Activate Reader View

This add-on adds a button to the toolbar. Clicking on it activates the Reader View even if the icon in the address bar is not present.

Activate Reader View - Firefox Add-on

"Activate Reader View" is a Firefox add-on that adds a button to the toolbar, enabling activation of the Reader View feature. It enables a cleaner, more readable webpage view, by removing unnecessary elements like ads, buttons and background images. Although it does not guarantee the Reader View's compatibility with all sites, it provides an improved browsing experience when it does work. The add-on does not affect the Reader View's exit functionality, which is still controlled by the address bar icon.

Add-on stats

By: fkohrt
Daily users: 8,436
195
Version: 0.1.2 (Last updated: 2020-04-27)
Version code: 5013594
Creation date: 2016-05-14
Weekly download count: 70
Firefox on Android: Yes
Manifest version: 2
Permissions:
  • tabs
Size: 24.03K

Other platforms

Not available on Chrome
Not available on Android
Not available on Edge
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Add-on summary

Remark (2019-11-11) As a user pointed out, setting “reader.parse-on-load.force-enabled” to “true” using the configuration editor will force the icon to be visible as well, without the need to install this add-on.

Remark (2019-06-08) I employed a different way to toggle the Reader View, version 0.1.1 of this add-on now works as intended.

Remark (2018-06-09) As the WebExtension API change is still not implemented, this add-on cannot force the Reader View to open. As an alternative, I created a bookmark version of this add-on. One can also manually activate the Reader View by prepending “about:reader?url=” to the current tab’s address.

Remark (2017-11-21) Starting with Firefox 58 and version 0.1.0 of this add-on, the new WebExtension APIs are being used, making the add-on work in Firefox “Quantum”. However, right now the new API forbids “forcing” the Reader View to open. See https://bugzil.la/1419520 Users of Firefox 57 Nightly and Developer Edition may set “extensions.legacy.enabled” to true using the configuration editor. Users of Firefox 56 and below may use version 0.0.7 of this add-on.

Remark (2017-09-07)

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User reviews

These summaries are automatically generated weekly using AI based on recent user reviews. Firefox Browser Add-ons does not verify user reviews, so some user reviews may be inaccurate, spammy, or outdated.
Pros
  • Works as intended for accessing Reader Mode on various sites
  • Invaluable for saving content in a clean format (e.g., PDF, EPUB)
  • Bypasses publication paywalls effectively
  • Useful extension for enhancing the reading experience on sites where native Reader Mode fails
  • Appreciated for open-source contribution and thankfulness expressed by users
Cons
  • Doesn't work on Android devices
  • The native Firefox Reader Mode settings sometimes don't work as expected
  • Certain web pages remain inaccessible in Reader Mode even with the extension
  • Lacks built-in shortcut or hotkey for easier activation
Most mentioned
  • Inconsistent functionality on different websites
  • Alternative method using the configuration editor is unreliable
  • Gratitude expressed towards developer for providing useful tool
  • Desire for a shortcut or hotkey feature to enhance usability
User reviews

by ryk, 2025-01-25

Works great... Thanks to the developer
View all user reviews

Add-on safety

Risk impact

Activate Reader View requires a few sensitive permissions. Exercise caution before installing.

Risk impact analysis details
  • Critical Grants access to browser tabs, which can be used to track user browsing habits and history, presenting a privacy concern.
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Risk likelihood

We don't have sufficient data to confidently determine the risk likelihood of Activate Reader View. Use it at your own risk.

Risk likelihood analysis details
  • High This extension has low user count. Unpopular extensions may not be stable or safe.
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