> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.deepl.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Translate documents The document translation API allows you to translate whole documents and supports the following file types and extensions: * `docx` / `doc` - Microsoft Word Document * `pptx` - Microsoft PowerPoint Document * `xlsx` - Microsoft Excel Document * `pdf` - Portable Document Format * `htm / html` - HTML Document * `txt` - Plain Text Document * `xlf / xliff` - XLIFF Document, version 2.1 * `srt` - SRT (SubRip Subtitle) Document * `jpeg` / `jpg` / `png` - Image (currently in beta) Please note that with every submitted document of type .pptx, .docx, .doc, .xlsx, or .pdf, you are billed a minimum of 50,000 characters with the DeepL API plan, no matter how many characters are included in the document. The maximum upload limit for documents is [available here](/docs/resources/usage-limits#maximum-upload-limits-per-document-format) and may vary based on API plan and document type. We also provide specs that are auto-generated from DeepL's OpenAPI file. [You can find it here](/api-reference/document/upload-and-translate-a-document). When translating a `doc` file, you will receive a `docx` file as the output format. ### Step 1: upload a document to the `/document` endpoint This call uploads a document and queues it for translation. The call returns once the upload is complete, returning a document ID and key which can be used to [query the translation status](/api-reference/document#step-2%3A-check-the-document-status-and-wait-for-translation-to-complete) and to [download the translated document](/api-reference/document#step-3%3A-download-the-translated-document) once translation is complete. Because the request includes a file upload, it must be an HTTP POST request with content type `multipart/form-data`. Please be aware that the uploaded document is automatically removed from the server once the translated document has been downloaded. You have to upload the document again in order to restart the translation. You may specify the glossary to use for the document translation using the `glossary_id` parameter. **Important:** This requires the `source_lang` parameter to be set and the language pair of the glossary has to match the language pair of the request. For more detail about request body parameters, see the [Request Body Descriptions](/api-reference/document#request-body-descriptions) section further down on the page. The examples below use our API Pro endpoint `https://api.deepl.com`. If you're an API Free user, remember to update your requests to use `https://api-free.deepl.com` instead. ```sh Example request: document upload (no glossary) theme={null} curl -X POST 'https://api.deepl.com/v2/document' \ --header 'Authorization: DeepL-Auth-Key [yourAuthKey]' \ --form 'target_lang=DE' \ --form 'file=@document.docx' ``` ```sh Example request: document upload (with glossary) theme={null} curl -X POST 'https://api.deepl.com/v2/document' \ --header 'Authorization: DeepL-Auth-Key [yourAuthKey]' \ --form 'source_lang=EN' \ --form 'target_lang=DE' \ --form 'file=@document.docx' \ --form 'glossary_id=[yourGlossaryId]' ``` ```json Example response theme={null} { "document_id": "04DE5AD98A02647D83285A36021911C6", "document_key": "0CB0054F1C132C1625B392EADDA41CB754A742822F6877173029A6C487E7F60A" } ``` The examples below use our API Pro endpoint `https://api.deepl.com`. If you're an API Free user, remember to update your requests to use `https://api-free.deepl.com` instead. ```http Example request: document upload (no glossary) theme={null} POST /v2/document HTTP/2 Host: api.deepl.com Authorization: DeepL-Auth-Key [yourAuthKey] User-Agent: YourApp/1.2.3 Content-Length: [length] Content-Type: multipart/form-data;boundary="boundary" --boundary,Content-Disposition: form-data; name=target_lang DE --boundary,Content-Disposition: form-data; name=file @document.docx ``` ```http Example request: document upload (with glossary) theme={null} POST /v2/document HTTP/2 Host: api.deepl.com Authorization: DeepL-Auth-Key [yourAuthKey] User-Agent: YourApp/1.2.3 Content-Length: [length] Content-Type: multipart/form-data;boundary="boundary" --boundary,Content-Disposition: form-data; name=source_lang EN --boundary,Content-Disposition: form-data; name=target_lang DE --boundary,Content-Disposition: form-data; name=file @document.docx --boundary,Content-Disposition: form-data; name=glossary_id [yourGlossaryId] ``` ```json Example response theme={null} { "document_id": "04DE5AD98A02647D83285A36021911C6", "document_key": "0CB0054F1C132C1625B392EADDA41CB754A742822F6877173029A6C487E7F60A" } ``` These examples are for demonstration purposes only. In production code, the authentication key should not be hard-coded but instead fetched from a configuration file or environment variable. #### Request Body Descriptions **Note:** the `model_type` parameter is not supported for API document translation and is only supported for [text translation](/api-reference/translate#about-the-model_type-parameter). It’s possible to submit a document translation request that includes the parameter, but the parameter will be ignored and will not have an effect on translation results. Language of the text to be translated. If omitted, the API will attempt to detect the language of the text and translate it. You can find supported languages here. The language into which the text should be translated. You can find supported languages here. The document file to be translated. The file name should be included in this part's content disposition. As an alternative, the filename parameter can be used. The following file types and extensions are supported: The name of the uploaded file. Can be used as an alternative to including the file name in the file part's content disposition. Sets whether the translated text should lean towards formal or informal language. This feature currently only works for target languages `DE` (German), `FR` (French), `IT` (Italian), `ES` (Spanish), `NL` (Dutch), `PL` (Polish), `PT-BR` and `PT-PT` (Portuguese), `JA` (Japanese), and `RU` (Russian). Learn more about the plain/polite feature for Japanese here. Setting this parameter with a target language that does not support formality will fail, unless one of the `prefer_...` options are used. To check formality support dynamically, call GET /v3/languages?resource=translate\_document and look for the formality feature key on the target language. Possible options are: A unique ID assigned to a glossary. To check glossary support for a language pair, call GET /v3/languages?resource=translate\_document and verify the glossary feature key is present on both the source and target language. File extension of desired format of translated file, for example: `pdf`. If unspecified, by default the translated file will be in the same format as the input file. Note: Not all combinations of input file and translation file extensions are permitted. See Document format conversions for the permitted combinations. ### Step 2: check the document status and wait for translation to complete Retrieve the current status of a document translation process. Please note that the `seconds_remaining` parameter is just an estimate and can be unreliable (e.g. sometimes it might return 2^27). We recommend polling the document status, either in regular intervals or with exponential back-off. Translation time depends on the document size and server load, but should be in the order of seconds for small documents and 1-2 minutes for larger documents once translation has started. The example below uses our API Pro endpoint `https://api.deepl.com`. If you're an API Free user, remember to update your requests to use `https://api-free.deepl.com` instead. ```sh Example request: check document status theme={null} curl -X POST 'https://api.deepl.com/v2/document/{document_id}' \ --header 'Authorization: DeepL-Auth-Key [yourAuthKey]' \ --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \ --data '{ "document_key": "0CB0054F1C132C1625B392EADDA41CB754A742822F6877173029A6C487E7F60A" }' ``` ```json Example response: translating theme={null} { "document_id": "04DE5AD98A02647D83285A36021911C6", "status": "translating", "seconds_remaining": 20 } ``` ```json Example response: done theme={null} { "document_id": "04DE5AD98A02647D83285A36021911C6", "status": "done", "billed_characters": 1337 } ``` ```json Example response: queued theme={null} { "document_id": "04DE5AD98A02647D83285A36021911C6", "status": "queued" } ``` ```json Example response: error theme={null} { "document_id": "04DE5AD98A02647D83285A36021911C6", "status": "error", "message": "Source and target language are equal." } ``` The example below uses our API Pro endpoint `https://api.deepl.com`. If you're an API Free user, remember to update your requests to use `https://api-free.deepl.com` instead. ```http Example request: check document status theme={null} POST /v2/document/{document_id} HTTP/2 Host: api.deepl.com Authorization: DeepL-Auth-Key [yourAuthKey] User-Agent: YourApp/1.2.3 Content-Length: 83 Content-Type: application/json {"document_key":"0CB0054F1C132C1625B392EADDA41CB754A742822F6877173029A6C487E7F60A"} ``` ```json Example response: translating theme={null} { "document_id": "04DE5AD98A02647D83285A36021911C6", "status": "translating", "seconds_remaining": 20 } ``` ```json Example response: done theme={null} { "document_id": "04DE5AD98A02647D83285A36021911C6", "status": "done", "billed_characters": 1337 } ``` ```json Example response: queued theme={null} { "document_id": "04DE5AD98A02647D83285A36021911C6", "status": "queued" } ``` ```json Example response: error theme={null} { "document_id": "04DE5AD98A02647D83285A36021911C6", "status": "error", "message": "Source and target language are equal." } ``` ### Step 3: download the translated document Once the status of the document translation process is `done`, the result can be downloaded. For privacy reasons the translated document is automatically removed from the server once it was downloaded and cannot be downloaded again. The example below uses our API Pro endpoint `https://api.deepl.com`. If you're an API Free user, remember to update your requests to use `https://api-free.deepl.com` instead. ```sh Example request: download translated document theme={null} curl -X POST 'https://api.deepl.com/v2/document/{document_id}/result' \ --header 'Authorization: DeepL-Auth-Key [yourAuthKey]' \ --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \ --data '{ "document_key": "0CB0054F1C132C1625B392EADDA41CB754A742822F6877173029A6C487E7F60A" }' ``` The example below uses our API Pro endpoint `https://api.deepl.com`. If you're an API Free user, remember to update your requests to use `https://api-free.deepl.com` instead. ```http Example request: download translated document theme={null} POST /v2/document/{document_id}/result HTTP/2 Host: api.deepl.com Authorization: DeepL-Auth-Key [yourAuthKey] User-Agent: YourApp/1.2.3 Content-Length: 83 Content-Type: application/json {"document_key":"0CB0054F1C132C1625B392EADDA41CB754A742822F6877173029A6C487E7F60A"} ``` ### Client libraries and document translation The examples on this page show how to translate documents with DeepL using the API directly. DeepL's [client libraries](/docs/getting-started/client-libraries) simplify API document translation by providing a convenience function to upload the document, check translation status and download the translated document with a single function call. ### Document format conversions By default, the DeepL API returns translated documents in the same format as the input document. Using the `output_format` parameter during document upload, you can select alternative output formats. For example, you can translate a PDF file and receive the translation as an editable Microsoft Word Document (DOCX), allowing you to make additional changes as necessary. The range of alternative output formats you can select are indicated in the table below: | Input document format | Alternative output document formats | | --------------------- | ----------------------------------- | | PDF | `docx` - Microsoft Word Document | | Others | None |