Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions.
Does Glean send my screen to a server?
No. OCR runs entirely on your device using the Windows OCR engine. Screenshots are never uploaded anywhere. Only the extracted text is sent to the translation API, and only when translation is enabled in Settings.
What languages does Glean support?
Glean supports 50+ languages for OCR via the Windows OCR engine. Translation supports any language pair that Google Translate handles. The target language is configured in Settings as a BCP-47 code (e.g. pl, de, ja).
How do I activate Glean?
Press Win + Shift + G. An overlay appears over every monitor. Click and drag to select a region — Glean extracts the text and copies it to your clipboard. Press Escape to dismiss without capturing.
Do I need an API key?
No API key is needed for anything. OCR works entirely offline. Translation works out of the box for all users — no key required. Pro users can optionally supply their own Google Translate API key for full control over usage costs.
What is the difference between Free and Pro?
The free tier covers core OCR and basic translation (20 per day). Pro removes the daily limit and adds: translation history, extended translation (word definitions and alternatives), quiz and vocabulary practice from your history, and a translation statistics dashboard. See the Pricing page for details.
Is Glean free?
Yes — every feature is free for everyone right now, with no limits and no account tiers. Glean is supported by unobtrusive ads and sponsorships instead. If you would like to support development directly, you can buy us a coffee.
Something isn't working — how do I get help?
Email support@getglean.app or send us a report from the feedback page.