Publish Date: 28 December 2025 Last update: 28 December 2025
Introduction
Basic Setup for Luna Translator
Before Downloading Luna Translator
Downloading Luna Translator
Setting up Luna Translator
Starting the app
Basic settings required for using Luna Translator
Launching/adding games to Luna Translator
Selecting the text for Translation
Embedded Translation (optional + game dependent)
Advance/Extra option that I found useful
Adjusting the text style and size in text box
Having hiragana shown on top of Kanji
Conclusion
Note: Please use ctrl + F to go to the topic you are interested
Wanna read the VN that hasn’t been localized yet. Try Luna Translator, which allows you to translate stuff like the example picture shown above. In this article, I am going through all the basic setups required to use Luna translator, as well as some advance setting that improve QOL or for Japanese learners.
Disclaimer: I am not the creator of Luna Translator.
1. Before downloading Luna Translator
Before downloading Luna Translator, it is highly recommended that you add an exclusion folder in the windows defender setting. Otherwise, Luna Translator will be treated as viruses by Windows Defender or encounter other errors. Below is how you can add folder exclusion in Windows Defender.
Step 1: Open Windows Security by searching in the menu bar
Step 2: Go to “Virus & threat protection” settings
Step 3: Scroll down until you see “Exclusion”, then add the folder you want to be excluded
Note: It is recommended to add the “downloads” and the location where you want to put the Luna Translator file to the exclusions. However, make sure you remove the exclusion for the “Downloads” folder once you have moved the file to your preferred location. Otherwise, it may pose a security risk in the future.
2. Downloading Luna Translator
In this session, I will cover how to download Luna Translator.
Step 1: Download Luna Translator via this “link”
Step 2: Extract the file
Note: Make sure to remove the exclusion for the “download” folder after you have put the extract file in your preferred location.
3. Setting up Luna Translator
In this session, I am going to cover the quickest way that you can get the translator running, as most of you probably don’t need the advanced feature shown in the later session.
3.1 Starting the app
Step 1: Click on the file that you just extracted and launch the app
Step 2: Done
3.2 Basic settings required for using Luna Translator
Step 1: Click the settings icon
Step 2: Check the core setting make sure the red circle setting is on
Step 3: Go to Translation settings In the traditional session, select the translator of your choice (e.g., Google Translate, DeepL, etc,)
Note 1: An internet connection is required to use the traditional translation option
Note 2: If you are interested in offline translation, you can use LLM to do so, which I will cover in another article “here (Windows)”
3.3 Launching/adding games to Luna Translator
There are 3 main ways that can add the games, or I should say, linking the game to Luna Translator. For most of the time option A and B should be enough to cover most use cases.
Option A: Drag the game exe file to the box
Option B: Add to Game Library in Luna translator
Option C: Link the game after launching
3.4 Selecting the text for translation
After you have successfully launched the game, just one more step away for you to enjoy your waifu. Selecting the text for translation.
Step 1: Click on the text select icon
Step 2: Start the game and select the text that you want to be translated
Note: No text can be selected to be shown if there is no dialogue to be hooked, so just start the game, and you should be able to see similar things to those shown in the above picture.
Step 3: Enjoy
3.5 Embedded translation (optional + game dependent)
Instead of showing the translated text in a text box, the Japanese text in the game can be replaced by English or the language of your choice. However, this option is only available in some game and you may experience game crashes. Therefore, use it at your own risk.
Step 1: Just turn on the embedded option and enjoy
All the settings below are completely optional. But is what I personally use to increase comfort and learn Japanese kanji. Also, the below tutorial will assume that you are comfortable navigating around Luna Translator, so won’t go into too much in details.
1. Adjusting the text style and size in text box
I personally found the default setting from LT is a bit too small, and the white text with black outline is too hard for me to read personally. Below is how you can adjust it.
Step 1: Open the settings -> Translation setting -> Text setting
Note: Red circle text size Green circle text style
Example 1: My personal setting
Example 2: Comparison between default and my own settings
2. Having hiragana shown on top of Kanji
I guess some of you out there are trying to use a translator to learn Japanese and Kanji as well. But the default setting from Luna Translator doesn’t show the hiragana from the Kanji. The detailed setup steps are shown below.
Step 1: Open setting Go to translation session download the resources that are circled in red
Step 2: Enjoy
Optional: If you found the shown hiragana above the Kanji is too small Adjust the size by the green circle setting
Hope you find the walkthrough guide useful. If you want to use LLM for offline translation, I have covered it "here (windows)". Moreover, if you are interested in using it on Linux or steam deck, I am going to create a guide as well at a later date.