Offline download & installation

If the Chrome Web Store does not open, download the latest stable ZIP package from the official GitHub release page and install it manually in desktop Chrome / Edge. You can also try CRXSOso.

Get FluentRead through CRXSOso

Open FluentRead on CRXSOso and follow the website’s installation or download instructions.

CRXSOso is a third-party distribution website. Its version may differ from the official store, so check the version shown before downloading.

Download the official offline package

Open the official GitHub release page. This address takes you to the latest stable release. Use that page for current packages and version information.

Expand Assets below the release notes and choose the Chrome / Edge extension package ending in -chrome.zip. For checksums, download SHA256SUMS.txt from the same release’s Assets.

The -sources.zip file and GitHub’s automatic Source code downloads contain source code and cannot be installed directly.

GitHub downloads still depend on your network. Try CRXSOso above if the download is unavailable. Offline installation means you can install the downloaded package without accessing the Chrome Web Store; online translation still needs a connection to your chosen provider.

Install in Chrome / Edge

1. Extract the ZIP into a folder you intend to keep.
2. Enter chrome://extensions in the address bar, or edge://extensions in Edge.
3. Enable Developer mode, then choose Load unpacked.
4. Select the extracted folder that directly contains manifest.json. Do not select the ZIP file or its parent folder.
5. Pin FluentRead to the toolbar and refresh any normal webpages that were already open.

Copy browser internal addresses into the address bar; normal websites cannot link directly to them. Keep the extracted folder in place after installation.

Update an offline installation

An unpacked extension does not receive store updates automatically. Before updating, export your configuration from Backup & sync in FluentRead’s settings.

Download the new Chrome ZIP from the official GitHub release page and extract it over the original installation folder, then select FluentRead’s Reload button on the extensions page. Refresh webpages you want to translate. Reuse the same folder to avoid duplicate installations and keep a backup of the previous folder before replacing files.

After installation, follow Quick start to pin FluentRead and translate a webpage.