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windingwind/zotero-pdf-translate

A Zotero plugin that translates PDFs, EPubs, webpages, metadata, annotations and notes, with 20+ translation services supported.

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What is it?

Translate for Zotero, also known as Zotero PDF Translate, is a plugin for the Zotero reference manager. It translates text while you read PDFs, EPubs and webpages in the Zotero reader, by selecting text to show a translation in a pop-up or the item pane.

Beyond selected text, it can translate item titles and abstracts, annotations (saving the translation into the annotation comment or body), and add selected text with its translation to a note. A standalone window lets you compare results from several services side by side, and a dictionary mode handles single words with pronunciation playback.

The plugin supports more than 20 services, including Google Translate, DeepL, Microsoft Translate, Baidu, Tencent, Youdao, and LLM-based options such as GPT, Gemini, Claude and Qwen-MT. Self-hosted engines like LibreTranslate, NLLB and MTranServer are also supported. Many services require your own API key.

Key features

  • 01Translates selected text in PDF, EPub and webpage readers with a pop-up or item pane result.
  • 02Translates annotations and can re-translate edited annotation text.
  • 03Adds selected text and its translation to a note.
  • 04Translates item titles and abstracts, with batch reset available.
  • 05Compares results from multiple services in a standalone window.
  • 06Supports 20+ services, including self-hosted engines and LLM APIs.

Use cases

  • Reading English academic papers in Zotero while seeing translations inline.
  • Building bilingual reading notes by saving translated passages into Zotero notes.
  • Comparing translation quality across several services for a difficult passage.
  • Translating item titles and abstracts in a reference library.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Download the .xpi plugin file from the latest releases page

  2. 2

    In Zotero, open Tools, then Plugins, then the gear icon, and choose Install Plugin from file

  3. 3

    Select the downloaded .xpi file and finish the install

Things to know

  • Requires Zotero 7 or 8 and works only inside the Zotero reader.
  • Many services need your own API key or secret, and some need a self-hosted server.

Topics

#zotero#zotero-plugin#translation#pdf#reference-management#research#plugin#translate#zotero7

FAQ

What is zotero-pdf-translate?
A Zotero plugin that translates PDFs, EPubs, webpages, metadata, annotations and notes, with 20+ translation services supported. Translate for Zotero, also known as Zotero PDF Translate, is a plugin for the Zotero reference manager. It translates text while you read PDFs, EPubs and webpages in the Zotero reader, by selecting text to show a translation in a pop-up or the item pane.
Is zotero-pdf-translate free to use? What license does it have?
zotero-pdf-translate is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is zotero-pdf-translate still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to zotero-pdf-translate was on Oct 3, 2026.
What can I use zotero-pdf-translate for?
Reading English academic papers in Zotero while seeing translations inline. Building bilingual reading notes by saving translated passages into Zotero notes. Comparing translation quality across several services for a difficult passage. Translating item titles and abstracts in a reference library.
How do I install zotero-pdf-translate?
Download the .xpi plugin file from the latest releases page In Zotero, open Tools, then Plugins, then the gear icon, and choose Install Plugin from file Select the downloaded .xpi file and finish the install
Where can I get zotero-pdf-translate?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/windingwind/zotero-pdf-translate

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