Readability

Readability How to Use Guide Image

Congratulations! Readability installed successfully. Other than installing the extension, you don’t need anything more to use the add-on.


To use it just click the R icon on Firefox statusbar. Also by right clicking on R icon you can get other Styling Options.

Yo can also add a Toolbar button to the navigation toolbox. Right click on any toolbar button and choose the “Customise” option to drag the icon in toolbox.

The keyboard shortcut to activate Readability is CTRL+ALT+R combination. To return to original page use CTRL+R combination.

Mac users: please use Command+Option+R combination to activate Readability. To return to original page use Command+R combination.


Readability contains Autoscroll functionality, too.

As the name suggests Autoscroll functionality will let you scroll the pages automatically without using your mouse or keyboard. After you activate the Readability and simplify the page, just press CTRL + SHIFT + A keyboard combination to start using the Autoscroll.

Usage:

0-9 : Set scroll speed, 0 being stand-still and 9 being skim-speed
– : Decrease speed
= : Increase speed
shift + – : Decrease speed quickly
shift + = : Increase speed quickly
ESC or q : Quit

Autoscroll does not require activating Readability. It simply works on any long web page you come up with. But combined with Readability it just improves the idea.





If you find the application useful please support my development efforts.


49 Responses to “Readability”
  1. Cary says:

    Any way to customize the keyboard shortcut to activate/deactivate Readability? I have a keyboard conflict with the default combo. Tx!

  2. Just about the best Firefox add-on that I’ve run into. Everyone I show it to loves it.

  3. Baris Derin says:

    Hi Cary,

    Which extension do you have conflict with?

  4. William Doak says:

    A wonderful application! (I used to snicker at the large type books in the library, but now I seek them out.)

  5. SeattleRay says:

    Is there a way to go to continuation pages of an article without leaving Readability? Say, go to page 2 of a NY Times article.

  6. Baris Derin says:

    Hello SeattleRay,

    Sorry no. You need to open the web page in browser before it is simplified by Readability.

  7. alex_mayorga says:

    Just wanted to say “thank you!” for this gem. Trying to nitpick a bit I believe it would be nice to disable by “click the R icon on Firefox statusbar” a second time, kind like click to activate/deactivate. Other than that is great as I usually have the bookmarks toolbar hidden most of the times. Thanks again and keep it up =)

  8. Tomi says:

    Any plan to add a multicolumn mode similar to what the nytimes reader offers ? It would be great for laptop/netbook wide screens.

  9. Very cool! Is there any way to change the color scheme and settings like with the bookmarklet?

  10. Baris Derin says:

    Hello Justin,

    By right clicking on R icon in statusbar, you can get other Styling Options.

  11. Gc says:

    Suggestion: use CSS to make the popup text black always.

    Clicking right on the [R] icon in the statusbar produces a popup with light gray background and text color from the statusbar. If a persona is installed that gives the status bar a dark background and white text, the popup text is white on light grey background, which is hard to read.

  12. David says:

    The auto scroll shortcut conflicts between three extensions I have installed: HTML Validator, Web Developer Toolbar and Readability. Please include a way to customize the default combo.

    By the way, I’ve been using Readability for the past two days and think it is wonderful.

  13. John says:

    I also have a problem with not being able to configure the keyboard shortcuts combinations – it conflicts with “Quick Restart”.

  14. Baris Derin says:

    Hi all,

    Next versions will add support for keyboard short cut change.

  15. Sasa says:

    What about support for NoScript addon. Is this possible at all? I always have to allow for JS execution before Readability works. Is this even possible?

  16. Baris Derin says:

    Hello Sasa,

    This is actually a problem of NoScript not Readability. But I am searching a workaround for the problem. If it is possible I may add the support in future versions.

  17. Dave says:

    “After you activate the Readability and simplify the page, just press CTRL + SHIFT + A keyboard combination to start using the Autoscroll.”
    All I get is the Windows task manager, either on its own or in a mystery FF sidebar, marked “Memory Fox Metric Collections”………Huh? Am I missing something or is there an add-on conflict here?

  18. Baris Derin says:

    Hi Dave,

    It is an add-on conflict. Try to disable the other add-on and re-check the short-cut.

  19. Mistral says:

    I seem to be having a problem using Readability with Simple Machines Forum. Viewing a topic with only one post works just fine but if there are multiple posts on a topic none of the posts will appear using Readability.

  20. Howard Blair says:

    I have a large LCD on my main system (1680×1050 px). Even setting the margins to “Extra Narrow” leaves a large gap on both sides of the screen. Would prefer if the CSS set the margins to a percentage (say, 80% of the screen width for the narrowest margins). Would also like an option to get rid of the status bar icon, and only use the toolbar icon, as my status bar is getting rather crowded.