Browsing on Safari for MacOS: how to automatically activate reading mode for certain sites only


The idea behind Reading Mode is simple: make it much easier to read web pages of otherwise very cluttered websites. Everyone knows these sites. They are ugly to the point of preventing content from playing due to ads, poor layout, or poor design. This is where the reading mode comes in. By removing anything that isn’t the content you want or expect, Reading Mode greatly simplifies the experience.

I’ve often visited sites that make the pages nearly impossible to read. A bad layout or a plethora of ads make the web browser unresponsive, so even though the layout is fine, I still can’t read what I came for. It’s frustrating and often causes me to avoid these sites altogether.

Fortunately, most web browsers now include reading mode. So when you come across a page you want to read but (for some reason) you can’t, just turn on reading mode to get rid of distractions. Once in reading mode, the only thing displayed is the content that interests you.

With most web browsers, you have to manually enable reading mode on a case-by-case basis. With Safari, however, you can enable certain sites to automatically switch to reading mode, so you don’t have to worry about doing it page by page. I found this option very interesting, especially for sites that tend to render Safari unusable.

Keep in mind that when reading mode is enabled for a site, it does not automatically switch to the whole site when you go there. It is at the moment of the click that the site page automatically opens in reading mode. However, if an external link directs you to the site you have activated, the page will automatically open in reading mode.

For many, this function is very convenient. For others, it will be essential!

So here’s how to enable autoplay mode.

Enable reading mode for a site


The only thing you will need is an updated version of Safari browser. The demonstration will be on a 13-inch MacBook Pro equipped with an Apple Silicon M1 chip.

1. Open a site in Safari

The first thing you need to do is open Safari and then the site you want to add to autoplay mode. Namely: you can only add to automatic reading mode sites already open in tabs.

2. Open Settings

When Safari is open, click Safari in the menu bar, then on Preferences.


The Safari drop-down menu.


Access Safari preferences from the menu bar. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET

3. Enable websites in reading mode

In the window Preferencesclick the tab Web sitesthen on Drive in the left sidebar. You should see a list of tabs currently open, each of which has a drop-down menu where you can toggle the mode on or off. Drive. Scroll through this list of sites until you find the one you want to enable for autoplay mode. Keep scrolling through the list until you’ve added all the sites you want to activate.


The Reader section within Safari Settings.


Enabling reading mode for sites is done in Preferences > Websites > Reader. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET

What sites look like in reading mode

Any site you enable for reading mode will be stripped of anything irrelevant (text, images, links, etc.) and nothing else. In this mode, the pages are much easier to read, and best of all, if you need to print those pages, you won’t waste ink printing unnecessary items.


A sample ZDNET article in Reading Mode.


Reading mode makes content very easy to consume. Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Reading mode is a great option for anyone who wants a distraction-free experience on a website.


Source: “ZDNet.com”



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