diff --git a/src/app/features/settings/general/General.tsx b/src/app/features/settings/general/General.tsx
index 6b2c54c6e..7f25ad901 100644
--- a/src/app/features/settings/general/General.tsx
+++ b/src/app/features/settings/general/General.tsx
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ import {
   TRANSLATE_TARGET_LANGUAGES,
   normalizeLang,
   isSupportedTargetLang,
+  translationUnavailableText,
 } from '../../../utils/translation/langUtils';
 import { chromeTranslationEngine } from '../../../utils/translation/chromeEngine';
 import { SequenceCardStyle } from '../styles.css';
@@ -2756,7 +2757,7 @@ function Messages() {
           description={
             translationSupported
               ? 'Translate messages written in other languages into this one. Runs entirely on your device — message text never leaves your computer or touches a cloud service.'
-              : 'On-device translation isn’t available in this browser. Use a Chromium desktop browser (Chrome/Edge 138+) or the Lotus desktop app.'
+              : translationUnavailableText(isTauriEnv())
           }
           after={
             <SettingsSelect
diff --git a/src/app/utils/translation/langUtils.test.ts b/src/app/utils/translation/langUtils.test.ts
index c58de1454..a618170da 100644
--- a/src/app/utils/translation/langUtils.test.ts
+++ b/src/app/utils/translation/langUtils.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { test } from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import {
+  translationUnavailableText,
   normalizeLang,
   sameLanguage,
   languageName,
@@ -53,3 +54,9 @@ test('curated list: unique codes, English present', () => {
   assert.equal(new Set(codes).size, codes.length);
   assert.ok(codes.includes('en'));
 });
+
+test('translationUnavailableText: no "use the desktop app" inside the desktop app (#349)', () => {
+  assert.doesNotMatch(translationUnavailableText(true), /desktop app\.$|Lotus desktop app/);
+  assert.match(translationUnavailableText(true), /this version of the desktop app/);
+  assert.match(translationUnavailableText(false), /this browser/);
+});
diff --git a/src/app/utils/translation/langUtils.ts b/src/app/utils/translation/langUtils.ts
index 9ae545f37..e260aff95 100644
--- a/src/app/utils/translation/langUtils.ts
+++ b/src/app/utils/translation/langUtils.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,16 @@ export function isSupportedTargetLang(code: string): boolean {
   return CURATED_NAME.has(normalizeLang(code));
 }
 
+/**
+ * [Gitea #349] Why translation is unavailable, by platform. The desktop app
+ * on Linux/macOS (WebKit) lacks the on-device APIs too, so it must not send
+ * people to "the Lotus desktop app" they're already using.
+ */
+export const translationUnavailableText = (desktopApp: boolean): string =>
+  desktopApp
+    ? 'On-device translation isn’t available in this version of the desktop app. It works in Chrome or Edge 138+ on a computer.'
+    : 'On-device translation isn’t available in this browser. Use Chrome or Edge 138+ on a computer.';
+
 /** Pure: why a manual Translate did nothing (#287). */
 export const translateSkipMessage = (from: string | undefined, targetLang: string): string =>
   from