> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/rtr46/meikipop/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Get from zero to your first Japanese lookup in minutes with this step-by-step guide.

This guide will walk you through using meikipop for the first time, from initial setup to performing your first dictionary lookup.

<Note>
  Before starting, make sure you've completed the [installation](/installation) process.
</Note>

## Your first lookup

<Steps>
  <Step title="Launch meikipop">
    Start the application based on your installation method:

    <CodeGroup>
      ```bash Prepackaged binary theme={null}
      # Navigate to your meikipop directory and run the executable
      ./meikipop  # Linux
      meikipop.exe  # Windows
      ```

      ```bash From source theme={null}
      python -m src.main
      ```
    </CodeGroup>

    You should see a confirmation message:

    ```
    --------------------------------------------------
    meikipop.v.1.11.0 is running in the background.

      - To use: Press and hold 'shift' over Japanese text.
      - To configure or change scan area: Right-click the icon in your system tray.
      - Make sure to checkout the auto scan mode!
      - To exit: Press Ctrl+C in this terminal.

    --------------------------------------------------
    ```

    <Tip>
      Look for the meikipop icon in your system tray. This indicates the application is running.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select your scan region (first launch only)">
    The first time you run meikipop in `region` mode, you'll be prompted to select an area of your screen to scan.

    1. A selection interface will appear
    2. Click and drag to define the area containing Japanese text
    3. Release to confirm your selection

    <Info>
      The scan region is the area meikipop will monitor for text. Choose a region that covers your game window, manga reader, or video player.

      You can change this later by right-clicking the tray icon and selecting "Reselect Region".
    </Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Position your mouse over Japanese text">
    Find some Japanese text on your screen within the scan region:

    * Open a Japanese website
    * Launch a Japanese game
    * Open a manga image
    * Play a video with Japanese subtitles

    Move your mouse cursor over the word you want to look up.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Press and hold the hotkey">
    **Press and hold the Shift key** (default hotkey).

    After a brief moment, a popup window will appear with dictionary entries for the word under your cursor.

    <Warning>
      The first lookup may take a few seconds depending on your internet connection, as the OCR processes the image.
    </Warning>

    The popup displays:

    * **Written form:** The kanji or kana spelling
    * **Reading:** Hiragana pronunciation (if kanji is shown)
    * **Definitions:** English meanings from JMdict
    * **Deconjugation info:** How the word was transformed (if applicable)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Look up additional words">
    While still holding the hotkey, move your mouse to other words. The popup will update instantly with new entries.

    Release the hotkey when you're done to hide the popup.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Understanding the popup

The dictionary popup shows entries in priority order, with the most relevant matches first.

```text theme={null}
食べる  [たべる]
 ① to eat
 ② to live on; to make a living

食べ物  [たべもの]
 ① food
```

Each entry includes:

* **Written form** (kanji/kana)
* **Reading** in brackets (hiragana)
* **Numbered definitions** from JMdict

<Tip>
  If you looked up a conjugated word like 食べた (tabeta, "ate"), meikipop will show you the dictionary form 食べる (taberu, "to eat") along with the conjugation process.
</Tip>

## Essential features

### Auto-scan mode

Auto-scan mode continuously scans your screen, providing lookups without pressing a hotkey.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable auto-scan">
    Right-click the system tray icon and select **"Enable Auto Scan Mode"**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure behavior">
    In Settings, you can adjust:

    * **Auto scan interval:** How frequently to scan (0 = continuous)
    * **Lookups without hotkey:** Show popup automatically or require hotkey
    * **Auto scan on mouse move:** Trigger scan when mouse moves
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  Auto-scan mode is perfect for reading manga or watching videos where you want instant lookups without repeatedly pressing a hotkey.
</Info>

### Scan modes

meikipop offers two scan modes:

* **Region mode:** Scans a specific area of your screen (recommended)
* **Fullscreen mode:** Scans your entire screen

To switch modes:

1. Right-click the tray icon
2. Select **"Change Scan Mode"**
3. Choose **"Region"** or **"Fullscreen"**

<Tip>
  Region mode is faster and more accurate. Use fullscreen mode only if you need to look up text across multiple windows.
</Tip>

### Customizing the hotkey

To change the hotkey from Shift to another key:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open settings">
    Right-click the tray icon and select **"Settings"**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Change hotkey">
    Find the **"Hotkey"** dropdown and select your preferred key.

    Available options include:

    * shift
    * ctrl
    * alt
    * And more...
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save and test">
    Click **"Save"** and test your new hotkey with Japanese text.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Common workflows

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Reading visual novels">
    1. Launch your visual novel
    2. Select a scan region covering the text box
    3. Enable auto-scan mode for continuous lookups
    4. Configure "lookups without hotkey" so the popup appears automatically
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Reading manga">
    1. Open your manga reader or image viewer
    2. Select a scan region covering the page
    3. Use the default hotkey mode or enable auto-scan
    4. Hold the hotkey over speech bubbles to look up words
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Watching videos with subtitles">
    1. Launch your video player
    2. Select a scan region covering the subtitle area
    3. Enable auto-scan mode
    4. Set a short auto-scan interval (0.5-1.0 seconds) to catch changing subtitles
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Browsing websites">
    1. Switch to fullscreen scan mode for flexibility
    2. Use the default hotkey mode
    3. Hold the hotkey over words as you read
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Configuration overview

meikipop is highly customizable. Access settings by right-clicking the tray icon and selecting **"Settings"**.

Key configuration options:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Hotkey" icon="keyboard">
    Change the key you press for lookups
  </Card>

  <Card title="Theme" icon="palette">
    Choose color schemes and fonts
  </Card>

  <Card title="OCR Provider" icon="camera">
    Switch between Google Lens, owocr, or custom backends
  </Card>

  <Card title="Display Options" icon="eye">
    Toggle parts of speech, tags, examples, and kanji info
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

All settings are saved to `config.ini` in your meikipop directory.

<Tip>
  On macOS, if the settings GUI doesn't appear, you can edit `config.ini` directly with a text editor.
</Tip>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Popup doesn't appear">
    * Verify meikipop is running (check system tray)
    * Make sure you've selected a scan region
    * Check that Japanese text is visible in your scan region
    * On macOS, verify screen recording permissions are granted
    * Try increasing the auto-scan interval if in auto-scan mode
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Wrong words detected">
    * The OCR might be misreading characters
    * Try adjusting your scan region to include only clear text
    * Consider switching OCR providers (see [OCR providers](/advanced/ocr-providers))
    * Increase font size in your game or application if possible
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Lookups are slow">
    * Use region mode instead of fullscreen mode
    * Make your scan region smaller
    * The first lookup is slower due to OCR initialization
    * Consider using a local OCR backend like owocr for offline performance
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Popup is hard to read">
    * Open Settings and adjust the theme
    * Increase font size (Settings > Theme > Font Size)
    * Change background opacity for better contrast
    * Try a different theme preset (Nazeka is the default)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next steps

Now that you're up and running, explore meikipop's advanced features:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Configure settings" icon="gear" href="/user-guide/configuration">
    Customize appearance, behavior, and keybindings
  </Card>

  <Card title="OCR backends" icon="plug" href="/advanced/ocr-providers">
    Switch to owocr or create a custom OCR provider
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scan modes" icon="crosshairs" href="/user-guide/region-selection">
    Learn about region vs fullscreen scanning
  </Card>

  <Card title="Build custom dictionary" icon="book" href="/advanced/building-dictionary">
    Build your own optimized JMdict dictionary
  </Card>
</CardGroup>