Reader mode lets you view web articles in a clean, distraction-free layout — removing ads, popups, and sidebars so you can focus on the content. This guide covers how to use reader mode in Firefox and how Web Highlights takes it further with highlighting, notes, and offline access.
Firefox's Built-in Reader Mode
Firefox has a built-in Reader View that displays articles in a clean, full-page layout. Here's how to use it:
- Open Firefox and navigate to an article or blog post.
- Look for the Reader View icon (horizontal lines) in the address bar. It only appears on pages with enough text content.
- Click the icon to enter Reader View. The page will reload in a clean, distraction-free layout.
- Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut: F9, or Ctrl + Alt + R on Windows/Linux, or Cmd + Option + R on Mac.
- Customize the appearance by clicking the settings icon on the left side to adjust font, font size, and background color.
Limitations
- Reader View is only available on compatible pages. The icon does not appear on all websites.
- You cannot highlight or save annotations within Firefox Reader View.
- Articles are not saved for offline access or synced across devices.
Go Further with Web Highlights Reader Mode
While Firefox's reader mode removes distractions, it stops there. Web Highlights adds a complete research workflow on top of any reader mode:
- Highlight & annotate — Mark up important text with multiple colors and add personal notes.
- Save for offline access — Keep a permanent, reader-friendly copy of any article.
- Sync across devices — Access your saved articles, highlights, and notes from any device through the web app.
- Export your research — Send highlights to Notion, Capacities, Markdown, PDF, or HTML.
- AI-powered summaries — Generate summaries of your saved articles using Chrome's built-in AI.
- Organize with tags — Tag and group your research for easy retrieval.
Learn more about how our reader mode works in the Web Highlights Reader Mode documentation.
Firefox Reader Mode vs. Web Highlights
| Feature | Firefox | Web Highlights |
|---|
| Distraction-free reading | ✅ | ✅ |
| Custom themes & fonts | ✅ Basic | ✅ Full (Light, Dark, Sepia, Contrast) |
| Highlight & annotate | ❌ | ✅ |
| Save for offline access | ❌ | ✅ |
| Sync across devices | ❌ | ✅ |
| Export to Notion, Markdown, etc. | ❌ | ✅ |
| Works in multiple browsers | ❌ | ✅ Chrome, Edge, Brave, Firefox, Opera |
Try Web Highlights Reader Mode
Install Web Highlights to get a full-featured reader mode with highlighting, notes, and offline access — free, no sign-up required.
Install Web Highlights Need help with another browser? Check out our other browser tutorials.