playto / Docs / Getting Started

Getting Started

Get Playto running in minutes and start learning languages through the games you love.

Installation

From Steam (Recommended)

  1. Search for Playto on Steam, or visit the store page directly.
  2. Click Install (Lite -- free) or Purchase (Standard $9.99).
  3. Steam will download and install Playto automatically.
  4. Launch from your Steam Library.

Initial Setup (Setup Wizard)

Playto launches a setup wizard on first run. It walks you through four steps to get everything configured.

1

Choose Your Language

Select your UI language from 12 supported languages: EN, JA, ZH, KO, DE, FR, ES, PT, RU, IT, PL, VI.

Then set your source language (the language the game text is in) and your target language (your native language for translations).

2

Choose Capture Mode

Pick how Playto reads text from your game screen:

  • Fixed Region -- Draw a box around the text area. Best for subtitles and dialogue boxes.
  • Cursor Follow -- Hover your mouse over any text. Best for menus and exploration. (STANDARD)
3

Choose Translation Engine

Select how Playto processes and translates game text:

  • Text Reading -- OCR extracts text, then AI translates. Works with most games.
  • Image Recognition -- AI reads screen image directly. Best for stylized text. (STANDARD)
  • Cloud AI -- Use Gemini or OpenAI. No local GPU needed.
4

Download Model (if local)

The recommended model will be downloaded automatically.

Model size: 2-5 GB. Download may take several minutes depending on your connection.

Skip this step if you chose Cloud AI in Step 3.

Basic Workflow

Capture

Launch Playto alongside your game. Translations appear instantly in the overlay on top of your game window.

Save

Tap any word to see its definition and save it to your word book. Words are automatically tagged with the game context where you found them.

Practice

Review saved words with quiz modes and SRS scheduling. Complete daily quests for bonus XP. Track your progress with achievements and vocabulary coverage.

System Requirements

  • OS: Windows 10 / 11
  • GPU: NVIDIA (CUDA), AMD, or Intel (Vulkan) with 4GB+ VRAM (6GB+ recommended). No GPU? Use Cloud AI.
  • RAM: 8GB+
  • Disk: ~5GB for AI models

No dedicated GPU? You can use Cloud AI (Gemini, OpenAI) instead of local models.

Next Steps

Review your gaming sessions and track learning progress Customize Playto in Settings Set up the AI Assistant (MCP) with Claude Desktop Check the FAQ for troubleshooting tips