Setup and privacy
Before you install a WhatsApp translation extension, check seven things
Check permissions, data destination, bulk reading, message sending, retention, deletion, and official-service differences before you install.
A translation extension touches your chat content. Before you install one, spend a few minutes on what it reads, where the content goes, how long it stays, and how to delete it.
This checklist is about a desktop Chrome extension for WhatsApp Web. There is no equivalent mobile plug-in. On iPhone, a shortcut handles one shared item at a time; on Android, the app receives one shared item through the system share sheet. Both paths act only on what you share.
Where it runs
A desktop extension runs on Chrome 120 or later and acts on the WhatsApp Web page. It is not a mobile app plug-in, and it does not call private WhatsApp interfaces.
Check the permission prompts at install time: access to the WhatsApp Web page, extension storage, and optional access to the model domains you configure. Model domains should be granted as needed, not opened to every site.
- Page access for WhatsApp Web.
- Extension storage for settings and saved results.
- Optional host access for the model endpoint you choose.
Where the data goes
With the official service, requests go through wa.inwindoverseas.com and are forwarded to the configured model. Upstream model URLs, keys, and prices stay in the Workers service; the extension holds your login session.
With a custom API, requests go directly to the HTTPS Base URL you enter. HTTP is allowed only for loopback addresses. Text, image, and voice each have separate settings, so check all three.
The official service uses WeChat QR login. Wallet top-ups range from 9.9 to 1000 CNY, and the page states before payment that top-ups are not refundable. Start with a small amount.
What it does not do
The extension does not scan messages, contacts, or chat history in bulk. It does not send WhatsApp messages and does not read a private message store. The message menu handles only the message you select.
Auto-translate is off by default. When you turn it on, it processes only incoming messages in the visible window and skips messages you sent and text already in your target language.
For voice, it reads only the note you select. OGG/Opus, MP3, WAV, and M4A are accepted; other formats are rejected. Text and image tasks wait up to 8 seconds synchronously, then return an ID for polling.
Local storage and deletion
Translations, transcripts, and image results are stored in the extension's IndexedDB by message ID and source fingerprint. They expire after 90 days, at most 500 are kept, and you can clear them in settings.
The extension does not claim encrypted storage. API keys are kept in chrome.storage.local and readable only by trusted contexts, but that is not a vault. Do not save keys on a shared or untrusted computer.
Uninstalling the extension clears extension storage. Content already sent to a third-party model provider must be deleted under that provider's policy; the extension cannot delete it for you.
Checklist and limits
This checklist cannot verify a model provider's retention policy, and it cannot fix a compromised browser. For contracts, identity documents, or regulated data, ask a compliance colleague before you paste anything.
Machine translation is not perfect. Review amounts, dates, names, and terms before you send. The extension prepares a reading result; it does not send messages.
- Confirm the publisher and extension name in the official store, and check the version.
- Read each permission request. Do not grant site access you do not need.
- Choose the official service or a custom API, and confirm where the content goes.
- Test with one message that contains no sensitive information.
- Find the retention period and the clear-data action in settings.
- Check which credentials and sessions you can revoke on the account page.
- Clear keys and local results before you change devices or use a shared computer.
Do it on your device
Web
- Open the extension settings and find the local result retention period and the clear-data action.
- Review the permissions and the service source: official service or your own HTTPS endpoint.
- Clear local results and API keys before you change devices or use a shared computer.
- Check that the message menu acts only on the selected message and that auto-translate stays off unless you turn it on.
The extension does not scan chat history or send messages. Content sent to a model provider must be deleted under that provider's policy.
iPhone
- Open the account page in a browser and sign in to the official service.
- Find the shortcut binding and revoke it when you stop using the device or the shortcut.
- Run the shortcut on one shared item at a time and read the result page; it does not load chat history.
The shortcut handles only the item you share. Removing the shortcut does not delete content already sent to a model provider.
Android
- Open the app settings and find the local history limit and the clear-history action.
- Set the interface language and the target language separately.
- Share one item at a time through the system share sheet and copy the result back into WhatsApp.
- Clear local history before you change devices or hand the phone to someone else.
The app stores up to 50 local text entries and acts only on shared items.
Frequently asked questions
Does the extension read my whole chat?
No. It handles the message you select. Auto-translate is optional and limited to visible incoming messages.
Is the local data encrypted?
The extension does not claim encrypted storage. Treat the local result database and API keys as data on your computer, not as a vault.
Can I delete content already sent to a model?
You can clear local results, but content sent to a third-party provider must be deleted under that provider's policy.
Can I use it on a phone?
The Chrome extension is for desktop WhatsApp Web. iPhone uses a shortcut for one shared item; Android uses the app's share sheet. Neither is a chat plug-in.
Give your next WhatsApp message to inWind
Understand foreign-language messages from your customers and prepare a reply in the language you know best. Text, images, and voice notes included.