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How to Use Reading Mode on Any Website

Learn how to use Helperbird's Reading Mode to create a clean, distraction-free reading experience. Reading Mode removes ads, sidebars, and clutter.

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What is Reading Mode?

Reading Mode removes distractions from a webpage and shows you just the main content. It gets rid of ads, navigation menus, sidebars, and other elements that can make reading difficult.

The result is a clean, simple view that looks like a book or document, making it much easier to focus on reading.

Who is This For?

This feature is helpful for:

  • People who are distracted by ads and other page elements
  • Anyone with dyslexia who benefits from simplified layouts
  • People with ADHD who need fewer distractions
  • Students reading articles for research
  • Anyone who finds cluttered websites overwhelming

Step 1: Open Helperbird

Click the Helperbird icon in your browser toolbar. It looks like a small owl and is usually in the top-right corner of your browser.

This will open the Helperbird menu.

Step 2: Go to the All Features Section

Scroll down to the bottom of the Helperbird menu. You will see a section called All Features.

Click the arrow next to All Features to expand it and show all available features.

Step 3: Find Reading Mode

Look through the list of features until you see Reading Mode.

It has a document or page icon next to it.

Step 4: Click Reading Mode

Click on Reading Mode.

The webpage will transform into a clean reading view. All the ads, sidebars, navigation menus, and other distracting elements will be removed.

You will see just the main text and images from the article.

Step 5: Customize Your View

Once in Reading Mode, you can adjust how the content looks using the toolbar at the top of the page.

You can change:

  • Text size – Make the text larger or smaller
  • Font – Choose a different font that is easier to read
  • Background color – Change the background to reduce eye strain
  • Text color – Adjust the color of the text

These settings help you create a reading experience that works best for you.

Step 6: Exit Reading Mode

When you are done reading, click the X button in the top corner of the Reading Mode view.

This will return you to the normal webpage.

Tip: Reading Mode works best on articles, blog posts, and news stories. It may not work well on pages that are mostly images or interactive content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Reading Mode free? Yes! Reading Mode is included in Helperbird Free.

Does Reading Mode work on all websites? Reading Mode works best on articles, blog posts, and news sites. Some complex web apps, paywalled content, or image-heavy sites may not work perfectly.

Will Reading Mode save my settings? Yes, your font, color, and size preferences are saved and will be applied the next time you use Reading Mode.

Can I print from Reading Mode? Yes! You can print the clean Reading Mode view, which gives you a nicely formatted printout without ads or clutter.

What's the difference between Reading Mode and Immersive Reader? Reading Mode is Helperbird's built-in feature for clean reading. Immersive Reader is Microsoft's tool with additional features like syllable breaking and parts of speech highlighting. Both remove distractions, but Immersive Reader has more learning-focused tools.

Related Guides

Video Tutorial

Need Additional Help?

If you have any questions or run into any issues, please contact the Helperbird support team. You can reach us at Helperbird support. We are happy to help you get the most out of Helperbird.

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What People Are Saying

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this extension seems amazing so if that doesn't bother you, I say go ahead and get it!

Ana Robledo

Ana Robledo

Helperbird user

Where to start! Firstly, I'd like to thank Robert (the developer) for his generosity - the app is extremely cheap as apps go. It is very apparent that this app is a labour of love - Robert is constantly working on it and improving things, adding new features, etc. As someone with ADHD and ASD, I have always had to piece-meal together the features I need to help me study effectively - half a dozen different apps / extensions, and even then they don't quite meet my expectations. Helperbird, however, offers SO MUCH more, and all in one place - you can finetune your experience to your heart's desire. The features I particularly love are summarise, simplify, sticky notes, highlighting, and the amazing immersive reader with TTS. I can't sing Helperbird's praises enough. Thank you, Robert, for such a thoughtful - and genuinely helpful - app. You are empowering the neurodivergent everywhere.

Firefox user

Firefox user

Helperbird user

This tool helps so many of our students at school - not only those students who have dyslexia, but students and adults who have other learning differences (and those who don't!). It helps ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed in their learning!

Kim Norris

Kim Norris

Helperbird user

I found this extension on a whim to help myself. Suffering with post concussion syndrome symptoms and working remotely is really hard! This extension basically saved my job. It gave me back productivity and the ability to read the screen. This extension has so many neat features I never even knew I needed. I love this and you will too! You don't need to be dyslexic or have dyslexia for this extension to benefit you. Do yourself a giant favor and get it! I highly recommend it!

Catherine Contillo

Catherine Contillo

Helperbird user

I got this tool as an extension to try out first of all. I was amazed at what it can do in terms of accessibility. I have shown my friends and brother who suffer from dyslexia and they have all downloaded the extension. Great step forward from a company looking to help people!!

Luke Pottinger

Luke Pottinger

Helperbird user

This extension has been an absolute lifesaver. I have that fantastic combo of ADHD and Dyslexia while trying to go through college. I have difficulty keeping letters in order, seeing the gaps between words, and with ADHD on top, I lose focus A LOT. The immersive reader has been my new best friend. It drowns out the rest of the content on the page, changes the font to something I can read, and highlights the word as it reads to me. My eyes are forced to keep going in the right direction. I can slow down and pay attention to what I'm reading. I don't even have to go back and read the same paragraph 5 times to understand it! The screen overlay has been outstanding for eye strain and being able to distinguish between words and spaces. The custom font and spacing for research articles have been an enormous advantage! I can actually read the research papers now and not have this daunting 2 column fine print page to squint over.All around, this has been the best purchase I've ever had. I use this every day, with every assignment. I don't even struggle with story-based questions anymore. The immersive reader helps me read, listen, and understand the question all at once. I am still exploring what I can use this with and how it can make my academic career, and I keep getting impressed with every new way I find to use it. Seriously, try it out. You won't regret it at all. Even if you don't have dyslexia or ADHD, just try it out. You might find that it helps you understand the content you're trying to learn even better!

Mason Hunter

Mason Hunter

Helperbird user

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