Buzz
Struggling to access a news article that requires a subscription? Even if you support quality journalism, subscribing to every publication you desire can be expensive. If you're not prepared to commit to a subscription, there are numerous methods to read any news article for free—even if it's hidden behind a paywall. This Mytour article provides 12 simple hacks for reading news articles online without needing a subscription.
Procedures
Attempt Incognito mode to evade a soft paywall.
Using Incognito or Private mode prevents the site from storing cookies on your device. If the news website you wish to visit employs cookies to restrict access to a limited number of articles, you can often access more free articles in Incognito or Private mode. Here's how:
- In any web browser on a computer, press Ctrl + Shift + N (PC) or Command + Shift + N (Mac).
- For Chrome on Android or iPhone/iPad: Tap the three dots at the top-right or bottom-right corner, then select New Incognito tab.
- For Safari on iPhone/iPad: Tap the two overlapping squares, tap the number of tabs at the bottom, then tap Private. Next, tap + to create a new private tab.
Install Postlight Reader for Chrome or Edge.
Postlight Reader eliminates clutter (and often, paywalls) from any website. This extension is compatible with Google Chrome, but it functions in Microsoft Edge as well. Simply activate the Postlight Reader extension whenever you encounter a paywall to instantly remove it from nearly any news site, including the New York Times, The Atlantic, and more. Just visit https://reader.postlight.com/, click Install Postlight Reader for Chrome, and then click Add to Chrome (even in Microsoft Edge).
- Once the extension is installed, visit a paywalled article you wish to read. Then, click the puzzle piece icon at the top-right corner of your browser and select Postlight Reader.
Experiment with Reader Mode on your device.
Reader Mode might allow you to read articles without paying, depending on the news site. This functionality is accessible in Safari on any Apple device, as well as Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. Reader Mode is designed to hide advertisements and provide a cleaner reading environment, but it sometimes also bypasses news article paywalls. Simply open an article with a paywall, then click the Reader icon on a Mac (the sheet of paper in the address bar) or tap Aa and then Show Reader in the menu.
- There's a chance that Reader Mode may not be effective, but it's worth trying.
Experience 12ft.io in any browser.
This handy online tool can bypass paywalls on numerous news websites. No installation is required, and you can access the site from any computer, phone, or tablet. Simply visit https://12ft.io, input the URL of the article you want to read, and click or tap Remove Paywall.
- While 12ft.io may not work for every news site, it boasts a high success rate for most sites we've tested.
- Once the content loads, you'll receive a prompt asking if the paywall has been bypassed. You can assist the developers by selecting Yes or No on the prompt.
Access the archived version of the website or article.
Various web-based tools can generate text and visual replicas of websites. Depending on the news outlet, you might utilize one of these platforms to capture an immediate snapshot of an article and exhibit it without encountering the paywall. Some dependable options include:
Copy the article headline into Google.
Attempt to locate the article by searching its exact headline on the internet. Depending on the news source, accessing the article directly from its link on the Google search results page might grant you access. If you encounter a paywall, try right-clicking the link in Google and selecting Open link in incognito window, Open link in InPrivate window, or Open Link in New Private Window.
Utilize Bypass Paywalls on your computer.
This complimentary Chrome and Edge extension aids in bypassing the paywalls of most major news outlets from your PC or Mac. You can even customize the list by adding your preferred sites if they're not included. Although you can't acquire the extension from the Chrome or Edge extension stores, downloading it from Github is a breeze. Here's how to obtain it:
- Download the ZIP file from https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-chrome/archive/master.zip.
- Unzip the file—this will generate a folder named bypass-paywalls-chrome-master.
- Launch Chrome and navigate to chrome://extensions. If you're using Edge, visit edge://extensions.
- Enable 'Developer mode.'
- Drag the bypass-paywalls-chrome-master folder onto the page to import it. Ensure not to delete the folder—it's essential for the extension to function.
- Select the news sites you wish to access—you can leave them all selected or add extra sites to the Custom Sites tab. If you're subscribed to any sites on the list, deselect them—the extension will log you out otherwise.
- Click Save.
- Access the desired article. Then, click the puzzle piece icon at the top-right corner of Chrome and choose Bypass Paywalls to read the article.
Employ a paywall-bypassing iPhone shortcut.
If you're an iPhone or iPad user, you can integrate a paywall bypassing shortcut into the Shortcuts app. The Shortcuts app isn't solely for creating automations—users craft a variety of beneficial Shortcuts, including this convenient one that bypasses soft paywalls on nearly any news site.
- To install, simply visit https://routinehub.co/shortcut/4988 on your iPhone or iPad and tap Add Shortcut to incorporate it. Once installed, accessing news articles for free becomes effortless.
- Open any paywalled news article in Safari. Confirm that you're viewing an article displaying some content, such as Washington Times, Wired, or The Guardian.
- Tap the Sharing icon once you encounter the paywall—it resembles a square with an up-arrow at the bottom of Safari.
- Tap Paywall and Cookie Bypass.
- Tap Allow and then Always Allow.
- The page will redirect and open in Safari sans the paywall.
Utilize Bypass Paywalls Clean on Android.
Install this extension on Firefox Nightly browser for Android to bypass all paywalls. If you haven't already, you can easily install Firefox Nightly (a browser supporting Chrome desktop extensions) from the Play Store. Once installed, follow these steps to utilize Bypass Paywalls Clean and access articles on hundreds of paywalled sites for free:
- Launch Firefox Nightly and tap Start Browsing.
- Visit https://addons.mozilla.org.
- If you don't have a Firefox account, create one or sign in.
- Go to https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/bypass-paywalls-test/.
- Scroll down to the 'Add to collection' area.
- Tap the drop-down menu and select Create a new collection.
- Type Bypass Paywalls Clean and tap Create collection.
- Highlight and copy your 'Firefox user' number from the left panel.
- Tap the three dots at the bottom-right corner and go to Settings > About Firefox Nightly.
- Tap the Firefox Nightly logo 5 times.
- Tap the back button to return to the Settings menu and select Custom Add-on Collection.
- Paste your copied Firefox ID, type Bypass Paywalls Clean. If Firefox Nightly closes, reopen it.
- Tap the three dots at the bottom-right and select Add-ons.
- Tap the + next to 'Bypass Paywalls Clean' and select Add > OK, got it.
- Now that the extension is installed, browse just about any website with a hard or soft paywall to read the news for free.
Utilize a service or browser that conceals your IP address.
If the news site tracks your IP address instead of (or in addition to) cookies, hiding your IP address can grant access to more articles. Similar to using Incognito mode and clearing cookies, masking your IP address typically benefits soft paywalls—those permitting reading a few articles before subscription prompts. Here are some simple methods to hide your IP address:
- The Opera web browser for Windows, macOS, and Android includes a built-in VPN for masking your IP address. Download Opera from https://www.opera.com/download or the Play Store.
- Obtain a VPN. The top VPN services require payment but offer additional benefits, including enhanced security for your device and network during browsing.
- Alternatively, use a free web proxy. Although a free proxy may slow down browsing, it's useful for viewing a few free articles.
- The Tor web browser is another browser equipped with a feature for masking your IP address. You can get Tor for Windows, macOS, and Android from https://www.torproject.org/download.
Delete the page's cookies to access more articles.
This method is effective for most news sites allowing reading some articles before subscription prompts. While Incognito or Private mode may be easier for most people, this is another workaround that gets rid of cookies that prevent you from reading additional articles. Each time you run into the soft paywall, delete the site's cookies using these steps:
- On Chrome or Edge on a computer, click the padlock icon in the address bar, select Cookies, choose each cookie for the news website, and click Remove.
- In Safari on a Mac, go to Safari > Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data > select the website, then click Remove All.
- For Safari on an iPhone, go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data, tap Edit, then tap the red circle next to the site.
- For Chrome on an Android, open Chrome, tap the three dots in the address bar, go to Info > Cookies, then tap the trash icon next to the number of cookies.
Utilize your local library's resources for accessing articles.
Gain access to news articles by logging in to your local library's website. Depending on the subscriptions held by your library, you can potentially read numerous news articles for free upon authentication. Typically, you'll have access to subscriber-only content from local newspapers, and some libraries may also offer subscriptions to major publications like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. All you need is a valid library card and an online account to get started.
