FAQ

Usage

Why does no icon appear after I select text?

Check the following:

1. Make sure the extension is enabled in chrome://extensions or the equivalent page in your browser
2. Refresh the current page after installing or updating the extension
3. Browser internal pages such as chrome://, edge://, about:, and extension store pages do not allow content scripts
4. Other text-selection translation extensions may conflict with ClueLens

Why does a source stay on loading or return an error?

• Network issues: some sources require access to external APIs
• API limits: Caiyun, DeepLx, OpenAI, and similar services can have quotas or rate limits
• 404 or empty results: when the query does not exist in a source, returning nothing is normal

How do I search with only specific dictionaries?

Open Settings -> Dictionary and disable the sources you do not need. You can also enable Language detection so ClueLens filters sources based on the input language.

How do I open the side panel?

You have three options:

1. Context menu: right-click a web page -> ClueLens -> Open Side Panel
2. Keyboard shortcut: assign a shortcut in the browser extension shortcut settings
3. Popup: click the ClueLens toolbar icon to open the popup

API setup

How do I get a Caiyun token?

1. Visit the Caiyun Open Platform
2. Create an account
3. Create an application in the dashboard to get a token
4. Enter the token in ClueLens Settings -> Dictionary -> Caiyun

ClueLens includes a default token, so setup is optional, but using your own token is recommended for better reliability.

How do I configure DeepLx?

DeepLx can be used in two ways:

• Official DeepL API: register at DeepL API and enter the API key in settings
• DeepLx proxy: self-host or use a third-party DeepLx service, then enter the endpoint URL and key if needed

How do I get an OpenAI API key? Can I use other models?

1. Visit OpenAI Platform
2. Sign in or create an account
3. Create a new key on the API Keys page
4. Enter the API key and a model name such as gpt-4o-mini in ClueLens Settings -> Dictionary -> OpenAI

You can also use other OpenAI-compatible models and services such as DeepSeek, Qwen-compatible gateways, Ollama, or LM Studio:

1. Get the API key for that platform if needed
2. Change BaseURL in ClueLens settings to the platform endpoint, for example https://api.deepseek.com/v1
3. Enter the corresponding model name, for example deepseek-chat
4. Save the API key and start using it

If you use a local model service without authentication, the API key field can contain any placeholder value.

Note

If you use paid APIs, monitor your usage carefully. Cheaper or free models are usually enough for daily lookup.

Compatibility

Which browsers are supported?

Browser	Support
Chrome	Fully supported
Edge	Fully supported
Brave	Supported as a Chromium-based browser
Firefox	Supported
Safari	Not supported

Are mobile browsers supported?

No. ClueLens currently targets desktop browsers only.

Data and privacy

Where is my data stored?

All data such as settings and vocabulary is stored locally in browser.storage.local. It is not uploaded to ClueLens servers.

How do I back up my data?

Use Export Settings from the settings page to export everything as JSON. See Settings -> Backup and Restore.

Will uninstalling the extension remove my data?

Yes. Uninstalling the extension clears the local storage used by the extension. Export your settings and vocabulary before removing it.

Where are lookup requests sent?

When you search, ClueLens sends the selected text to the enabled dictionary or translation services, such as:

• Official APIs or web pages used by each dictionary source, including Bing, Jisho, and DictionaryAPI
• Translation service APIs such as Google Translate, Caiyun, and DeepL
• OpenAI-compatible APIs if you enabled the OpenAI source

ClueLens itself does not collect, store, or forward your queries.