Photo: Khamosh Pathak
Most of the time, instead of actually reading it, you’re probably skimming the web. And that’s fine for quick news updates and social media browsing. But when you have a long article open that you really want to read, it becomes difficult.
You find your mind wandering and it becomes harder and harder to pay attention to the same page. Yes, you can save the article to read later pocketbut we all know your reading list is going to die there. The endless stimulation the internet has destroyed your ability to concentrate– so what to do?
Don’t worry, the “Reader” mode in your browsers gives you a chance to fight. These special modes are designed to make reading the web easier. They remove formatting, spaces, ads, and all other extra elements from a given website so you can focus on the text and some images.
Even better, you can customize the text to make your experience as inviting as possible, so you’re less likely to click away. Here’s how to use Reading mode in your favorite browser (except Chrome – but we’ll get to that later).
How to use Safari Reader mode
Screenshot: Khamosh Pathak
G / O Media can receive a commission
Safari is the king of reading mode. Not only is the built-in reader mode nice, but there is also an option to automatically load all articles into the “Reader View” by default (although that might be a bit too much for most users).
When you’re browsing the web and come across a long article that you want to read, just click the Reader View button (which looks like a page icon) on the URL bar on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad. Immediately, the site morphs into its far less busy cousin. Press the “Aa”Button to the right of the URL to adjust the formatting.
How to use Firefox Reader View
Screenshot: Khamosh Pathak
Firefox does a really good job with Reader View too (and no, you don’t have to use Pocket for that).
Just click the Reader View icon (looks like a sheet of paper with lines of text on it) in the URL bar within the desktop or mobile apps (yes, it works in the iPhone, iPad and Android apps too) to quickly convert the entire page into the more reader-friendly version. Here, too, you can use the “Aa”In the left menu to customize the font and background.
How to use the Immersive Reader in Microsoft Edge
Screenshot: Khamosh Pathak
While Microsoft Edge’s reading mode is limited to the desktop app, it does a really good job. When you come across an article that you want to read without the distraction, click the Immersive Reader icon in the URL bar (it looks like an open book).
To adjust the text, click on “Text settings“Possibility. Edge has a pretty neat trick up its sleeve here – you can use the”Read out”Feature to have the entire article read to you with natural sounding voices (you can even choose a different voice if you want).
Or try the Reader Mode Extension in Chrome
Screenshot: Khamosh Pathak
Chrome is the only major browser that doesn’t have a dedicated reading mode. But don’t worry, you can have the same experience with that Extension of the reading mode.
The Reader Mode Extension gives you a simple, customizable and distraction-free reading environment. You can jump for that Pro version ($ 15 one time license fee) to add highlights, notes, custom CSS, professional fonts, and more. There’s even a premium option ($ 4.99 / month) that adds cloud storage, read-it-later features, and other extras.