Activate Reader View

Name: Activate Reader View
Rating: 4.2237 (76 reviews)
Author: fkohrt

By: fkohrt

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.

Download

Install Compare

Activate Reader View is a Firefox add-on that adds a convenient toolbar button to activate Reader View on web pages. Unlike the default behavior that only shows the Reader View icon for compatible sites, this extension lets users force Reader Mode even when the button in the address bar doesn't appear, helping to declutter pages by removing ads, buttons, and background images for better readability. Although it doesn't toggle Reader View off, exiting Reader View remains easy using the address bar icon. This tool is especially helpful for users seeking a cleaner reading experience on a wider range of websites. Note that compatibility depends on Firefox's Reader View functionality and some pages may still not support it. The extension continues evolving with Firefox's WebExtension API changes, offering ongoing usability improvements.

Add-on Productivity Utilities

By:

fkohrt

Daily users:

7,605

Rating:

4.22

(76) 0.01

Version:

0.1.2 Last updated: 2020-04-27

Version code:

5013594

Creation date:

2016-05-14

Risk:

Permissions:

tabs

Size:

23.46KB

Full description:

Source:

Firefox Add-ons Store

Data ingested on:

2025-07-18

Setup email notification for Activate Reader View

Ranking

# 879 ▲ 8

Other rankings

#130 in Appearance

#1 in deactivate keyword 9

#9 in reader keyword 70

#10 in activity keyword 17

#23 in present keyword 28 ▼ 1

Upgrade to see more rankings

User reviews

Users appreciate this add-on for reliably enabling Reader View on pages where Firefox's native options and configuration settings fail, especially helpful for cleanly saving or printing articles. It offers a simple one-click method appreciated for its open-source nature. However, it does not function on Firefox Android, lacks hotkey support, and sometimes mirrors existing Firefox limitations. Overall, it is valued as a useful supplement for desktop Firefox users seeking consistent Reader View access on diverse web content.

Pros

Enables Reader View on pages where Firefox's native option is not accessible, such as certain news sites like CNN.
Simplifies saving content cleanly as PDFs or EPUBs by providing a clutter-free reading mode.
Works reliably where Firefox's native Reader View and related settings fail.
Offers a simple, one-click approach to activate Reader View without complex configuration.
Appreciated for being open source and straightforward in functionality.

Cons

Does not work on Firefox for Android devices.
The alternative Firefox config setting “reader.parse-on-load.force-enabled” is sometimes ineffective, which users expect the add-on to overcome but is not always consistent.
Lacks a customizable hotkey or shortcut to activate Reader View quickly, reducing convenience.
There may be some minor functionality issues on certain Firefox internal or Mozilla pages.
Some users feel the add-on does not offer much beyond existing Firefox features.

Recent reviews

by Tx*****, 2025-07-13

by 远离*****, 2025-04-06

by 退出*****, 2025-02-09

View all user reviews ›

Extension safety

Risk impact

Risk impact measures the level of extra permissions an extension has access to. A low risk impact extension cannot do much harms, whereas a high risk impact extension can do a lot of damage like stealing your password, bypassing your security settings, and accessing your personal data. High risk impact extensions are not necessarily malicious. However, if they do turn malicious, they can be very harmful.

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.

Risk likelihood

Risk likelihood measures the probability that a Firefox add-on may turn malicious. This is determined by the publisher and the Firefox add-on reputation on Firefox Add-ons Store, the amount of time the Firefox add-on has been around, and other signals about the Firefox add-on. Our algorithms are not perfect, and are subject to change as we discover new ways to detect malicious extensions. We recommend that you always exercise caution when installing a Firefox add-on.

Activate Reader View has earned a fairly good reputation and likely can be trusted.

Risk likelihood analysis details

High This extension has low user count. Unpopular extensions may not be stable or safe.
Low **** ********* *** ******* **** **** * ****** **** ***** ******** *** **** ****** ** ** ****** *** *****
Low **** ********* *** ***** **** **** * ****** **** ***** ********** *** **** ****** ** ** ****** *** *****
Good **** ********* *** **** **** *******

Upgrade to see full risk analysis details

Instantly check and monitor your browser extensions' risks and permissions with Extension Guard.