How to find the built-in reading mode in your browser

I have a stack of web articles bookmarked and saved to read later that I'm going to read someday… but haven't. I think part of what puts me off reading that list is that reading on the internet, especially longer articles, can be a chore. On most sites, in addition to the text and images that matter, there's a constant barrage of ads, pop-ups, panels, and multimedia to deal with.

You can get around this problem by using a bookmarking app like Pocket, which offers an easier way to save and read longer content, or you can buy a standalone reading device, like a Kindle. However, if you don’t want to deal with another app or device, there is another way. Most of the most popular browsers now come with some sort of built-in reading mode. The idea is to get something more like the Kindle or Kobo experience: easy on the eyes, distraction-free, and focused on what you’re actually interested in reading.

Here's how to access desktop reading modes in Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox. I've also included reading modes for iPhone and Android phones.

Chrome could be The most popular The desktop browser beats Google Chrome by a mile, but it still lags behind its competitors in some ways. For example, it doesn't have a reader mode that's as easy to use or as well designed as the other browsers we've included on this list. Reader mode is only available in a side panel attached to the edge of the browsing window, though it can be expanded to a reasonable size.

To start Chrome reading mode:

• Click on the three dots (top right on any browser tab).
• Open the More tools menu.
• Select Reading mode.
• Use the toolbar to change the appearance of the text.
• Click and drag the left edge of the side panel to enlarge it.

The reading mode itself works well enough, with a selection of fonts and colors to choose from, but it feels a little forced.

Android also supports a reader mode. The good thing is that it works on all Android devices, not just Chrome, so you can use it wherever you want. The bad thing is that you have to install a separate app to enable it (Reading mode Google), making the process more complicated than it should be.

• Launch the app and follow the instructions to set it up.
• During setup, you can choose how to launch Reading Mode: from a tile in Quick Settings, from a floating button, or by pressing both volume keys together.
• With a page open in Chrome, use the shortcut you've chosen to launch reading mode. At the bottom of the screen, you can adjust the text color or size, or enable voice reading.
• Once installed, you can enable or disable reader mode by going to Settings > Accessibility > Reading mode.

One more thing: only certain types of screens can be simplified, especially simple articles with text and images. But this makes it much easier to read the content on the phone.

Safari places its reading mode icon (also called reading view) right in the toolbar. The look of Safari's reading mode is particularly bare-bones, and while there are some font and color options, there aren't too many.

To enable Reading View in Apple Safari:

• Click the reading view page icon to the left of the address bar.
• Select the AA Icon to the right of the address bar to change fonts and colors.

It doesn't have the same level of functionality that you get with Edge, Firefox, or even Chrome: separately, Safari can read web pages (Edit > Speech) and save them for later (Bookmarks > Add to reading list), but that functionality is not built into this reading mode.

If you're looking to get the same clutter-free experience on your iPhone, Safari for iOS has all the same features as Safari for macOS, though it's not exactly in the same place.

• Tap on the AA button (or document icon) to the left of the address bar.
• Choose Show reader.
• Tap on the AA Button (or document icon) again to change the font and colors or have the page read aloud.

You can also choose to have Reading Mode automatically used on pages that support it. From iOS Settings, tap Applications > Safari > Reader and enable All websites.

Edge is based on the same Chromium code as Chrome, but it has an improved reader mode, which is actually called Immersive Reader. It takes up the entire screen, is easy to toggle on and off, and the button to activate it is always available in the browser interface (rather than hidden in a menu). There are also several ways to customize it.

To start reading mode in Edge:

• Click the book icon to the right of the URL address bar.
• Choose Read out loud for the page to be read.
• Open Text preferences to change the appearance of the text. The Text Preferences pop-up menu gives you full control over the appearance of the reading mode: you can change the line spacing, the color scheme of the page, the default font used, and the column width of the page.
• Click Reading preferences to access translation options and highlight individual lines of text as you read them.

In Firefox, reader mode is very similar to Microsoft Edge, in that it is activated by clicking on an icon in the address bar (the icon that looks like a page of text). Again, it takes up the entire screen and replaces the article you are reading.

To enable reader mode in Mozilla Firefox:

• Click the reading mode page icon in the address bar.
• Select the AA Icon to change the text layout.
• Click the headphones icon to have the page read aloud.
• Select the Pocket icon to save the page to the Pocket read-it-later service built into Firefox.

There aren't as many options here as in Edge for font style and color, but the options that are available look good.

If you are not satisfied with any of these, there are a number of third-party plugins available to do the same job. Both Firefox and Chrome It has Tranquility Reader, which lets you save pages for offline reading and adds more flexibility with fonts and colors. An awesome third-party option for Chrome is Reader's viewwhich has an e-reader look and feel and allows you to adjust colors, fonts, and spacing.