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Pot alternative for Mac: move your translation workflow

Pot's official site says the app is no longer maintained. TranslateWindow is a macOS alternative for selection translation, screenshot OCR, manual input, and changing screen regions.

Pot status
Official site says no longer maintained
Pot platform
Cross-platform desktop app
TranslateWindow
Actively developed for macOS 15+

If Pot still handles your daily work, you do not need to replace it today. The practical risk is that macOS, provider APIs, code signing, and security requirements keep changing while Pot's official site says maintenance has stopped.

Pot's official site now points visitors to Manggo. This guide looks at TranslateWindow as a macOS option. We checked Pot's official website and GitHub repository on August 12, 2026.

Map the workflow before replacing the app

Need from PotTranslateWindow pathMigration note
Selection translationSelect text and open a floating resultRecreate your preferred shortcut
Screenshot OCRCapture a region from the command panelGrant macOS screen permission
Input translationUse manual input or clipboard modeTest recurring language pairs
Changing on-screen textPin a live translation regionA persistent alternative to repeated capture
Provider pluginsBuilt-in services, local model, or BYOKInventory providers before switching

What may not migrate directly

Pot supports plugins and runs on several desktop platforms. TranslateWindow does not provide one-to-one compatibility with Pot plugins, settings, or exports, and its current release requires macOS 15 or later. If you need Linux or Windows support now, consider another maintained cross-platform app, including the successor linked on Pot's site.

Write down the providers, OCR behavior, shortcuts, language pairs, and plugins you actually use. A product that matches five headline features but misses one essential provider is not a complete replacement.

What TranslateWindow adds on Mac

TranslateWindow's live window follows a changing screen region, so subtitles, chats, and app panels do not need a new screenshot each time. Scenes save tone and terminology for work you repeat. You can also compare another model when the first result leaves a real ambiguity.

A local translation model can process sensitive text on the Mac. Cloud and bring-your-own-key services remain available when their language coverage or output is the better fit.

A low-risk migration checklist

  • Keep Pot installed until the replacement has handled your real workflows for several days.
  • Test selection, screenshot OCR, and every critical language pair with non-sensitive material.
  • Verify provider access, rate limits, and privacy boundaries before moving confidential work.
  • Recreate shortcuts carefully so two translation apps do not intercept the same key combination.
  • Export or document any Pot-specific configuration you may need later.

Test the migration on one real Mac workflow

Download TranslateWindow, recreate your main shortcut, and compare selection, OCR, and live-window translation before removing anything.

Download for macOSLive screen guide

Sources and verification

Product facts were checked against these first-party sources. Links open the current official documentation.