Enable reader mode in Chrome browser

Modern browsers like Edge and Firefox has the built-in feature help users remove those unwanted distracting items on websites, such as ads, banners, and videos. The Chrome browser, desktop version for Windows and Mac, also have this feature integrated. It is however disabled by default. Users need to head into its Experiments settings page to turn it on. In this quick guide, we will use Chrome for Windows in the demo to show you how to enable Chrome browser reader mode so you can view simplified web pages without other those distracting items, but only the content you’re interested in.

Enable reader mode in Chrome for Windows

Run Chrome web browser on your computer, visit chrome://flags/#enable-reader-mode (enter chrome://flags/#enable-reader-mode in the address bar and press Enter on your keyboard to jump directly to the Reader Mode flag).

enable reader mode in flags of google chrome web browser on windows computer

Click Default button to open the drop-down item list and change it to “Enabled,” then click the Relaunch button at the bottom to restart Chrome browser to allow the change to take effect.

Turn on reader mode in Chrome for Mac

It is the same to activate reader mode or reader view in Chrome desktop browser on Mac.

Turn on reader mode in Chrome for Mac

Enter reader view or mode on web page

When you are on a webpage that triggers the reader mode, you will see the “Toggle Reader Mode” icon appears at the end of the Chrome address bar. Click on the reader mode button to view the clear version of the web page that shows only the article and its images without excess information and distraction.

toggle reader mode on web page in google chrome web browser for windows

If you want to return to the regular page or the regular version of the page, all you need to do is press the reader mode button again.

Chrome Reader Mode extra tips

  • Note that pages with little text won’t trigger the reader mode, thus you can’t find the reader mode button on all websites or even all web pages of the same website.
  • If you can’t find the Enable Reader Mode in Chrome flags, make sure your Google Chrome is up to date. We are using Chrome version 85 in the above demo.