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How to Turn Reader Mode On or Off in Chrome

Google Chrome is one of the most popular browsers in the world. And while it’s packed with features, it’s missing the note of Reading Mode. Although you can use reader mode in Chrome, the settings are surprisingly hidden. But why fear when we’ve got you covered? Here are all the ways to get Reading Mode in Chrome.

Reading Mode, also known as reading view, is a much-coveted feature. While other browsers flaunt it, Google Chrome hides it. So let’s discover Chrome’s secret reader mode without further ado.

What is Reading Mode?

As its name suggests, the reader mode is designed to help you focus on the article or text you want to read. It cleans up web pages, that is, it removes unnecessary elements such as ads, graphics, and other irrelevant content.

And not just for optimizing content, the much-coveted mode also helps people with disabilities to read better, as you can customize the font, font size, and background color.

How to enable Reader Mode in Chrome

Similar to forcing dark mode in Chrome, there are also two ways to turn on Reader Mode. One through experimental flags and the other using extensions. Let’s explore both step by step.

Method 1: With Chrome Flags

Chrome Flags is a set of experimental Chrome features that allow you to access hidden features of the browser. Here we explain how to do it,

Step 1: Open Chrome, type chrome://flags and press Enter.

Step 2: Seeks reader mode in the search bar.


Step 3: From the dropdown menu, select Enabled.


Step 4: Click the Relaunch button at the bottom of the page to apply these changes.


step 5: Now when you open a web page with a lot of text, a book icon will appear in the address bar (in the right corner). Click on it to activate reading mode.

step 6: To edit the reading mode settings, click A.

step 7: You can increase or decrease the font style, size, and background color.

Note: If you can’t see the reading mode icon, click the three-dot menu in the upper right corner and select Enter reading mode.

To deactivate reading mode,

  1. Click on the reader mode icon.
  2. Click the three dots icon to exit Reader mode.

Why does Chrome keep Reading Mode hidden?

You could easily say that Google is keeping Read Mode hidden because it is an experimental feature, as it is kept under Flags until the feature is stable or fully functional.

However, we can also assume that Hidden Reading Mode ensures that Google and website ad revenue is not hampered.

Method 2: Use extensions to activate Reading Mode in Chrome

There are rarely any tasks that Chrome extensions can’t handle, from tracking time to switching tabs with ease. As expected, Google does not disappoint and we have a wide variety of extensions that activate Reading Mode with a single click.

Here’s how to download and use an extension to activate Reading Mode.

Step 1: Go to the chrome web store and search Reading mode.

Step 2: Select an extension of your choice. For example, Easyview Reader view.

Step 3: Click Add to Chrome.

Step 4: Then confirm the action by clicking Add extension.

step 5: Once done, open the web page you want.

step 6: Click the extension icon in the upper right corner.

And just like that, Chrome’s reading mode will be enabled.

step 7: You can adjust the reading mode settings depending on the extension you have added. In this case, click on the equalizer icon to open the settings panel.


To turn off reader view in Chrome, click the extension icon again. That’s it. If you have more questions, see the next section.

Frequently asked questions about reading mode in Chrome

1. Can Chrome Reading Mode be activated on mobile?
No, none of the mentioned methods (flags or extensions) work on mobile devices. Therefore, you cannot enable Reading Mode in Chrome on mobile.

2. Can I print or save articles in Reading Mode?
Yes. The easiest way to do this is to enable Reading Mode and click on the three dots icon. Then select Print or Save as PDF.

3. Does Reading Mode work on all web pages?
Yes. However, it works best on text-heavy web pages, such as news articles and blog posts. And it may not work as expected with pages with rich media content or complex layouts.

Read without distractions

Reading Mode definitely enhances your reading experience. And while Google Chrome has the hidden feature, the overall process is easy and doable. So, we hope that the article has helped you to manage the view of the readers in Chrome.

If you have any questions, doubts or suggestions to offer us, do not hesitate to contact us through the comments section below.

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