Anyone trying to make reading on phone easier has more options than squinting through a bright web page and pretending it is fine. WIRED contributor David Nield says iPhone and Android users can use built-in display controls, browser reading modes and dedicated read-it-later apps to cut clutter and make long text less annoying on a small screen.
The ceiling is real. Nield notes that a phone will not become a Kindle or a printed book just because you move a slider. Still, the software controls already sitting in iOS, Android and mobile browsers can make text larger, bolder, warmer and less surrounded by web cruft.
How do I make reading on my phone easier?
Start with the display settings, because the operating system can change text across more than one app. On Pixel phones, Nield says the relevant controls are under Settings, then Display size and text. That screen lets users change the default font size, resize other interface elements, make text bold and turn on Android’s dark theme.
On iPhone, the equivalent controls live in Settings under Display & Brightness. Nield points to the Text Size slider, the Bold Text switch and the Dark appearance option. These are unglamorous controls, which is probably why they are useful: bigger, heavier text asks less of your eyes than tiny gray type designed by someone testing on a monitor.
Both platforms also include a warmer night mode. On Pixel phones, Nield says users can go to Display and touch, then Night Light. On iOS, the setting is Display & Brightness, then Night Shift. Each can be switched on manually or scheduled. The effect reduces blue light and gives the display a warmer cast, which Nield says can make reading more pleasant.
Use the reader mode your browser already has
For web articles, the browser is often the real problem. Ads, sidebars, pop-ups and site furniture compete with the text. Nield says modern mobile browsers usually include a reading mode that strips pages down, simplifies colors and puts the article itself in front.
In Chrome on Android, users can tap the three-dot menu and choose Show Reading mode for a compatible article, according to Nield. A panel at the bottom includes font and color options, and the reading mode icon near the address bar returns the page to the normal view.
In Safari on iOS, Nield says the reader control appears to the left of the address bar when an article supports it. Tapping the icon, then Show Reader, switches into the cleaner layout. Tapping it again opens settings and the route back to the standard page.
Firefox also offers a Reader View on Android and iOS, according to Nield. For compatible pages, the icon appears in the address bar and looks like a printed page. If Firefox shows a lightning bolt for article summaries instead, Nield says pressing and holding it switches to Reader View.
Save articles into a dedicated reading app
For people who collect articles across devices, Nield recommends Instapaper on Android and iOS as a dedicated read-it-later option. It works like a browser reader mode, with a cleaner interface and a saved reading list that can sync from multiple devices.
Articles can be sent to Instapaper from a phone browser through the share menu, or added inside the app using the menu button and plus button, according to Nield. Instapaper is also available on the web, so users can add items from a desktop and read them later on a phone.
Inside an Instapaper article, Nield says the Aa control opens settings for page color, font size, font style and pagination. The app can be used for free. A $3-per-month premium plan adds advanced article search, unlimited notes and the option to have saved articles read aloud.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
