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How to Use Safari Reader Mode on iPhone & iPad (iOS 17)

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Safari Reader view on iPhone and iPad allows you to read a web page without distractions so that only the text and photos are left. I personally find that this makes the article easier to focus on, and gentler on my eyes. We'll walk you through how to use Safari Reader mode and turn it off when you're done.

Why You’ll Love This Tip:

  • Enjoy simpler reading without the clutter and distraction of ads and extra page features.
  • Print web articles or recipes without ads to save for later.

How to Enable Reader View in Safari on iPhone & iPad

System Requirements

This tip works on iPhones running iOS 16 or later. Find out how to update to the latest version of iOS.

Safari's Reader (also commonly referred to as Reader view or Reader mode) has been a user favorite for quite some time since it allows you to view and print web pages without ads. Let's learn how to use it, what the page will look like with and without Reader enabled, and how to turn off Reader mode once you're done! Want to learn more about how to navigate Safari on iPhone & iPad? Sign up for our free Tip of the Day newsletter. Here's how to use Reader mode in Safari.

  1. Open the Safari app and navigate to the page you want to read.

    Home screen with Safari app marked.
  2. Tap the AA icon.

    Safari app with the AA button marked.
  3. Tap Show Reader. The page will change to Safari's reading mode, eliminating any ads or extraneous navigation menus.

    Safari app with the AA menu open and the Show Reader option marked.
  4. If Reader is grayed out, it means the page does not work with Safari Reader.

    Safari with the AA menu open and the grayed out Show Reader option marked.
  5. The AA icon will now be black to show that Reader view is active. Tap the icon again to see more Reader view options.

    Safari with the marked AA icon in white on black, indicating that Reader mode is on.
  6. Tap the white, beige, gray, or black circle to change the Reader view background color.

    Safari with Reader mode on and the Reader menu open with the black circle marked. The website is in white text on black background.
  7. Tap Font to change Reader mode font for easier or more comfortable reading.

    Safari with Reader mode on and the Reader menu open. The Font option is marked and the website is in Times New Roman instead of the default font.
  8. Tap the larger or smaller of the A icons to increase or decrease font size.

    Safari with Reader mode on and the marked font size buttons visible. The website's font size has been increased significantly.
  9. To disable Reader mode, tap Hide Reader.

    Safari with Reader mode on and Reader menu open with the Hide Reader option marked.

I often forget about Safari Reader mode, but it’s a feature I really love when I remember to use it, similar to the new method for opening new tabs in Safari! Reader view puts text and images center stage, leaving ads and other interruptions out of it. Plus, once you've enabled Reader, you can print without ads!

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