Inspect the passage, not just the download status
A public report may combine selectable paragraphs, charts saved as images and scanned appendices. If you translate the file to understand a claim shared on social media, a completed download does not tell you which of those parts changed.
Keep the original public URL, original file and translated copy separately. Record the page containing the relevant statement so you can return to it. Do not upload confidential documents simply to resolve a public-source question.
Apply the documented document limits
Google Translate’s desktop help lists document translation for DOCX, PDF, PPTX and XLSX files up to10MB, with PDFs limited to300pages. It excludes smaller screens and mobile. It also states that text in images and scanned PDF pages can remain visible in the output without being translated. Source
That limitation matters when a sentence points to a diagram or a scanned footnote. Do not assume nearby translated paragraphs explain every label correctly.
Build a passage-level comparison
| Passage element | Compare | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Paragraph | Original and translated wording | Qualifications and uncertainty |
| Figure label | The visible image text | Whether it remains untranslated |
| Footnote | Its actual source reference | Whether you opened that reference |
| Appendix | The relevant original page | Any unread or untranslated portion |
For an illustrative report, the main paragraph may discuss a preliminary estimate while an image caption lists the conditions. If the caption is unchanged and you cannot read it, the claim remains only partly checked. Avoid removing the qualification because the surrounding prose seems clear.
Where permitted, transcribe the short relevant image passage and check it separately. Preserve uncertain characters. Do not run the same file through another service and call agreement between two translations independent factual evidence.
Cite the original and describe the translation
Use the original publication as the source reference, noting that you used a translation for reading. Keep the page and passage attached to the claim. If the untranslated part is necessary to understand the result, say that it remains unresolved.
The PDF source-search guide helps trace a quoted passage to its public report, while the AI source-review checklist covers generated summaries. A readable output is a research aid, not a guarantee that every element has been understood.