How to translate a web page on a Mac, privately
In Safari, click the Translate button in the address field and choose a language. It is quick, but Apple says Safari always processes translations online. When the page holds something private — your bank account, your messages, your medical portal — select the text you need and translate it on your Mac instead.
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Translate a whole website in Safari
- Open the page in Safari.
- If Safari can translate it, a Translate button appears in the address field.
- Click it and choose a language. Safari translates the page in place.
This is the right tool for news, shopping sites, recipes and travel sites. The page's text goes to Apple to be translated, which is no problem when the page is public anyway.
When a page shouldn't leave your Mac
A web page is not always public. Your online bank, a patient portal, a company wiki, a letter from your landlord opened in webmail: when you click Translate there, the text of the page is sent off to be translated — your name, account numbers and all. The same goes for many browser translation extensions, which send the page to their own servers.
For pages like these, translate only what you need, and translate it on your Mac:
- Select the paragraph or the message on the page.
- Press ⌃⌥T: Kalila for Mac opens in the menu bar with the translation.
- Select the next part and press ⌃⌥T again. Kalila keeps what you translated in its history, on your Mac.
Kalila translates with Apple's on-device engine, so nothing you select is sent anywhere, online or not.
Version 0.2.3 · macOS 26.4 or later · Apple Silicon
Not on a Mac? Paste it into the browser
On any computer or phone, copy the text and paste it into kalila.app/translate. It is translated inside that browser tab, nothing is sent to a server, and the page shows a live list of every request it makes, so you can see for yourself.
Which way to choose
| Safari's Translate button | Select and press ⌃⌥T in Kalila | |
|---|---|---|
| Whole page at once | Yes | No, only the part you select |
| Where the text goes | To Apple's servers | Nowhere: translated on your Mac |
| Works offline | No | Yes, once the languages are downloaded |
| Other browsers | Safari only | Any browser and any app |
Questions
Why is there no Translate button in Safari?
Safari shows it only when it can translate the page: when the page's language and yours are among the languages Safari supports in your region. If it's missing, select the text and use Control-click › Translate “…”, or press ⌃⌥T with Kalila.
Does Safari send the page to Apple when I translate it?
Yes. Apple's support documentation says Siri and Safari always process translations online, even with On-Device Mode turned on for the rest of the Mac.
Can Kalila for Mac translate a whole page?
No. Kalila for Mac translates the text you select in any app, a paragraph at a time, entirely on your Mac.
How do I translate a page in another browser on a Mac?
Many browsers have a built-in translate feature, and many of them send the page to a server. The private way works in all of them: select the text and press ⌃⌥T.
Is Kalila free?
Yes, Kalila for Mac and the online translator are free, with no account and no limits. Kalila for Mac needs macOS 26.4 or later on a Mac with Apple Silicon.
Related
- How to translate on a Mac
- Is online translation safe for confidential documents?
- A private translator: your text never leaves your device