The web is not always fit to read, especially when lots of interface and questionable (or decidedly artistic) choices in typography are in the way. You can hide that clutter and concentrate on the text and image in the article itself, though. Find out here how to open Firefox reader view for a page, including how to switch to a dark reader mode.
First, Shaded Tea Grows in the Sun
Shaded tea grows in the sun, of course, for most of the year.
During two to three weeks, though, just as new buds have appeared for Spring, reeds, straw or cloth provide increasingly dark shade. This makes the new leaves grow extra green with heightened levels of chlorophyll and carotendoids to capture all the scarce light from the sun.
This combination makes for the crispy color and clean taste so typical for matcha and kabusecha, for instance.
Now that the tea is ready, how about providing some shade and dark mode for a crispy clean website display?
How to Open Firefox Reader View (Including Dark Mode)
Time needed: 2 minutes
To get Mozilla Firefox to display a website’s content without distractions (such as background images, menus, sidebars, overlays, low contrast, etc.) on the desktop as well as in Firefox for Android and iOS:
- Open the page you want to read distraction-free.
- Click or tap the Toggle reader view button in the address bar.
Firefox keyboard shortcut: You can press Ctrl Alt R (Windows and Linux) or Command Option R (Mac) to open a page in reader view.
No “Toggle reader view”: If you do not see the button for toggling reader view, it is not available for a page. - Click or tap the button again to return to standard display.
More clean Firefox: How to Start Firefox with a Blank New Tab Page
Switch to Dark Mode for Firefox Reader View
To turn off the backlights for a page and see it in dark reader view with Firefox:
- Engage reader view for the page (see above).
- Click or tap Type controls in reader view.
- Select Dark.
Change Typography and Layout
Using Type controls, you can also adopt other reader view parameters:
- Choose between a serif and a sans-serif typeface.
- Increase or decrease the font size.
- Desktop: Choose the column width.
- Desktop: Pick a line height.
- Firefox mobile: Change the brightness.
How to Open Firefox Reader View (Including Dark Mode): FAQ
What happens if I follow a link in Firefox reader view?
If you click a link in reader view, Firefox will load the linked page in regular view. You can switch to reading view for that page again, of course.
Can I choose what will appear in reader view?
No.
Firefox will select what to display in reader view from the page’s structure. It looks for tags and elements like article, content, post, story and page (while it avoids ad, hidden, banner, footer etc.).
You can remove individual elements from reading display, though. When you turn off reader view, the elements will return as Firefox reloads the page.
Will Firefox remember reader view settings?
Yes.
When you switch to reader view, it will apply your last-used display settings.
Can I open pages in reader view automatically with Firefox?
No.
Firefox itself cannot open pages in reader view automatically. On the desktop, add-ons like Auto Reader View and Automatic Reader View let you set up pages that will automatically open in reader view.
(How to open reader view—including dar mode—tested with Firefox 127 on the desktop; first published July 2024)