Whether it’s on your smartphone or your computer, Microsoft Edge lets you do a lot of cool things while browsing the web. For example, you can play surfing games when you’re offline, share files between your devices, and let Edge read aloud for you, among other things.
But did you know that Edge can translate websites into different languages? Next, we’ll introduce you to everything you need to know about translating web pages with Microsoft Edge.
How to translate a website in Microsoft Edge on your desktop
Thanks to its built-in translation engine, newer versions of Microsoft Edge can easily and automatically translate websites on desktop and mobile apps. You can pick one of the dozens of languages supported by Microsoft Edge Translator.
Here’s how to translate a foreign language website when using Edge on a desktop computer.
1. First, make sure your Edge browser is up to date.
2. Open the Chinese website you want to translate. In this demo, we will translate the content of a Spanish website into English.
3. If you’re using the latest Microsoft Edge browser, you’ll be automatically prompted to translate the website into the edge or the default language of your Windows system. In this case, this may be In English.
4. If that fails, simply click the Translate button located between the Favorites and Speak icons.
5. In the future, if you want Edge to automatically translate all foreign language websites into English, then tick “Always translate web pages from XYZ”, where XYZ is the foreign Chinese you want to translate.
6. Now, you should see the option to translate web pages. Click “Translate”.
The page will be automatically translated within the same window. Currently, in Microsoft Edge Translator, there are more than 78 different languages to choose from.
How to translate a website in Microsoft Edge on your phone
If you use Microsoft’s Edge mobile app, you can also enjoy Edge’s translation features. Here’s how:
1. Update your Edge browser.
2. Now, go to the foreign language website you want to translate.
You’ll automatically receive a translation prompt at the bottom of the screen. Click the three-dot button to your right to see more menu options.
Here you can add more languages, adjust your translation settings, or report the wrong languages on the page.
Just like the desktop browser, the Microsoft Edge mobile app also supports 70+ different languages, ranging from Afrikaans to Welsh.
How to manage language translation preferences in Microsoft Edge
You can also manage how translation works in Microsoft Edge by changing some key settings in the browser language manager. For example, you can configure Microsoft Edge to:
Translate different websites into different languages.
Always translate a particular website into a specific language for you to access.
In all your visits, never translate a particular website into a specific language.
Never translate a particular website or language.
Always translate all websites into specific languages for all visits.
Never translate any website into a specific language.
There are two easy ways to do this, on desktop and mobile apps. On the desktop, go to the foreign language website you want to translate, go to the “Translate” dialog box, and click “Do not translate now”.
On the Edge mobile app, open the foreign language website you want to translate, click the three-dot button, and select your translation preference.
Manage your translator settings in Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge also allows you to adjust your translator settings directly from your browser settings. Here’s how:
1. Launch Microsoft Edge on your desktop.
2. Click the three-dot menu button in the upper right corner (more actions).
3. Scroll down all the way and tap Settings.
4. In the left pane, click Languages.
5. To add a language that isn’t listed under your “Preferred language,” click Add language.
6. Choose from the rendered options, or use the search box to search for the specific language you want to add.
7. Click Add when you’re done. Any languages you add in this way will appear under your Preferred languages. Note that the foreign language websites you visit will be translated into the first language listed under your “Preferred Languages”.
8. To change your preferred language in Edge, make sure to add it to your list of preferred languages, as described above.
9. Then click on the three dots (More Actions) button to the right of the language.
10. Click to display Microsoft Edge in this language. The language you selected will now be your preferred language in Edge.
By default, Edge translates foreign language websites into that language. This may differ from your preferred language in the Windows operating system.
You can also ask Edge to stop providing translations of foreign language pages that are not in the language you read or understand, just turn off the toggle of “Provide translations of pages that are not in the language I read.”
If you turn this setting on by default, Microsoft Edge will automatically deliver page content written in languages that are not in your “Preferred Languages” list to the Microsoft Translator service for translation.
Browse Microsoft Edge in your preferred language
With Microsoft Edge’s translation feature, you can not only browse the site in your preferred language but also have it read aloud to you in any supported language.
While Microsoft Edge Translator does a good job of translating websites, like all machine learning models, it has its limitations. So if you’re writing an academic paper, for example, you might want to cross-check your translation with a true native speaker.
That being said, the Microsoft Edge browser is no doubt a feature-rich and capable browser. Like most modern browsers, it is also built on the Chromium platform but can give Chrome a run for its money.
