Chrome’s shortcut to open reading mode may present a challenge if you mistakenly click “Open in reading mode” while right-clicking on links. To eliminate or take out “Open in reading mode” from the right-click menu in Chrome, simply access Chrome://flags, search for “Reading Mode“, and change it to Disabled. Chrome’s reading mode is a convenient feature that allows for distraction-free reading of web pages by removing extra elements like ads, formatting, settings, or other menus. When accessing links in the reading mode, only the text-based content from the website, including the body text and heading, is visible. The “Open in reading mode” option is located in the context menu when right-clicking on a link. However, many users inadvertently trigger the reading mode due to its new placement below the widely used “Copy link address” option. The updated context menu options have moved the “Copy link address” option one position above, leading to accidental opening of web pages in the reading panel. To disable “Open in reading mode” in Chrome right-click menu (context menu), follow these steps:
1. Open Google Chrome and go to Chrome://flags.
2. In Chrome://flags, search for Reading mode.
3. Select the first option in the search results, and click the Default toggle.
4. Next to Reading mode, select Disabled, and then relaunch the browser.
This will remove the option from the right-click or context menu in Chrome. If you wish to revert the changes, follow the same steps, ensuring that the value is either Default or Enabled.
Exploring Chrome’s reading mode
As previously mentioned, the Reading mode streamlines the reading experience by removing elements such as ads, comments, share buttons, menus, galleries, and more. Chrome also provides advanced settings, enabling users to adjust font, font size, and switch between different background colors and spacing. Reading mode is accessible across all platforms, including Windows and Android. Unfortunately, Google has yet to provide an official toggle in settings to remove it from the context menu and other areas. In certain cases, you may prefer not to enable the feature, but with Google’s addition of the option to the right-click menu, accidental activation is highly probable. To address this, Chrome Flags, as detailed above, must be utilized. Google has also introduced a new Chrome design, which can be disabled if it doesn’t align with your preferences. Have you found the reading mode in Chrome on desktop to be beneficial, or do you consider it extraneous in the browser? Share your thoughts in the comments below.