Hover Translate on Mac

Hover translation is useful when reading gets interrupted by small words, phrases, or short sentences you need to confirm quickly.

Instead of copying text into a separate translator, Dictionary is designed to keep the lookup close to the current app.

When this helps

• Reading web pages, PDFs, papers, or documentation
• Checking subtitles or interface text
• Reviewing unfamiliar terms during daily work
• Avoiding repeated copy, paste, and window switching

How Dictionary fits

Dictionary keeps hover lookup as a low-interruption entry point. The goal is not to replace careful reading, but to remove the friction around small checks that happen many times a day.

For related workflows, see Translate Selected Text on Mac and OCR Screenshot Translation on Mac.