Because this project has no code-signing certificate. That is normal for all free
open-source software and does not mean it is malware. Click "More info" → "Run anyway",
or build it yourself from source (build.bat) so you know the binary matches
the code. You can also verify the file with SHA256 on the
download page.
No. The ZIP bundles everything — just unzip and run PopLingo.exe.
Python is only needed if you want to run or build from source.
PyInstaller binaries are occasionally false-flagged; this is a well-known industry issue. Verify the SHA256 or build from source.
No — Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) only, because the program relies heavily on Windows APIs.
Most similar tools use a low-level keyboard hook, but that breaks CJK input method composition — IMEs need the real keystrokes to build characters. PopLingo instead makes the card itself the input surface, so Zhuyin, Pinyin and other IMEs work normally.
No. PopLingo never hooks or modifies your text box. Clicking, editing with Backspace, pressing Enter to send — all keep working exactly as before. You only type in the card while translation mode is on.
Windows hides new tray icons by default. Click the ^ arrow near the clock and drag the PopLingo icon onto the taskbar to pin it.
Check in order: is the API key correct, does the account have balance, is the network working.
The status bar shows the specific error. If you use Ollama, make sure it is running
(ollama list should show your models).
It accepts multi-line input (Shift+Enter), but PopLingo is built for quick,
in-context sentences. For long documents, use a dedicated translation service.
The program itself is completely free and open source (MIT). Translation cost depends on the engine you pick: cloud APIs bill by usage (translation uses very little), and a local Ollama model is completely free.
Only the text you type is sent, and only to the API you configured yourself. PopLingo collects nothing, contains no tracking and no telemetry. With a local Ollama model, nothing leaves your computer.
Yes, with a local Ollama model it works fully offline. Cloud APIs of course need a network connection.
%APPDATA%\PopLingo\config.json — paste that into the File Explorer address bar.
Settings survive updates and reinstalls.
Create an empty file named portable.flag next to PopLingo.exe.
Settings will then live in the program folder.
Yes — edit toggle_vk / toggle_mods (toggle) and
focus_vk / focus_mods (focus the card) in the config file.
Modifiers add up: ALT=1, CTRL=2, SHIFT=4, WIN=8.
A graphical hotkey editor is on the roadmap.
Set check_update_on_start to false in the config file.
The application UI is currently Traditional Chinese. An English UI is on the roadmap.
Try a larger model (deepseek-v4-pro, qwen2.5:14b), switch the
translation style, or set the source language explicitly instead of using "Auto detect".
Yes. The MIT license allows use, modification and distribution, including commercial use.
Please open an issue. Include your Windows version, the PopLingo version, and the application where the problem occurs (especially if it only happens in one app).