Translate You for Android: Open Source Translation with Flexible Engines
Privacy focused translator app built with MD3
At a glance
- What is it?
- Translate You is an open source Android translator built with Kotlin and Jetpack Compose, offering text and image translation through multiple hosted, proprietary, and self-hostable services. It suits Android users who want control over the translation backend, but selecting an engine still determines where translated text is processed.
- Who is it for?
- Android users who value an open source interface, Jetpack Compose implementation, Android sharing, and a choice between hosted and self-hostable translation services should consider Translate You. Users who require guaranteed local processing should verify the selected engine first, because the project also connects to proprietary services.
- Can I use it commercially?
- Yes, with conditions. GPL-3.0 is a copyleft licence: if you distribute software that includes it, you must release that software's source code under the same licence. Running it internally without distributing it does not trigger that obligation.
- Is it still maintained?
- Yes. The repository last received commits 111 days ago.
- What is it written in?
- Mainly Kotlin, according to GitHub's language statistics.
Answers come from the project's GitHub data, last synced on October 23, 2026, and from our analysis. They are not legal advice.
Editorial analysis
Translate You's Android Translation Boundary
Translate You addresses Android users who need translation but do not want their choice limited to one fixed provider. The README lists text translation, translation from images, Android sharing, translation history, a multilingual interface, dark and light themes, and Material Design 3. It describes the application as privacy focused and entirely open source, while also stating that it is written in Jetpack Compose.
That combination places Translate You between a normal Android client and a configurable frontend for several external translation systems. The interface, Android integration, and feature set are open source. The privacy properties of an individual translation request depend on the selected engine. For example, LibreTranslate can be self-hosted, while the README also lists DeepL, Yandex, Kagi Translate, and other proprietary services. The repository's privacy policy is separate from the engine documentation, so an engine's handling of submitted text remains a point users must evaluate.
The project is aimed at Android users, not browser-based translation workflows or a general translation API service. It is also relevant to developers examining a Kotlin and Jetpack Compose application with a dedicated `translation-engines/` top-level directory. The repository layout suggests that translation backends are separated from the main app, although the README does not describe their internal interfaces or data flow.
Selecting a Translation Engine in Translate You
Translate You does not present all translation providers as equivalent. The README divides them into open source or self-hostable systems and proprietary services. The first category includes LibreTranslate, LingvaTranslate, SimplyTranslate, Mozhi, Wikimedia MINT, Apertium, and OneRingTranslator. The proprietary category includes DeepL, MyMemory, Yandex, PONS, Glosbe, LaraTranslate, and Kagi Translate.
This list creates more choices than the README's feature summary, which says that the app has “9 different translation engines.” The discrepancy matters because the headline count is narrower than the names subsequently listed. Users should treat the detailed provider list, rather than the summary count, as the available set to investigate.
The engine choice has three concrete consequences. First, a self-hosted option requires access to a compatible service unless the user supplies one. LibreTranslate specifically requires an API key or self-hosting, according to the README. Second, some services add an intermediary with its own behavior. The README says LingvaTranslate uses Google Translate to fetch translations. Third, choosing a proprietary endpoint means the request is routed outside the Translate You client and is subject to that service's account, key, and data-handling conditions.
Accordingly, “privacy focused” should not be read as a guarantee that every supported engine operates entirely on the device. The README confirms the availability of local or self-hostable routes, but it does not state that translation itself runs offline by default. It also does not document automatic engine fallback, provider quotas, or the exact behavior when a remote request fails.
Compose UI and Android Text and Image Flows
The repository identifies Kotlin as its primary language and includes an `app/` module plus a separate `translation-engines/` directory. Translate You is written in Jetpack Compose, while its interface follows Material Design 3. That is the clearest confirmed implementation detail for the presentation layer. The README does not describe individual Composables, state holders, databases, background workers, or networking libraries, so a more detailed internal architecture cannot be confirmed.
The documented user-facing flows are broader than a single paste-and-translate box. Android sharing lets another application pass selected text into Translate You. Translation history implies that previous translations can be revisited, although the README does not state whether entries are stored locally, encrypted, synchronized, or cleared automatically. Translation from images adds an image-oriented entry path, but no OCR engine, accepted image format, or image-size limit is documented.
This makes Translate You potentially useful for people who translate material encountered in other Android apps rather than text copied manually. It also creates a question for privacy-conscious users: the origin of the text is local to the Android workflow, but the destination is the configured translation engine. The client does not by itself eliminate data exposure to a remote provider.
The language support deserves careful reading too. The README claims support for more than 150 languages, but engine coverage can differ. A language appearing in the Translate You interface does not prove that every configured backend supports the same source and target pair. The repository does not publish a language-by-engine matrix in the documented material.
Installing Translate You and Starting a Translation
Translate You is distributed as an Android application rather than through a documented command-line installer. The README provides F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid, GitHub Releases, and Obtainium links. These channels serve different priorities: F-Droid and IzzyOnDroid are F-Droid-style distribution options, GitHub Releases hosts project releases, and Obtainium provides a repository-oriented installation route.
For a new user, install from one of those documented destinations and check that the selected source corresponds to the release you intend to use. The README does not give APK filenames, signing details, version requirements, Android API levels, or step-by-step Obtainium configuration. It therefore does not support inventing command examples for command-line installation.
After installation, the first practical step is to open the app and select the translation engine appropriate to the user's privacy and deployment requirements. The exact settings labels and engine setup screen are not described in the README. For LibreTranslate, users should expect to supply an API key or arrange self-hosting. Other services may have account or access conditions that are not documented in the repository text.
A reader following only the confirmed setup can proceed as follows:
1. Obtain the Android application from F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid, GitHub Releases, or Obtainium. 2. Open Translate You and configure a supported translation engine. 3. Select the source and target languages. 4. Enter text or use one of the documented Android sharing or image translation paths. 5. Review the result and, if needed, revisit it through translation history.
The README does not describe the exact buttons or menus for these actions, so its wording should not be treated as a complete user-interface tutorial.
GPL-3.0 Distribution and Service Dependencies
Translate You is licensed under GPL-3.0. The README says that the project can be used, studied, and shared, but users distributing a modified or compiled application need to examine the actual license text and applicable obligations. This is a licensing boundary rather than legal advice. The presence of a GPL license covers the open source project, while external translation services retain their own terms.
That distinction is important for deployments that add a self-hosted LibreTranslate instance or connect to a proprietary provider. Operators may need to account separately for server configuration, API credentials, provider terms, and the distribution of an app build. The repository does not document whether Translate You includes any hosted service, whether a modified build requires source publication under a particular workflow, or whether release binaries are signed through a documented process.
Upgrades also require attention to configuration continuity. The documentation does not explain whether engine settings migrate automatically across releases, whether history can be exported, or whether changing an engine affects stored translations. The recent release history shows v19.0 on 2026-07-03, v18.0 on 2026-04-02, and v17.2 on 2026-02-17. The repository's last push was on 2026-07-04. It is not archived, but these dates do not by themselves define Android compatibility or long-term maintenance guarantees.
Limits of Translate You's Privacy Claims
The main limitation is the gap between an open source client and the privacy properties of its translation backend. Translate You can direct users toward self-hostable services, but the README does not say that all translations occur on the Android device. Remote engines can receive the submitted text, and provider behavior is outside the repository unless the provider itself is also operated by the user.
The image translation feature has a similar boundary. An image may contain more personal information than a short text query, but the README gives no details about local image processing, OCR, upload behavior, or temporary file retention. It also does not state how history is protected. Users should not infer encryption, local-only storage, or automatic deletion from the words “privacy focused.”
Translate You is also the wrong choice when the requirement is a guaranteed offline translator without any remote service configuration. In that case, a product whose documentation explicitly confirms on-device translation would provide a clearer fit. The documented alternative approaches here are self-hosted LibreTranslate and other self-hostable engines, but Translate You still functions as the Android client and requires a compatible service or endpoint.
A direct comparison with a conventional online translator is limited. Translate You adds an open source Android interface, Android sharing, image translation, and history, while some online services may provide account features or provider integrations not documented here. Its distinguishing control is engine choice. That choice is useful only when the user understands the operational and privacy consequences of each endpoint.
Editorial conclusion
Android users who value an open source interface, Jetpack Compose implementation, Android sharing, and a choice between hosted and self-hostable translation services should consider Translate You. Users who require guaranteed local processing should verify the selected engine first, because the project also connects to proprietary services. Developers should first confirm that its GPL-3.0 terms and external service requirements fit the intended distribution and deployment model.
Frequently asked questions
What is Translate You used for?
Translate You is an Android translator for translating text, images, and content shared from other apps. The README also lists translation history, multilingual support, themes, and multiple translation engines.
Is Translate You completely offline?
The README does not say that translations are performed entirely offline. It lists self-hostable engines such as LibreTranslate, but it also lists proprietary services, so the configured engine determines whether the request is remote.
How do I install Translate You?
The README provides download links for F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid, GitHub Releases, and Obtainium. It does not document APK filenames, Android version requirements, or command-line installation steps.
Which translation engines does Translate You support?
The README lists LibreTranslate, LingvaTranslate, SimplyTranslate, Mozhi, Wikimedia MINT, Apertium, OneRingTranslator, DeepL, MyMemory, Yandex, PONS, Glosbe, LaraTranslate, and Kagi Translate. Its separate feature summary says there are nine engines, so the detailed list and that count do not fully agree.
What license does Translate You use?
Translate You uses GPL-3.0. The README identifies the license, while the LICENSE file in the repository should be consulted when reviewing distribution obligations.
Official sources
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