diff --git a/bundled-addons/translate/addon.json b/bundled-addons/translate/addon.json
index 4e6e65c8..d0a2ebde 100644
--- a/bundled-addons/translate/addon.json
+++ b/bundled-addons/translate/addon.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "id": "translate",
   "name": "Translate",
-  "version": "0.1.5",
+  "version": "0.1.6",
   "description": "Right-click a selection to translate it. Sidebar panel with LibreTranslate or Google as the backend.",
   "author": "Silent Mode",
   "icon": "data:image/svg+xml;base64,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",
diff --git a/bundled-addons/translate/index.js b/bundled-addons/translate/index.js
index 8bb98dce..83191708 100644
--- a/bundled-addons/translate/index.js
+++ b/bundled-addons/translate/index.js
@@ -50,6 +50,29 @@ async function translateLibre({ text, source, target }, urlBase, apiKey) {
   return {
     text: String(j.translatedText || j.translated_text || ""),
     detected: j.detectedLanguage?.language || null,
+    confidence: typeof j.detectedLanguage?.confidence === "number" ? j.detectedLanguage.confidence : null,
+    via: `libretranslate (${new URL(urlBase).host})`,
+  };
+}
+
+// Standalone detection, so the panel can name the language before anyone
+// presses Translate. LibreTranslate exposes /detect; the Google endpoint has
+// no detect-only route, so there the language comes back with the
+// translation instead and this returns null rather than burning a request.
+async function detectLibre(text, urlBase, apiKey) {
+  const url = urlBase.replace(/\/+$/, "") + "/detect";
+  const body = { q: text };
+  if (apiKey) body.api_key = apiKey;
+  const j = await fetchJson(url, {
+    method: "POST",
+    headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+    body: JSON.stringify(body),
+  });
+  const best = Array.isArray(j) ? j[0] : null;
+  if (!best || !best.language) return null;
+  return {
+    language: String(best.language),
+    confidence: typeof best.confidence === "number" ? best.confidence : null,
     via: `libretranslate (${new URL(urlBase).host})`,
   };
 }
@@ -67,7 +90,25 @@ async function translateGoogle({ text, source, target }) {
   const chunks = Array.isArray(j?.[0]) ? j[0] : [];
   const translated = chunks.map((c) => (Array.isArray(c) ? String(c[0] || "") : "")).join("");
   const detected = typeof j?.[2] === "string" ? j[2] : null;
-  return { text: translated, detected, via: "google" };
+  return { text: translated, detected, confidence: null, via: "google" };
+}
+
+// Mirror-chaining detection, same fall-through as doTranslate: the user's
+// chosen mirror first, then the known-good list, so a dead mirror does not
+// make detection look broken when translation still works.
+async function doDetect(payload) {
+  const p = payload || {};
+  const text = String(p.text || "").trim();
+  if (!text) return null;
+  if (p.backend === "google") return null;   // no detect-only route; comes with the translation
+  const primary = String(p.ltUrl || LT_FALLBACKS[0]).replace(/\/+$/, "");
+  const tried = new Set();
+  for (const url of [primary, ...LT_FALLBACKS.filter((u) => u !== primary)]) {
+    if (tried.has(url)) continue;
+    tried.add(url);
+    try { return await detectLibre(text, url, p.ltKey || ""); } catch {}
+  }
+  return null;
 }
 
 async function doTranslate(payload) {
@@ -121,6 +162,7 @@ module.exports = {
     });
 
     api.onMessage("translate", async (payload) => doTranslate(payload));
+    api.onMessage("detect", async (payload) => doDetect(payload));
 
     api.log("registered translate panel + context-menu item");
   },
diff --git a/bundled-addons/translate/panel.html b/bundled-addons/translate/panel.html
index 503fd742..d7e3451c 100644
--- a/bundled-addons/translate/panel.html
+++ b/bundled-addons/translate/panel.html
@@ -206,10 +206,26 @@
       .slice(0, RECENT_MAX)
       .map(([c]) => c);
   }
+  // What the source select's first row says. Once a language has been
+  // detected it names it inline — "Auto-detect · German" — so the answer is
+  // visible where the question was asked, instead of only in the status line
+  // after a translation has already happened.
+  let detectedCode = null, detectedConfidence = null;
+  function autoLabel() {
+    if (!detectedCode) return "Auto-detect";
+    const name = LANG_NAME.get(detectedCode) || detectedCode;
+    const low = detectedConfidence !== null && detectedConfidence < 60;
+    return `Auto-detect · ${name}${low ? "?" : ""}`;
+  }
+  function paintAutoLabel() {
+    const opt = srcSel.querySelector('option[value="auto"]');
+    if (opt) opt.textContent = autoLabel();
+  }
+
   function fillSelect(el, includeAuto) {
     const keep = el.value;
     el.innerHTML = "";
-    if (includeAuto) el.appendChild(new Option("Auto-detect", "auto"));
+    if (includeAuto) el.appendChild(new Option(autoLabel(), "auto"));
     const top = topLangs();
     if (top.length) {
       const g = document.createElement("optgroup");
@@ -306,6 +322,43 @@
     ltKeyLabel.style.display = isLt ? "" : "none";
   }
 
+  // Detection runs on the text as it settles, so the source language is named
+  // before Translate is pressed. Debounced and length-gated: a couple of words
+  // is not enough for a detector to be right, and firing per keystroke would
+  // hammer a public mirror for no benefit. Nothing here blocks translating —
+  // a failed or slow detect just leaves the label alone.
+  const DETECT_DEBOUNCE_MS = 700, DETECT_MIN_CHARS = 12;
+  let detectTimer = null, detectSeq = 0;
+  function setDetected(code, confidence) {
+    if (code === detectedCode && confidence === detectedConfidence) return;
+    detectedCode = code || null;
+    detectedConfidence = typeof confidence === "number" ? confidence : null;
+    paintAutoLabel();
+  }
+  function clearDetected() { setDetected(null, null); }
+  async function runDetect() {
+    if (srcSel.value !== "auto") return;
+    const text = inp.value.trim();
+    if (text.length < DETECT_MIN_CHARS) { clearDetected(); return; }
+    const seq = ++detectSeq;
+    try {
+      const r = await window.silentmode.invoke("detect", {
+        text,
+        backend: settingsState.backend,
+        ltUrl: settingsState.ltUrl,
+        ltKey: settingsState.ltKey,
+      });
+      if (seq !== detectSeq) return;            // a newer edit already superseded this
+      if (r && r.language) setDetected(r.language, r.confidence);
+    } catch { /* detection is a nicety; never surface it as an error */ }
+  }
+  function scheduleDetect() {
+    clearTimeout(detectTimer);
+    if (srcSel.value !== "auto") { clearDetected(); return; }
+    if (inp.value.trim().length < DETECT_MIN_CHARS) { clearDetected(); return; }
+    detectTimer = setTimeout(runDetect, DETECT_DEBOUNCE_MS);
+  }
+
   function setStatus(text, cls = "") {
     status.textContent = text;
     status.className = "m" + (cls ? " " + cls : "");
@@ -345,6 +398,10 @@
       // dropdown change would rank languages the user skimmed past as highly
       // as the ones they work in. A detected source counts as used too — it
       // is a language they read, even though they never picked it.
+      // The translation response carries the detection for free — take it,
+      // so the label is right even when the standalone detect was skipped
+      // (short text, Google backend, or a mirror that refused /detect).
+      if (source === "auto" && res.detected) setDetected(res.detected, res.confidence);
       const before = topLangs().join(",");
       noteLangUse(target);
       noteLangUse(source === "auto" ? res.detected : source);
@@ -377,8 +434,14 @@
     inp.value = ""; out.textContent = "The translation will appear here.";
     out.classList.add("empty");
     setStatus("ready");
+    clearTimeout(detectTimer);
+    clearDetected();
     inp.focus();
   });
+  // Detect as the text settles, and on paste (which fires input too, but the
+  // value is only current after the event loop turn).
+  inp.addEventListener("input", scheduleDetect);
+  inp.addEventListener("paste", () => setTimeout(scheduleDetect, 0));
   $("copyOut").addEventListener("click", async () => {
     if (out.classList.contains("empty") || !out.textContent) return;
     try {
@@ -397,6 +460,9 @@
   // there, so the pane below kept showing the previous language's text with
   // no sign it was stale.
   async function onLangChange() {
+    // Naming a source explicitly retires the detection; going back to
+    // Auto-detect re-runs it against whatever is in the box.
+    if (srcSel.value !== "auto") clearDetected(); else scheduleDetect();
     await saveUi();
     if (!inp.value.trim()) return;          // nothing to re-translate
     const src = srcSel.value, tgt = tgtSel.value;
@@ -438,6 +504,10 @@
     inp.value = pending.text;
     try { await S.set("__pending", null); } catch {}
     setStatus(pending.host ? `from ${pending.host}` : "from page selection");
+    // Text arrived without a keystroke, so nothing scheduled a detect. The
+    // translation below reports the language anyway, but kicking one off now
+    // names it while that request is still in flight.
+    scheduleDetect();
     doTranslate();
   }