Translate Text, PDFs, and Documents for Free — Here’s How

Want to translate text, documents, PDFs, or entire websites — quickly and for free? You’re in the right place. In this guide, we show you how to translate everything from an English Word document to a German PDF into English, without paying for expensive translation services. We cover online tools, apps, and browser extensions — and guide you to the best free methods in 2025.

Translate text online – the best free tools

If you need to quickly translate a plain text, several free online services will do the job in a few clicks:

• Google Translate – still the most popular and easiest service. Type, paste, or speak your text, and choose the language direction.
• DeepL – better translation quality, especially for full sentences and documents. Now supports Danish and many EU languages.
• Microsoft Bing Translate – a clean and fast translator that works well right in the browser.

These services run directly in your browser — just paste your text and get a translation in seconds.

Translate PDF documents without losing formatting

PDF files can be tricky to translate, especially if you want to preserve layout and design. Here are two smart solutions:

1. Use DeepL or Google Translate’s document feature — upload the PDF directly and get a translated document back (this typically requires a text-based file, not a scanned image).
2. Convert PDF to Word with, for example, Smallpdf or iLovePDF, then use translation tools on the converted document.

Note: If your PDF is scanned as an image, first use an OCR tool like 1 or AnyTXT Searcher.

Translate websites automatically with your browser

If you want to translate entire websites, your browser offers smart features and extensions for that:

• Chrome users automatically get an offer to translate via Google Translate when visiting foreign-language pages.
• Firefox and Edge offer similar features via built-in translators or extensions like Mate Translate.
• You can also use https://translate.google.com and paste the URL directly to translate a full page.

Translation on the go – apps for mobile and tablet

If you need to translate something in the grocery store, on vacation, or in a message, there are excellent apps:

• Google Translate app (iOS and Android): Supports camera scanning, voice translation, and offline use.
• DeepL app: Very user-friendly and accurate, but requires an internet connection.
• Microsoft Translator: Great for speech and group conversations across languages.

Many of these apps work offline if you download the language packs in advance.

Live voice translation right from your phone – here’s how

Google Translate offers live voice translation via both the app and the mobile browser. That means you can speak in one language, and the app translates automatically into another — and vice versa.

The feature uses your phone’s microphone and simply requires opening Google Translate in your browser or using the app.

How to use the feature:

1. Go to translate.google.com or open the app.
2. Choose your languages (e.g., Danish → English).
3. Tap the microphone icon or select Conversation in the app.
4. Speak — and hear the instant translation.

You can also hold a two-way conversation where both languages are translated in real time. Perfect for travel, the workplace, or school assignments.

DeepL vs. Google Translate – which translator is best?

In general, Google Translate is best for quick lookups and broad language support, while DeepL often delivers more natural and grammatically correct translations — especially for longer texts. If you need to translate a formal document, DeepL is usually the best choice.

Top 5 tips to translate smarter