If you’re someone who primarily consumes news online, you must be aware of how annoying constant popup ads can be. The constant distraction of having to deal with popups, tuning out certain plug-ins, and blocking intrusive ads can mar the reading experience. Luckily, there are a bunch of reading tools you can use to get rid of these distractions. And now, Google has stepped into a ring and added a helpful ‘Reading Mode’ to the Chrome browser. If you’re not sure where to find it, here’s your complete guide to enabling and using Reading Mode on Chrome like a pro.
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In This Article
Can’t find Reading Mode on Google Chrome? Here’s how you can enable it
If your Google Chrome version does not have the Reading Mode turned on by default, here is how you can enable it.
Step 1: Launch Google Chrome on your PC.
Step 2: Type chrome://flags in the address bar and hit Enter. This will take you to Chrome’s Experimental Features page.
Step 3: Type Reading Mode in the search bar and hit Enter.
Step 4: Click on the drop-down menu for Reading Mode and select Enabled.
How to use Reading Mode?
So, you’ve enabled Reading Mode on Chrome. Now what? Well, the process is pretty simple. But before you begin, you need to take care of a couple of things.
- Make sure there are no pop-up ads on the web page you’re trying to read. If there are any, clear them.
- The webpage should not be locked behind a paywall. Chrome’s Reading Mode will not be able to bypass it. Make sure you are subscribed to the publication or use these methods to read the article for free.
Now that you’ve got these hurdles out of the way, simply click on the Side Panel icon at the top right section of the Chrome window to access Reading Mode. Typically, it should open up as the default option. If it doesn’t, simply click on the drop-down menu and select Reading Mode. Another way you can access this mode is by right-clicking anywhere on the article and selecting Open in reading mode. That’s it!
Check out these tips to get the most out of Reading Mode
Once you open an article on reading mode, the first thing you should do is adjust the width of the panel. Drag the panel from its left border and move it towards the left to expand its size. This will allow the article to take centre stage on your screen while the webpage is pushed to the side. If you switch to a different tab and open a different article, it will automatically load on the reading panel.
Chrome’s reading mode also gives a lot more control over how the text looks on the screen. You can change the font of the text from the drop-down menu at the top left section of the panel. At the time of writing this article, there are 7 fonts to choose from – Poppins, Sans-serif, Serif, Comic Neue, Lexend Deca, EB Garamond, and STIX Two Text.
Right next to this drop-down menu, you will find the option to change the size of the text. The colour plate icon lets you choose the background colour for the reading panel. There are five options on offer – Default, Light, Dark, Yellow, and Blue. Finally, you can use the last two icons to select the level of spacing between the lines and the individual letters.
Another thing that Chrome gets right with its Reading Mode feature is its integration with Reading List, Bookmarks, and Search History. You can use the Reading List option to load an article you’ve been meaning to read, then switch to the Reading Mode tab for easy, distraction-free reading. You can also use the side panel to carry out Google searches. If you bookmarked a page instead of saving it to your reading list, you can still access it from this side panel.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does Google Chrome’s Reading Mode display images?
No, Google Chrome’s Reading Mode does not display images yet. You can check out other reading companions like Postlight Reader for Chrome if you want the images displayed along with the text.
Does the Reading Mode on Chrome bypass paywalled articles?
No, Chrome’s reading mode does not give you free access to articles locked behind a paywall.
I can’t find Reading Mode on Chrome. What do I do?
Type chrome://flags in the address bar, hit Enter, search for Reading Mode, and select Enable from the drop-down menu.
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Conclusion
This is how you can enable and use Reading Mode like a pro in Google Chrome. Since this feature is still in its early stages, it lacks image support and text to speech on it. As time goes on, it is expected that Google will expand upon its list of attributes and it will look more like a comprehensive reading tool.
