CleanReader

THE PROBLEM

I’ve always had an issue with local news sites. Too many ads. Broken layouts. Pop-ups. Clutter everywhere. You just want to read a simple article and instead it feels like you’re navigating a minefield.

So I built something.

It started as an experiment. One of those “I wonder if I can…” moments. I’d been vibe coding more recently and this felt like a good challenge. Could I make reading news actually enjoyable again?

THE APPROACH

Reading online used to be easier. Now it’s a mess. Pages are built for revenue, not readability. But when you care about the words on the page, about learning or just staying informed, that gets frustrating fast.

I didn’t want to block everything. I just wanted a better way to focus. So that’s what CleanReader does. It gives you:

• A clear layout with professional typography
• Light and dark mode that remembers your preference
• Full article detection using Mozilla’s Readability.js
• Support for thousands of sites including news, blogs and academic publications
• All content processed locally with no tracking or data collection

WHY NOW

I’d been on a run of shipping small products and this one felt personal. I made it for me. For friends who read a lot. For people who still value written content and want to actually enjoy the experience.

It’s privacy-focused, fast and just works. And honestly, it’s the kind of thing I wish existed years ago.

WANT TO TRY IT?

If you read online and want something that makes that experience better, give CleanReader a go. It’s a little thing. But it might make your reading time a lot better.

📦 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Install from ZIP File

1. Subscribe and Download the file below
2. Extract the ZIP file to a folder on your computer
3. Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions/
4. Enable Developer Mode (toggle in top-right corner)
5. Click “Load unpacked” and select the extracted folder
6. Pin the extension to your toolbar for easy access

How to Use

1. Visit any news article or blog post
2. Click the CleanReader icon in your Chrome toolbar
3. Enjoy distraction-free reading with dark mode toggle available

Requirements

• Chrome browser (version 88+)
• Developer mode enabled for manual installation

Note: This is a development version. The extension will be available on the Chrome Web Store soon for easier installation soon.

GIVE ME FEEDBACK

Let me know what you think. And if you’ve got feature ideas or something you’d love to see added, I’m all ears.