Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enable reader view in Chrome?

The quickest way: install a reader extension, then click its toolbar icon on any article. With Firefly Reading Mode (free on the Chrome Web Store), one click distills the page into a clean, paper-like reading view — no flags, no settings.

Chrome desktop does not ship a classic one-click reader view out of the box. You have three options:

• Reader extension (recommended) — Install Firefly Reading Mode, click the firefly icon (or use the extension keyboard shortcut) on any article. Esc exits and the original page is restored.
• Chrome's Reading Mode side panel — Settings → Accessibility → Reading mode. See the next question for its limitations.
• Reader Mode flag — enable the distillation experiment at chrome://flags. Experimental and subject to change.

Does Chrome have a built-in reading mode?

Yes — Chrome 114 and later include a Reading Mode side panel (Settings → Accessibility → Reading mode), but it is a sidebar, not a full-page reader view.

The built-in side panel re-renders the article text with basic font and color controls. The main page — with its ads, pop-ups, and sidebar recommendations — stays on screen. There is no outline navigation, no image grayscale or hide toggles, and no export.

Firefly Reading Mode takes over the entire page instead: automatic article extraction with Mozilla Readability, warm 2460K eye-care and dark OLED themes, outline navigation, width/font adjustments, and one-click Copy as Markdown. Everything is processed locally in your browser.

How do I get reading mode on a Chromebook?

Install Firefly Reading Mode from the Chrome Web Store — it works on any Chromebook because ChromeOS runs the Chrome browser.

Open the Chrome Web Store on your Chromebook, click Add to Chrome, then click the firefly toolbar icon on any article. It is lightweight, requires no account, and is well suited to school and education devices: students get long-form articles without ads or distraction, and nothing they read leaves the device.

→ Full walkthrough: Reading Mode for Chromebook & Education

Is Firefly Reading Mode free?

Yes — free to install from the Chrome Web Store, no account, no subscription, no upsells.

Does Firefly Reading Mode collect my data?

No. Data collection: none. Article extraction and rendering happen entirely in your browser using the open-source Mozilla Readability algorithm.

• The pages you read are never sent to our servers — there is no server.
• No browsing history tracking, no profiles, no third-party analytics.
• Preferences (theme, width, image mode) stay in local storage on your device.
• Details in the privacy policy.

How is Firefly different from Chrome's built-in reading mode?

Chrome's Reading Mode is a basic sidebar. Firefly is a full-page, distraction-free reading environment built on Mozilla Readability — with themes, image controls, outline navigation, and Markdown export.

• Full page vs. sidebar — Firefly replaces the noisy page entirely; Chrome's mode leaves it visible beside the panel.
• Warm & dark themes — a 2460K paper-warm theme for eye comfort, plus an OLED-friendly dark theme.
• Image controls — grayscale or hide images with one toggle.
• Outline navigator — jump between headings in long articles.
• Copy as Markdown — one click sends the cleaned article to your clipboard.
• Local & open algorithm — extraction uses the same Mozilla Readability library that powers Firefox Reader View.

Can I copy an article as Markdown?

Yes. Click "Copy as Markdown" in reading mode and the cleaned article — headings, paragraphs, links, code blocks, and images — is converted and copied to your clipboard, ready for Obsidian, Notion, Logseq, or any Markdown editor.

Which pages work best with reading mode?

Article-style pages: blogs, news, documentation, wikis, Medium, Wikipedia and similar long-form content.

Single-page apps or login-walled pages may need a moment to finish loading before entering reading mode. PDF files are not supported.

How do I exit reading mode?

Click "Exit reading view" at the top right, press Esc, or click the Firefly toolbar icon again. The original page is restored exactly as it was.