Top Browser Extensions Every Translator Should Install
Browser extensions are built to outstretch your web browser with additional features that you might need. An extension can integrate your browser with other services that you use.
A browser extension can also modify a web page to your liking. Extensions are meant to make work easier not only for translators but for any freelancer.
As a translator, you just need a handful of some really good and interactive browser extensions.
Privacy Browser Extensions
Nowadays data theft has become very common, in essence, every translator must be equipped with an extra layer of security in their browsers.
Disconnect Browser Add-on
This extension will quickly block all sites that are tracking your activity. According to their website, it can ‘visualize and block the otherwise invisible websites that track your search and browsing history’, I mean who wouldn’t want that?.
DuckDuckGo privacy essentials Browser add-on
This has got to be one of my favorite privacy browser extensions. It does what it says ‘At DuckDuckGo, we believe the Internet shouldn’t feel so creepy, and getting the privacy you deserve online should be as simple as closing the blinds’.
It shows a privacy grade whenever you visit a website (A-F). You can check the details in the grading so as to see who is trying to track you.
Get DuckDuckGo privacy essentials add-on ⏩ Chrome | Firefox | Opera |
Ghostery Browser add-on
This extension has a built-in ad blocker that removes advertisements from every web page that you visit, in doing so it eliminates clutter and therefore lets you focus on the content that you want.
This privacy add-on lets you customize your display and has insight dashboards that allow you to see the information that is relevant to you.
It has enhanced anti-tracking which anonymizes your data and therefore further protects your privacy.
Get Ghostery Browser add-on ⏩ Firefox | Chrome | Opera |
Password Manager Extensions
Translators visit a lot of websites and whenever registration is required they tend to use that one common weak password.
A password manager will suggest a strong and unique password. It will also store all your login information and help you log in automatically whenever you need to.
In a world full of identity and data theft every translator needs theft-proof passwords.
Do not be tempted to reuse passwords!.
Bitwarden Browser add-on
This is my go-to password manager. Bitwarden is 100% open source and free for all. Its ability to create randomly generated passwords and later store them in the vault has got to be one of my favorite features.
All you need is a master password to rule them all!.
Get Bitwarden Browser add-on ⏩ Firefox | Chrome | Opera | Edge |
LastPass Browser add-on
With LastPass, you only need to remember one password – your LastPass master password. You will be able to save all your usernames, emails and passwords and LastPass will autologin to your sites anytime a login is required.
Get LastPass Browser add-on ⏩ Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Opera |
Online Translation Browser extensions
Online translators have become very common, they are the first option when someone is faced with a language they do not understand. I for one do not and cannot advocate for them but I do use them once in a while and although MT is not reliable by a mile they are here to stay this is evidenced by the rise in mobile MT apps.
Consult MT at your own discretion and be aware that most of them have numerous issues especially when a word has more than one translation. That being said you can use MT to check on something that might be incomprehensible, or just to get the gist of a message such as translation of webpages to your language.
Google Translate Browser add-on
Hate it or like, this MT engine is used by millions obviously as a Swahili translator I wouldn’t recommend it, for Swahili translations it’s awful and outright inaccurate I bet we share the same sentiment with other language translators.
Obviously, the only official extension is available to chrome users only.
Get Chrome Browser add-on ⏩ Chrome |
Microsoft Edge has its own MT engine that is only available to edge users.
Get Edge Browser add-on ⏩ Edge |
For firefox pick your poison from the link below, the first option should be an obvious choice anyways.
Get Here ▶ GT
Mate Translate Browser add-on
This extension is a more reliable online translator platform. According to their website, they pride themselves as ‘Your all-in-one translator for web pages, highlighted text & Netflix subtitles’.
The free version is not as useful as the paid ones. Basically prices start from $9.99 for Windows and $31.99 for Mac users.
The pro version of this online translator has unlimited phrasebook, enables the export of history and phrasebook to CSV, unlimited short cuts and a dark mode. This online translation platform is pretty neat and has higher reliability as compared to google translate.
Get Mate Translate Browser add-on ⏩ Chrome | Firefox | Opera | Edge |
Temporary Mail Browser extensions
Do you hate promotional market laden emails? Do you hate using your business or personal email to register an account on each website that requires an email?.
A translator has an array of many translation cat tools, invoice tools, project management tools, corpus platforms, e.t.c that need an email registration.
Most tools offer between 7 to 30 day trial periods and when you are done evaluating the tool or software and choose not to buy it, marketing emails kick in.
Disposable emails eliminate such annoyance, even better you can use hundreds of temp mails to test just about any software before you commit to buying it.
Beware: As the name suggests temp mails don’t last long (a few days to a month) so if you need to reset a password that won’t be possible unless you use a disposable mail that allows forwarding of emails to your real email address.
TempMail Browser add-on
This is a very reliable browser extension that I have used countless times. You get instant emails in your temp inbox and you are able to verify an email so that you can access the tool or service. The downside is that it does not last long, just a couple of days but it serves the purpose.
Get TempMail Browser add-on ⏩ Chrome | Firefox | Opera |
TrashMail Browser add-on
This extension offers better features such as email forwarding to your real email address, emails last longer than TempMail and the unpaid version can store emails for 1 month.
TrashMail also has multiple domain names to choose from and you can have multiple active disposable email addresses at a time.
The firefox extension is no longer available.
Get Chrome Browser add-on ⏩ Chrome|
Disclaimer: Temp mails do not always work. One of the biggest problems with throw-away email addresses is that there are numerous blacklists on the web that list all the well-known domains from TrashMail providers.
AdBlocker Browser Extensions
Ad blockers are built for a single purpose – block ads and trackers. Most websites are clogged with hundreds of ads some of which are hidden and become visible when you click on the webpage (pop-ups and new tab openers).
Most ads prevent a site visitor from accessing the content that led them to that site in the first place.
Ublock Origin Browser add-on
By far this is the best ad blocker I have ever used. It lessens CPU lag and does not hog your computer ram. Unlike some other ad blockers, it does not sneak in ads.
Get Ublock Origin Browser add-on ⏩ Firefox | Chrome |Edge | Opera |
Adblocker Ultimate Browser add-on
This is also a very efficient adblocker. It easily blocks domains known to spread malware, block ads and disables tracking on every website that you visit.
Get Adblocker Ultimate Browser add-on ⏩ Chrome | Firefox | Opera | Edge |
P.s: Opera mini has inbuilt adblocker that you can access through settings.
Care for your eyes Browser extensions
Most tasks done by any translator involve using a computer. Every translation software runs on a computer and accessing it means accessing the computer screen which by default functions as a TV.
Translators spend hours on computer screens which can lead to eye strain, vision problems, eye pain and even lack of sleep.
Dark Reader Browser add-on
This extension enables a dark theme for night and day browsing.
You are able to adjust brightness and contrast to your liking. The dark mode and font size are also adjustable.
Get Dark Reader Browser add-on ⏩ Firefox | Chrome |
Dark Mode Browser add-on
This extension enables you to apply a dark theme for all the websites that you visit. You can whitelist any website you desire and four custom dark themes are available to you.
Get Dark mode Browser add-on ⏩ Firefox | Chrome |
P.s: Offline eye care software is very essential. It will protect your eyes whenever you are not using your browser.
I recommend lightweight software -CareUEyes. This small application helps prevent eye strain, reduce eye pain and reduce vision problems.
You can download it here
P.s.s: Most of the mentioned browser extensions have a 4.0/5 rating, and most of them are recommended extensions on Firefox.