At a glance

A useful supplier page or technical guide should not become a dead end because it is written in another language. Firefox offers built-in translation processed on your device, rather than sending page text to a cloud translation service. Required language files must be installed; Mozilla says supported content can then be translated offline. This concerns translation processing, not a promise that browsing creates no network traffic.

For freelancers researching products, a useful approach is to translate enough to understand the page, then keep the original beside any information you plan to reuse.

Explore, section by sectionExcerpts from the opening sections. The complete article and sources are below.

Start with the built-in option

Section 1 of 4

Use an updated Firefox browser rather than adding the old Firefox Translations extension. Mozilla says that extension no longer receives updates or maintenance and recommends the built-in feature, introduced in Firefox 118.

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Start with the built-in option

Use an updated Firefox browser rather than adding the old Firefox Translations extension. Mozilla says that extension no longer receives updates or maintenance and recommends the built-in feature, introduced in Firefox 118.

On desktop, open a page in a supported language. If the translation control is missing, check Settings → AI Controls and confirm that Translations is Available before assuming the language is unsupported. Select the translation icon, or choose Translate page from the browser menu. Check the source and destination languages before translating. To return, choose Show original.

If only one paragraph matters, highlight it, right-click and select the translation option. Translation works with text, not images or videos, and mixed-language pages can cause problems. Check the current supported languages and direction rather than assuming every language pair is available.

Sources: Mozilla’s translation instructions and limitations, retired-extension guidance.

Keep a small research record

Before translating, write down your question. “Does this item include the mounting bracket?” is more useful than “Understand this website.”

A practical research note has four parts:

  • The original page URL and date checked.
  • The original sentence relevant to your question.
  • Your working interpretation.
  • Anything that still needs confirmation.

For example, if a translated description appears to promise compatibility with your camera, record the exact model numbers. Do not turn a broad statement into a more specific claim in a client proposal. Ask the supplier when the wording leaves room for doubt.

Use the translation to decide what deserves closer attention, not as automatic approval to buy, publish or promise something.

Check mobile separately

Firefox’s controls differ across platforms. Mozilla’s current iOS guide describes an experimental, progressively released feature that translates whole pages into the device language. It does not currently offer selected-text translation or a separate target-language choice. Mozilla also says remote improvements must be enabled for this experimental iOS feature. Review that setting’s explanation and your organisation’s privacy requirements before changing it. A supported version alone does not guarantee that the feature has reached your device. Firefox for iOS guidance.

A practical first test is one short public page whose meaning you can independently check. Compare the important details, keep unanswered questions visible, and stop if you cannot verify the point your decision depends on.

Official sources

Research note: documentation for Firefox translations source check was checked on 29 October 2026. Language pairs and rollout vary; on-device text processing is not a promise of network-free browsing, and iOS needs a separate privacy review. No hands-on product test was performed. The cover is an AI-generated illustration, not a software screenshot.