How to Use Safari Reader Mode on iPhone & iPad (2023)

What is Reader Mode on Safari? You can use this feature to hide ads and make reading easier.

By Jim Karpen Updated 01/12/2023

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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

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 the iOS 16 update changes the way you navigate in Safari on iPhone & iPad? Sign up for our free Tip of the Day newsletter. Here's how to use Reader mode in Safari.

Open the Safari app and navigate to the page you want to read.
Tap the AA icon.
Tap Show Reader. The page will change to Safari's reading mode, eliminating any ads or extraneous navigation menus.
If Reader is grayed out, it means the page does not work with Safari Reader.
The AA icon will now be black to show that Reader view is active. Tap the icon again to see more Reader view options.
Tap the white, beige, gray, or black circle to change the Reader view background color.
Tap Font to change Reader mode font for easier or more comfortable reading.
Tap the larger or smaller of the A icons to increase or decrease font size.
To disable Reader mode, tap Hide Reader.

I often forget about Safari Reader mode, but it’s a feature I really love when I remember to use it, similarly 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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Author Details

Jim Karpen

Jim Karpen holds a Ph.D. in literature and writing, and has a love of gizmos. His doctoral dissertation focused on the revolutionary consequences of digital technologies and anticipated some of the developments taking place in the industry today. Jim has been writing about the Internet and technology since 1994 and has been using Apple's visionary products for decades.

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