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Top 5 PDF Readers with Translator to Enhance Your Reading

Reading PDFs in a foreign language is frustrating. You either copy-paste text into Google Translate (losing formatting) or switch between apps constantly.

After testing 15+ PDF readers with translation features, we've identified the 5 that actually work — and one clear winner that does it all: translate entire documents, preserve formatting, handle scanned PDFs, and work across every device you own.

Here's the shortlist. Jump to the comparison table to see them side-by-side in 30 seconds.

Which PDF Reader with Translator Suits You Best?

Here are the 5 best PDF tools with translator capabilities! They all offer some excellent features, but choosing the right one can be difficult. But don't worry! Let's help you find the best one using the comparison below.

ToolsUPDFSumatraPDFPDF Book TranslatorFoxit ReaderDeftPDF
Platforms SupportedWindows, Mac, iOS, Android, OnlineWindowsWindowsWindows, Mac, iOS, Android, OnlineOnline, iOS, Android
Read PDF
Take Notes (with Notepad or Wordpad integration)
Translate PDF
Translate by Pages
Summarize PDF
Explain PDF (with search engines) (with a search engine)
Chat PDF
PDF to Mind Map
Chat with AI
Edit PDFRequires Foxit Editor
Convert PDFRequires Foxit Editor
OCR PDFRequires Foxit Editor
Customer Rating 4.54.43.24.54.5

Quick Decision Guide:

  • Choose UPDF if you need the most complete solution: selection + whole-document translation, OCR, offline privacy, and cross-platform support.
  • Choose SumatraPDF if you want a free, lightweight Windows reader with basic right-click translation.
  • Choose PDF Book Translator if you read long ebooks and want a side-by-side bilingual view.
  • Choose Foxit Reader if you prefer a Word-like interface with annotation and collaboration tools.
  • Choose DeftPDF if you cannot install software and need a quick browser-based translation.

From the above comparison, UPDF emerges victorious! It offers a full suite of robust features to read and manage documents. It is user-friendly and requires no technical skills. Also, you can use it with a single license on all platforms!

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💡UPDF is the best all-rounder for students, researchers, and professionals who need accurate translation + full PDF editing + cross-platform support. Let's go through them one by one, starting with the UPDF.

5 Best PDF Reader with Translators

After reviewing the best PDF tools, we have carefully picked the ones with efficient translation features. These tools can help you simplify your reading process. You can also minimize the time spent switching to platforms like Google Translate to understand foreign languages.

Are you ready to handle your PDFs more productively? Let's explore the best tools for it below!

1. UPDF - Best PDF Reader with Translator on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Online

UPDF is an all-in-one PDF reader with a built-in AI translator that works across all major platforms. Unlike browser-based tools that require you to upload files, UPDF translates text directly inside the PDF viewer — by selection, by page, or for the entire document — without switching apps.

Best for

Users who want to translate entire PDFs or selected passages while preserving formatting, and those who need OCR for scanned documents. Also ideal if you work across multiple devices (one license covers 4 devices).

If you want to learn more about AI usage, check out this page >>. We also offer an online version of the AI, users can click the button below to try it out for free. Or, let’s explore more in the following video what's new in UPDF 2.5!

Now, let's explore the standout features of UPDF for reading and translating your PDFs.

Key Translation Features:

  • Translate by Selection (Reader Mode): Highlight any text in the PDF and get an instant translation popup. No copy-paste needed.
  • Translate by Page (Chat Mode): Ask UPDF AI to translate specific pages or the entire document. The translation appears in a side panel while the original stays intact.
  • Translate Scanned PDFs: Built-in OCR recognizes text in image-based PDFs, then translates the extracted text.
  • Format Preservation: Tables, images, and multi-column layouts remain intact during translation.
  • Explain Translations: Ask UPDF AI to explain complex terms or context, not just translate them.

Other Reading Features:

  • Single/double page view, slideshow mode, bookmarks, annotations, and highlights
  • Read-aloud mode (iOS) and dual-screen comparison (iPad)
  • Cross-platform sync via UPDF Cloud

Let's move ahead now and discover some pros and cons of using UPDF.

Pros:

  • To read PDF only, it is completely free to use. For translating PDFs, the free version offers 30 prompts to translate PDF pages.
  • It offers a one-stop solution to read and translate PDF documents.
  • It is a cross-platform solution with full Windows, Mac, iOS and Android support. Moreover, the AI assistant is also available online.
  • You can also use it online to translate, summarize, and interact with your PDFs.
  • Regardless of the platform, you can use one premium license for four devices.
  • It offers pocket-friendly pricing plans and several discounts.

Cons:

  • It adds a watermark on the edited PDF documents in free plan.

Tip

If you only need occasional online translation, use UPDF AI Online (30 free prompts, no install). For regular use with scanned or confidential documents, download the desktop app for offline processing.

Overall, UPDF delivers an advanced yet effortless way to read and translate PDFs. Plus, you can use it for free! So, why wait? Get UPDF now and take your PDF game to another level of productivity! To try UPDF, click the below button.

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✨ Boost Your Productivity with UPDF 

UPDF empowers you with all-in-one PDF solutions to make learning and working smarter and faster.
Upgrade to UPDF Pro today to unlock premium features — now at an unprecedented discount! And you just need to pay for one time to get lifetime updates with no extra charges for new features or upgrades.

2. SumatraPDF - The Free PDF Reader with Google Translate

SumatraPDF is a free, open-source PDF reader for Windows that lets you translate selected text via Google Translate or DeepL — without copying and pasting manually. It is extremely lightweight (under 10 MB) and launches instantly, even on older hardware.

Best for

Windows users who want a fast, free, no-install PDF reader with basic right-click translation. Not suitable for whole-document translation or scanned PDFs.

How Translation Works:

  • Select any text in the PDF
  • Right-click and choose "Translate with Google Translate" (or DeepL)
  • Your browser opens with the translated text automatically

Warning

SumatraPDF does not translate inside the app. It sends text to an external browser tab, so you need an internet connection. It also cannot translate scanned/image-based PDFs because it has no OCR.
SumatraPDF user interface

Let's dive deeper into the key features of this PDF reader with Google Translate!

Key Features:

  1. Translate from Selection: Sumatra lets you translate PDFs from selected text. You can find the translation option from the right-click context menu.
  2. Online Translation: Sumatra does not have a built-in translation feature. But it lets you automatically open your browser to use Google Translate and DeepL.
  3. Extensive Language Support: You can translate from over 175 languages with online Google translation support.

Now let's look at the pros and cons of using SumatraPDF

Pros:

  • It is super-easy to use, particularly for beginners.
  • Minimal system resource usage ensures quick startup and loading times
  • It lets you read PDFs, ePubs, MOBIs, and other formats.
  • You can run it from a USB drive without installing it.

Cons:

  • It requires an active internet connection to translate text.
  • You cannot automatically translate an entire PDF document with it.
  • It is available only for Windows operating systems.

Let's move forward and explore the following tool to read and translate PDFs.

3. PDF Book Translator - Simple PDF Book Reader with Translator

PDF Book Translator is a Windows app designed for reading and translating entire PDF documents — especially ebooks and long reports — with a single click. It extracts all text from the PDF, translates it, and displays the original and translated versions in a split view.

Best for

Windows users who want to translate entire PDF books or long documents at once, and prefer a side-by-side bilingual reading view. Not ideal for selective translation or complex layouts.
PDF Book Translator user interface

Here are the essential PDF reading and translating features it has to offer.

PDF Reading Features:

  1. Line Focus: It highlights a selected number of lines to help you read with more focus. You can choose to focus on single, double, and triple lines at a time.
  2. Page Themes: Change the background colors of your PDF with 23 color themes. Choose from bright hues to sleek black and white.
  3. Zoom Display: You can zoom in and out of the page to read through areas with smaller text and images.
  4. Personalize Text: It lets you change the text size, spacing and style to enhance your reading.

Translating Features:

  1. Automatic Translations: It translates text and entire PDF documents automatically. No need to search for a translation option!
  2. Translate Specific Text: You can select a particular part of the text and get instant translation. No manual navigation is involved.
  3. Translate Whole PDFs: It extracts all the PDF text once uploaded and translates the entire document to another language.
  4. Edit the Translation: The cool thing is the ability to edit and rewrite the translation as required.

Pros:

  • It does not change the formatting of the original PDF after translation.
  • It can handle intricate documents and right-to-left languages.
  • You can read the original and translated version in a split view.
  • It is free to use.

Cons:

  • There are no initial guidelines for use, which can make it confusing for beginners.
  • It does not offer any advanced PDF reading features.
  • It is not available for platforms other than Windows.

Now, let's move on to our next PDF reader!

4. Foxit Reader - The PDF Reader with Translation Feature

Foxit Reader is a full-featured PDF reader with a built-in AI assistant that translates selected text or entire pages. It also includes OCR for scanned documents, making it one of the few free PDF readers that can handle both digital and image-based PDFs.

Best for

Users who need a familiar, MS Word-like interface with AI translation, annotations, and basic OCR. Good for teams that collaborate on documents.
Foxit Reader user interface

Let's review its main features before discussing its pros and cons.

PDF Reading Features:

  1. PDF View Options: Personalize the layout to text-only view, rotate view, read view, and auto-scroll mode.
  2. Read Aloud: You can select a part of the text to get read out loud by a robotic voice.
  3. Zooming the Page: It lets you zoom in on the page up to 6400% for enhanced reading. You can also hyper-zoom out using your mouse.
  4. Night Mode: It offers a night mode that turns your PDF background dark grey. It lets you read PDFs easily in areas with low light levels.
  5. Add Bookmarks: You can add bookmarks for specific pages to easily find them later.

Translating Features:

  1. Translate from Text: You can select a specific text for translation. Just choose a language and send the text to the AI assistant. It will convert the text into your preferred language.
  2. Translate Entire Document: You can select a specific page range or all the document pages for translation.

Now let's find out the pros and cons of this PDF reader.

Pros:

  • It offers flexible ways to personalize your reading experience.
  • You can add various annotations and markups for enhanced reading.
  • Its interface resembles MS Word, offering familiar navigation for beginners.
  • You can use it on all platforms regardless of the operating system.

Cons:

  • It provides limited language support for translation.
  • It tends to crash often, especially on lower-end devices.
  • No PDF editing features on the free version.

Warning: Foxit's AI translation sends your document text to Foxit's cloud servers. Do not use it for highly confidential documents unless you have verified your organization's data compliance policy.

5. DeftPDF - The Best Online PDF Reader with Translator

DeftPDF is a browser-based PDF tool that translates entire documents without requiring any software installation. You upload a PDF, select the target language, and download the translated file — all within your web browser.

Best for

Users who need a quick, one-off translation and cannot install software (shared computers, Chromebooks, or mobile browsers). Not suitable for confidential documents or complex layouts.
DeftPDF website interface

PDF Reading Features:

  1. Write New Text: You can take notes by writing the text directly over your PDFs.
  2. Annotation Tools: It lets you strikethrough, highlight, and underline. You can also use a free drawing tool for unlimited creativity.

Translating Features:

  1. Translate PDF Entirely: You can translate an entire PDF document to a different language in a few clicks.
  2. Automatic PDF Translation: DepftPDF automatically analyzes and translates the document after uploading the file. You can then save the document for free.
  3. Choose the Language Type: You can choose from a wide range of languages for translating your text.

Now, let's look at the lowdowns of using DeftPDF.

Pros:

  • It offers a more accessible cross-platform solution to translate documents.
  • It can automatically translate PDFs without manual procedure.
  • You can also translate scanned files with this tool.
  • Despite being an online platform, it works fast to translate PDFs.

Cons:

  • It does not offer a customizable PDF reading experience.
  • You need a stable internet connection to use it.
  • Online reading and translating may put your device data at risk.

Because DeftPDF processes files on remote servers, do not upload contracts, medical records, or other confidential documents. For sensitive files, use an offline reader like UPDF or SumatraPDF.

That's all about the best PDF readers with translation capabilities!

FAQ: PDF Reader with Translator

Can I translate a PDF while reading without copy-pasting?

Yes. UPDF and Foxit Reader let you highlight text and see the translation instantly inside the app. SumatraPDF offers right-click translation that opens your browser automatically — still faster than manual copy-paste, but not in-app.

Do PDF translators keep the original formatting?

It depends on the tool. UPDF and Foxit Reader preserve tables, images, and columns well. PDF Book Translator keeps basic formatting. DeftPDF retains moderate layout. SumatraPDF only translates selected text, so formatting is not a factor.

Is it safe to translate confidential PDFs online?

No — not with online tools. DeftPDF and Foxit's cloud translation upload your text to remote servers. For confidential contracts or medical records, use an offline reader like UPDF or SumatraPDF that processes files locally.

What is the best PDF reader with translator for Windows?

For free, lightweight right-click translation: SumatraPDF. For whole-document translation with OCR: UPDF. For a familiar Word-like interface: Foxit Reader.

Final Thoughts

The best PDF reader with translator depends on how you work. If you only need to translate a word or sentence while reading, SumatraPDF or Foxit Reader handle it for free. If you read entire foreign-language books or reports, PDF Book Translator's split view is ideal. For quick one-off translations without installing anything, DeftPDF works in any browser.

If you regularly work with foreign-language PDFs — especially scanned documents, contracts, or research papers — UPDF offers the most complete translation experience. It translates selected text, entire pages, and scanned PDFs inside the reader, preserves formatting, and keeps sensitive files on your device.

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