HoverLinguaIn testingFor the text right in front of you
Understand what's
on your screen.
A lesson, a document, a page you can't easily copy. Frame the text and compare the original with a translation, right beside it.
Not publicly available yet. A download link will appear here after release.
Hyvää huomenta!
Kiitos.
Good morning!
Thank you.
An illustration of the flow, not an app screenshot.
A short path from text to meaning
Frame it. Capture it. Read it.
Choose your region
Drag the native title bar and resize the floating window to put the text inside the blue rectangle. Keep the selection on one display.
Choose your languages
Pick the source and destination. Use Prepare Languages if the pair needs Apple's language models downloaded first.
Capture & Translate
Vision recognizes the text and Apple Translation translates it. The result opens beside the original, where you can fix recognition mistakes, translate again, listen to either side, and copy it. Turn on Live to keep translating as the text changes.
Text stays on your Mac
Native tools.
On-device translation.
HoverLingua uses Apple's ScreenCaptureKit, Vision, and Translation frameworks. Your captures and text never leave your Mac. The first language-model download needs internet; supported installed pairs translate on device. Anonymous usage counts, which never include text, are shared by default and can be turned off in Settings.
Before you start
A few things worth knowing.
Why does it need Screen Recording?
HoverLingua needs access to capture the region you select in other apps. It captures once when you click Capture & Translate. With Live turned on, it re-reads only that region every few seconds (you choose 1–5 seconds in Settings) until you turn Live off. It never captures the rest of your screen, and audio capture is disabled. You can revoke access in System Settings.
What is Live?
Live is for text that keeps changing, such as subtitles or slides. Turn on the Live checkbox and HoverLingua re-reads the rectangle on your chosen interval, translating only when the text changes. If the rectangle is empty for a moment, the last translation stays on screen. Shorter intervals react faster but use more energy.
Which languages work?
Availability depends on the languages supported by Vision and Apple Translation on your Mac. Finnish → English is the default pair. A language appearing in a menu doesn't guarantee that OCR and translation both support it; the app explains unsupported pairs.
Does it preserve the document's formatting?
It groups recognized text into rows and simple columns, but doesn't reproduce document fonts, colors, or complex layouts. Blurred text, handwriting, and skewed pages can reduce accuracy. Check the original when the meaning matters.
Can it capture every app?
Protected content and secure system surfaces may be unavailable. Each capture covers a region on one display. Live picks up a moved or resized rectangle on its next check.