floattrans

Project Overview

FloatTrans is a real-time translation tool that lives in the macOS menu bar. It reads the text field of the current app when that app supports accessibility, translates it in the configured language direction, and shows the result in a low-distraction floating panel, with no copying, pasting or extra hotkey needed.

Type, and the translation quietly appears beside you.

Key Features

• Multiple language directions: source and target languages can each be Chinese, English, Japanese, Russian, Korean, French, German or Spanish
• Dual engines: choose macOS on-device translation or switch to an LLM API
• Model failover: works with OpenAI-compatible endpoints, Claude, DeepSeek, GLM and custom endpoints, with several models reorderable and switched automatically on timeout
• Secure key storage: API keys go in the macOS keychain, while preferences hold only non-sensitive settings
• Translation history: off by default, optionally kept for 1 day to forever, with confirmed clearing and export to Markdown or Excel
• Floating panels: up to three panels at once, replacing the previous sentence or stacking downwards, with automatic wrapping and height
• Position and look: place panels at the top right, bottom center or bottom right, and tune margins, font size and auto-hide time
• Hotkeys: configurable hotkeys for translating, replacing the original text, copying the translation and reading aloud, with the voice following the target language
• App exclusions: add apps you do not want read to the exclusion list

Target Audience

• Office users who frequently translate Chinese to English or between other languages
• Users who switch often between browsers, editors and chat apps
• Privacy-conscious users who prefer on-device translation

Quick Start

1. Download the DMG and drag FloatTrans.app into Applications
2. On first launch, follow the guide to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility and enable FloatTrans
3. Choose source and target languages in Settings → Translation, and download the language pack if it is missing
4. For API translation, switch to LLM API and fill in the endpoint, key and model name
5. Type the source language into any accessibility-enabled input field; the translation appears after you pause briefly
6. To write back or copy, enable Replace Original or Copy Translation in settings and use the matching hotkey

Core Advantages

• Never interrupts typing: no copying or window switching, the translation just appears
• Local first: optionally use on-device translation, so text never leaves your Mac
• Free choice of model: several LLM providers can be used, with automatic failover on timeout
• Keys kept safe: keys live in the system keychain instead of preferences

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
OS	macOS 15 or later
Permission	Accessibility permission
Local translation	The system translation language pack for the language pair

Notes

• Apps differ in how well they support the accessibility API, so apps with custom controls or no exposed text elements may not be readable
• Distributed builds are not notarized, so right-click to open on first launch
• When translating with an LLM, your input is sent to the chosen provider
• After changing the app path or signature, you may need to re-authorize it under Accessibility