You can adjust system settings, browser features, and third-party apps to make reading on your smartphone more comfortable and less straining on your eyes.
Key facts
- •Android Pixel users can access display adjustments through the 'Display size and text' menu.
- •iOS users can manage text size and bold text settings within the 'Display & Brightness' menu.
- •Safari's reading mode is activated by tapping the icon featuring a rectangle over two horizontal lines.
- •Instapaper allows users to save articles for later and customize font, color, and pagination settings.
- •The premium version of Instapaper costs $3 per month and includes features like unlimited notes and article read-aloud.
Smartphone users can improve their reading experience by adjusting display configurations and utilizing built-in reading modes. While phones do not replicate the experience of e-readers, modifying font sizes, color schemes, and blue light settings can reduce eye strain and minimize on-screen clutter during extended reading sessions.
Adjusting System Display Settings
On Android Pixel devices, users can navigate to 'Display size and text' to adjust font size and make text bolder, while iOS users can find similar options under 'Display & Brightness'. Both operating systems offer a dark mode to dim interface colors and a night reading mode—labeled 'Night Light' on Android and 'Night Shift' on iOS—which reduces blue light and warms the display color.
Using Browser Reading Modes
Mobile browsers often include dedicated reading modes that simplify layouts and remove clutter. Google Chrome on Android allows users to toggle 'Show Reading mode' via the three-dot menu, while Safari on iOS provides a reader icon to the left of the address bar. Third-party browsers like Firefox also offer a 'Reader View' icon for compatible web pages.
Read-It-Later Apps
Dedicated apps like Instapaper provide a distraction-free interface for saved articles. Users can import content via browser share menus or the app itself. While the app is free to use, a $3 per month premium subscription offers additional features such as advanced search, unlimited notes, and text-to-speech functionality.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Wired.
