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Struggling to digest large chunks of online text?
As someone with ADHD, long articles and large blocks of text have always been daunting to me.
When it is available you will see an open book icon within your address bar on the far-right.
you’ve got the option to either nudge the icon when it appears or press F9.
To adjust this feature’s options, select “Read Aloud” then select “Voice Options.”
More precise control would be nice, but overall it gets the job done.
Personally, it helps guide my reading by audibly reading and highlighting the text.
I even use this feature with sound muted, solely for the guided, highlighted text.
Increasing the digital voice speed helps me stay engaged by reducing mind wandering.
It requires focus yet less mental strain to avoid missing important information.
To use this feature, select “Reading Preferences” then toggle “Line Focus.”
Finally, choose the preferred number of lines you want to focus on at a time.
I’ve always struggled with skipping lines or losing my place in long texts.
It also reduces anxiety about dense text.
Lengthy articles and Reddit posts seem less daunting when viewed in smaller sections.
This approach improves readability and makes the content more approachable.
Text sizeranges from small to medium to large.
Adjusting the text size is crucial for visually impaired readers.
Examples of “Small”, “Medium”, and “Large”.
Text Spacing, a toggleable feature, doubles the line spacing for better readability.
I find the widest setting works well when combined with Line focus.
Then there’sFont and Page Themes.
Studies indicate that individuals have preferences for specific combinations when it comes to reading.
Within Immersive Reader, this preference can be used with the font, “Sitka”.
Others appear to read more efficiently with text that excludes serifs (sans serif).
In Immersive Reader this option is available with the “Calibri” font.
And finally, there is “Comic Sans” if you just like to be silly.
Page themes adjust text and background color, helping readers find their preferred combination.
Those who use these options often say they resemble the look of physical paperback novels.
Many find these options reduce eye strain during prolonged reading sessions.
There is no universally applicable solution, and discovering your preference will require personal experimentation with these text combinations.
So, feel free to explore and determine which one resonates with you the most.
Previously, I may have felt shame for needing extra help to do something I used to do effortlessly.
Overcoming that shame has brought back the joy of reading for long hours.
Doing so can reintroduce a passion for reading that may have faded as we got older.
Don’t let struggling with large blocks of text keep you from tackling that monstrously long online article.
