When we want to read a text or article on any website, we usually do so through browsers. This makes it difficult for us to enjoy and immerse ourselves in the experience due to distractions such as advertisements or auto-playing videos that may disrupt our focus, especially if the website is filled with ads. Apple addressed this issue on Safari by developing a Reading Mode that allows users to focus on their task, which is reading the news or article, by removing distractions.
Most internet browsers now have a similar mode, while others lack this feature. Therefore, Google added a feature in Android system that enables users to access this feature in any browser or app in general, by installing a separate app called Reading Mode. We have mentioned it before in an article about valuable Android features for users with special needs, but let’s take a closer look at it from the following lines.
Reading Mode on Android Phones
First: What is the Reading Mode app and how to install it?
This app was released in late last year as a feature of Accessibility settings on the Android system to facilitate reading experience on browsers for Android users. The app is suitable for all phones running Android 9 and above, and it reduces all ads that appear on various websites causing distractions for the reader. As for installing the app on Android phones, it starts from the trusted source for all apps of this system, which is the Play Store by entering it and searching for Reading mode app you will find it directly and install it like any other app.
After installing the app, open it to see a welcome message informing you that the app converts long content from apps and websites into a format that is easier to read. Click on “Continue” and then on “Settings” to activate the app shortcut.
Upon accessing the “Accessibility” page, click on “Installed Apps” and then on the name of the “Reading Mode” app and enable the “Reading Mode Shortcut” option and give it the necessary permissions by clicking on “Allow”. You will then need to choose how to access this notification, which varies depending on whether you are using the traditional navigation bar (with three constant buttons at the bottom) or navigation gestures. In the first case, a fourth button will be placed on the navigation bar to activate the reading mode, while in the second case, you can choose between a floating button on the screen or dragging up the screen with two fingers from bottom to top. Choose the method that suits you and complete the app setup for immediate use – almost – by pressing the app shortcut, then “Finish,” and moving on to the practical part.
Second: How to Use Reading Mode on Android?
As of writing this article, the Reading Mode app supports only 4 languages: English, French, Spanish, and Italian, but you can still use the app with articles written in other languages like Arabic with some formatting errors. Overall, the app also suppresses notifications to help you focus while reading on browsers. Now try opening an app or website on your Android phone and click on the app icon on the margin.
You will notice that the Reading Mode app has created a new version of the content focused on text only, with a dark background and no annoying ads. You will also see a timer at the top indicating the time required to complete reading and 3 icons at the bottom, we will discuss their uses now, but this is how you use the Reading Mode app, and to exit it, click on the down arrow at the top of the page.
Third: How to Customize Reading Mode?
Once in Reading Mode, by clicking on the first icon (on the left) of the three bottom icons, you can change the font size. If you want to change the overall style/appearance of the fonts, you can do so by clicking on the “Gear” icon ⚙️ on the right, where you can change the “font style” and format, as well as adjust the font size (like the icon on the left). Moreover, if you swipe down the screen, you will find more options such as putting the fonts underlined for different lines to highlight them.
Between the two mentioned icons, you will find a “Play” icon. By clicking on it, you can listen to written texts as if they were audio recordings, and not only that, you can also control the playback speed as well as navigate instantly between parts of the article or written text. Furthermore, you can change the reading voice itself by clicking on the “Gear” icon for settings and entering the “Audio” section, from the “Reading voice” drop-down menu, you can change the voice, and even more amazingly, you can download more voices, including languages (including Arabic).
It is worth mentioning that the listening language is set by default based on the region you are in, so when you click on the “Play” button, you may hear an Arabic voice, but if not, you can download the Arabic language using the method mentioned earlier and select it from the drop-down languages list in the settings.
In conclusion, the Reading Mode app provides Android users with a great feature that allows them to read various articles on the internet without distractions by eliminating annoying ads and configuring a dark mode that helps focus. However, the text must be written in a supported language (we expect the app to support many languages in the near future, as it is ultimately from Google). Additionally, the app stands out for its ability to convert written texts into spoken words, saving you a lot of time if you are a multitasker or generally busy.
