Chrome’s Reading Mode on Android Gets a Major Refresh
Google is significantly updating the Reading Mode feature within Chrome on Android, aiming for a more consistent and user-kind experience. Previously, accessing Reading Mode felt inconsistent - appearing on some articles but not others. Now, a more reliable approach is rolling out to users.
A more Consistent access Point
Instead of relying on a sometiems-visible button next to the address bar,you’ll now find “Show Reading mode” consistently located within the three-dot menu. This menu is easily accessible on any webpage you visit. While the old address bar shortcut is removed, a dedicated button remains for quickly exiting Reading mode.
A Modern, Customizable Reading Experience
Tapping the “Show Reading mode” option now presents a streamlined view. Importantly, it retains the Omnibox (address bar) instead of taking over the entire screen. A bottom sheet,designed with Google’s modern Material 3 aesthetic,provides customization options. You can tailor your reading experience with these settings:
* Fonts: Choose between Sans serif, Serif, or Mono styles.
* Text Size: Adjust the text up to 250% for agreeable reading.
* Background Color: Select Light, Sepia, or Dark themes to suit your preferences.
Your chosen preferences are saved, ensuring a consistent experience across different articles. This manual activation option is a key improvement, giving you control over when and where you use Reading Mode.
Availability and How to Try It Now
The updated Reading Mode is currently appearing for users on Chrome version 143 (stable channel) on Android devices. However, the rollout isn’t complete yet. If you’re eager to try it, you can manually enable it through a Chrome flag:
* Navigate to chrome://flags/#reader-mode-improvements in your Chrome browser.
This flag will force the new Reading Mode to activate before the official,widespread release.
This update represents a meaningful step forward for Chrome’s Reading Mode,making it a more reliable and customizable tool for focused reading on your Android device.
