ExplainMeX

1-click explanations: select text, click, and see what is really meant. Bring your own AI key.

You read something and wonder: "What does the author actually mean?" Select text, click once: an overlay explains meaning, nuance and background. Useful for foreign languages, idioms, politics and quotes without context. HOW IT WORKS • Select text → right-click → "ExplainMeX: What does this mean?" or press Alt+Shift+E. • The overlay shows the explanation on the page. The page itself is not changed. • "Copy" puts the explanation on the clipboard, "Explain again" asks once more. TIP: Bind the shortcut to a mouse button, then it is just select, click. YOUR QUESTION, YOUR LANGUAGE • The default question is "What exactly does the author mean by this?" You can change it in the overlay's gear menu or in the settings (up to 600 characters), e.g. "Explain this to a child" or "What is the political background?". • The answer language is configurable: automatic (your browser's language), one of 40 languages, or a language name of your own. YOUR AI, YOUR KEY (BRING YOUR OWN KEY) ExplainMeX has no account, no server of its own and no subscription. You enter an API key from the AI provider of your choice and pay that provider directly, according to its pricing. • Works with any AI service with a compatible chat ("chat completions") API that you choose yourself, including local models. • Models and reasoning levels come straight from the provider's API into a dropdown. • The API key can only be entered in the settings. In the overlay you can only switch between providers you have already set up. PRIVACY • Your text is only sent after you start it (context menu or shortcut). ExplainMeX does not read pages in the background. Opening the settings may load the model list from your provider (key only, no text). • Only the selected text, your question and a fixed instruction are sent, directly from your browser to the provider you chose. No page address, no page title, no other page content. • Your API key stays on your computer (unencrypted browser storage, not synced) and is only sent to your chosen provider. • No analytics, no tracking, no ads, no server of its own. INTERFACE LANGUAGES English and German; follows your browser language or can be set in the settings. NOTE The explanation comes from an AI and can be wrong. Please double-check anything important. You need an API key from an AI provider (cost is charged by that provider). The selected text is sent to the provider you chose and processed there under its terms. ExplainMeX is an independent tool by Mercurion and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any AI provider.