text excerpts, selected-text interpretations, and article guides. Saved entries can include the title, source URL, source text, content, and timestamps. Users can browse saved notes, open note details, and export individual notes as Markdown files for later use.
Further control is available through site-level and region-level settings. Users can disable translation for a specific website, toggle selected-text translation, choose a translation region, and clear saved region rules. Site rules are stored locally and can be exported or imported together with other settings. The options page also provides JSON import and export tools for broader configuration management, along with a cache-clearing function for stored translation cache data. The package contents indicate that translation caching is handled locally with a maximum entry limit to help reduce repeated requests for the same content.
Key Features:
- Progressive bilingual translation that inserts translated text directly beneath the original content.
- Visible-area translation that continues processing the main body as you scroll through a page.
- Selective content detection for headings, paragraphs, lists, blockquotes, and table cells while skipping non-reading elements.
- Support for up to four OpenAI-compatible model configurations with separate API URL, model name, API key, and enable controls.
- Native language selection and glossary term mapping for more consistent translation results.
- Quick selected-text actions for instant translation and contextual interpretation of highlighted passages.
- Article guide generation and local note storage with Markdown export for saved reading material.
How It Works:
1. Open the options page and configure one or more OpenAI-compatible translation models by entering the API URL, model name, API key, and enable settings.
2. Choose your native language and optionally add glossary entries to guide preferred terminology.
3. Visit an HTTP or HTTPS page, then use the popup or floating on-page control to access translation actions for the current tab.
4. Enable page translation so the extension scans the visible main content and inserts translated text beneath the original text blocks.
5. Continue reading and scrolling as the extension progressively translates newly visible content while skipping menus, headers, footers, sidebars, and other non-content areas.
6. Highlight text to use quick translation or interpretation tools, or generate an article guide for a structured reading aid.
7. Save useful excerpts, interpretations, or guides as local notes, then review them later or export individual entries as Markdown.
Privacy: - This extension stores configuration, cache, site rules, and reading notes locally in browser storage. It also stores user-entered model API addresses, model names, and API keys. Translation requests are sent to the user-configured OpenAI-compatible service endpoints. No dedicated privacy policy text is included in the package.
Data sourced from Microsoft Edge Add-ons; Extenshi is not affiliated with or endorsed by it. Details