Calm reading for Chrome

FocusReader

A focused Chrome extension for turning crowded articles into a calm reader view and saving the exact lines you want to remember with their source attached.

Free tier includes 10 quotes. PRO unlocks unlimited local saves for a one-time $9.99 payment. No subscription.

Manifest V3 Chrome toolbar Right-click save
FocusReader reader mode preview with theme and typography controls.
01

Reader mode that respects long attention.

Mozilla Readability-powered extraction for news, blogs, essays, and Medium-like pages.

02

Source-backed quotes without spreadsheet cleanup.

Highlight text, right-click, save it, then group notes by domain or your own category.

03

Markdown export when your notes need to move.

Download a clean research file for Obsidian, Notion, Git, or your own archive.

No reading account required Open the reader, save quotes, and export without signing into another reading platform.
Local quote library Your saved quote text, categories, and reader settings stay in Chrome storage.
Clean way out Export Markdown whenever you want to move notes into Obsidian, Notion, Git, or plain files.
Built for review Vendored Readability, narrow permissions, and no remote scripts in the extension package.

The daily flow

From cluttered page to reusable note in under a minute.

Successful reading products make the next action obvious. FocusReader keeps the loop short: open, read, save, export.

1

Open reader mode

Click the extension on the current article, or press Alt+Shift+R, to remove the surrounding page noise.

2

Save the passage

Select text, right-click, and keep the quote with title, URL, domain, and timestamp.

3

Export the work

Download clean Markdown instead of rebuilding your notes by hand later.

Distraction-free reader

Read the article, not the page furniture.

FocusReader opens the current page in a quiet reader tab with light, dark, and beige backgrounds, Georgia or Inter typography, adjustable font size, and line-height controls for longer sessions.

  • Opens from the Chrome toolbar on the current page.
  • Uses vendored Mozilla Readability, not remote code.
  • Includes a back-to-original control for source checking.
FocusReader reader view with article text and reading controls.
FocusReader popup showing saved quotes, grouping, PRO status, and export controls.

Quote saver with context

Keep the useful line and the proof beside it.

Every saved quote carries the page title, URL, domain, timestamp, and optional category. The popup stays clean enough for daily use, but complete enough for research.

Domain grouping Custom category Delete controls Markdown export

The FocusReader difference

Not another infinite queue.

Big read-later apps are great when you need a whole content inbox. FocusReader is smaller on purpose: it helps you read the current page and keep the quotes you can actually use.

Need Broad read-later apps FocusReader
A private reader view for the page you are on Often bundled into a larger library Core workflow
Saved quotes with source context Usually built around highlights or queues Quote, title, URL, domain, timestamp
Simple ownership of notes Often account-led or sync-led Local storage and Markdown export
Newsletters, feeds, PDFs, audio, social feeds Good fit Intentionally not the MVP

Made for the pages people actually read

Strong on articles. Honest about edge cases.

Successful extensions set expectations before install. FocusReader is built for public, article-style pages where clean extraction and source-backed quote capture matter most.

Best fit

News, blogs, essays, research posts

Reader mode and quote saving are tuned for article structure and long-form text.

Good fit

Medium-like publishing pages

Readability parsing handles many editorial layouts and preserves useful content.

Limited fit

Restricted apps and locked pages

Chrome may block extension access on internal pages, protected pages, or app-like screens.

Permission transparency

Small permission surface, plain-language purpose.

Security-focused extension sites explain what the browser permission prompts mean. FocusReader keeps the MVP permission set narrow and tied to visible user actions.

activeTab Used after you click the toolbar button to capture the current page for reader mode.
contextMenus Adds the selected-text menu item: Save to FocusReader.
storage Keeps quotes, categories, reader settings, and license status locally in Chrome.
downloads Exports your saved quotes as a Markdown file when you ask for it.
scripting Runs the small page capture helper after a user action, not as background surveillance.

Launch install path

Built to feel familiar from Chrome Web Store to first quote.

  1. 01 Install from the Chrome Web Store listing.

    The public listing will show screenshots, privacy disclosures, and reviewer-tested behavior.

  2. 02 Open a readable article and click FocusReader.

    The current page opens in a cleaner reader tab with theme and typography controls.

  3. 03 Select a passage and save it with context.

    The quote library keeps the passage, source URL, page title, domain, and timestamp.

Local-first by design

Your reading library stays on your device.

FocusReader stores quotes, preferences, and license status in Chrome local storage. Temporary reader captures use session storage and are cleaned up automatically. Saved quotes, page content, and browsing data are never sent to the FocusReader license service.

FocusReader PRO

Start free. Upgrade when your quote library grows.

The free tier is built for trying the workflow. PRO is a one-time unlock for unlimited local quote saves with no recurring fee.

Free

10 quotes

Reader mode, local quote saving, categories, deletion, and Markdown export.

PRO

$9.99 once

Unlimited local quote saves with the same private, source-backed workflow.

Buy FocusReader PRO

Questions buyers ask

Clear answers before install.

Does FocusReader send saved quotes to a server?

No. Saved quotes stay in Chrome storage. Only a license key is sent to the FocusReader validation service when PRO is activated or rechecked.

Does it replace Readwise Reader, Matter, or Instapaper?

No. Those are broader reading platforms. FocusReader is a smaller Chrome tool for reader mode and source-backed quote capture.

Why is there a 10-quote free tier?

The free tier lets users test the workflow. PRO removes the local save limit with a one-time $9.99 unlock.

Will every website parse perfectly?

No reader extension can promise that. FocusReader is strongest on public article-style pages and intentionally reports edge cases honestly.

A smaller reading workflow

Built for readers, researchers, and people who collect the line that matters.

Try the complete reading and quote workflow for free, keep your library local, and upgrade only when ten saved quotes are no longer enough.

10 quotes free Local-first by design $9.99 once