Why does the extension need access to all websites?

When you install Mate, your browser warns that the extension can "read and change all your data on all websites". That sounds alarming, so here is what it actually means.

Why we ask for it

Mate translates text on the page you're looking at. To show the floating button next to your selection, to open the tooltip, and to replace the page text during full-page translation, the extension has to run a small script on the page. Browsers grant that through the "all websites" permission. There is no narrower permission that would let Mate work on whatever site you happen to open.

What Mate does with it

• Reads the text you select or the page you ask to translate, and sends only that text to the translation engines.
• Nothing else. Mate doesn't read pages you don't translate, doesn't collect browsing history, and doesn't sell or share data. Our privacy policy spells it out.

Other permissions

• Context menus: the right-click translation item.
• Storage: your settings, History and Phrasebook, stored in the browser.
• Tabs: to open the settings, History and Phrasebook pages and to know which tab to translate.
• Alarms: to schedule the daily sync of History and Phrasebook for Pro users.

If you'd rather limit it

Chrome and Edge let you restrict any extension to specific sites or to "on click": right-click the Mate icon, choose This can read and change site data, and pick the option you prefer. Mate will then only work on the sites you allow.