While browsing the internet, you frequently encounter long articles or interesting webpages that you want to read, but simply do not have the time for at that exact moment. Leaving the tab open consumes system memory and clutters your workspace. Saving it as a standard bookmark often means it gets lost forever in a forgotten folder.
To solve this, Google Chrome includes a built-in Reading List. This feature acts as a temporary holding area specifically designed for articles you intend to read later. Once you have read them, you can mark them as finished or delete them, keeping the list clean and actionable.
Where to Find the Reading List
The Reading List is integrated into Chrome’s Side Panel.
- Open Google Chrome.
- Look at the top-right corner of the browser window, next to your profile picture. Click the Side Panel icon (a square partially shaded on the right side).
- The Side Panel will open on the right side of your screen.
- Click the dropdown menu at the top of the Side Panel (it may currently say “Bookmarks” or “Search”) and select Reading List.
Note: In older versions of Chrome, the Reading List was a button on the far right of the Bookmarks Bar. If you are on an older version, simply ensure your Bookmarks Bar is visible (Ctrl + Shift + B / Command + Shift + B) and click the “Reading list” button.
How to Add a Webpage to the Reading List
There are several ways to save an article for later:
Method 1: Using the Address Bar
- Navigate to the article you want to save.
- Look at the right end of the address bar (omnibox) for the Bookmark this tab icon (a star).
- Click the star icon.
- A small pop-up will appear. Instead of adding it to a bookmarks folder, click Add to reading list.
Method 2: Using the Right-Click Menu
If you see a link to an article but don’t want to open it right now, you can save it directly from the link:
- Right-click the hyperlink.
- Select Add link to reading list from the context menu.
Method 3: Using the Side Panel
- Navigate to the article you want to save.
- Open the Side Panel and ensure it is set to the Reading List.
- Click the Add current tab button at the top of the panel.
How to Manage Your Reading List
Once you have added a few articles, open the Reading List via the Side Panel to see them. They are automatically organised into two sections: Unread and Pages you’ve read.
- To read an article: Simply click its title in the list. The webpage will load in your current tab.
- To mark an article as read: Hover your mouse over the article in the list. Click the Checkmark icon that appears on the right. The article will move down to the “Pages you’ve read” section.
- To delete an article entirely: Hover your mouse over the article and click the X icon. This removes it from the list completely, keeping your workspace tidy.
Reading Offline on Mobile
If you use Chrome on your smartphone or tablet and are signed into the same Google Account, your Reading List syncs automatically across all your devices.
A major advantage of using the Reading List on the Chrome iOS or Android app is that it automatically downloads the webpages for offline viewing. If you save several articles to your Reading List on your computer before a flight, you can open the Chrome app on your phone while in Airplane Mode, tap the three-dot menu, select Reading List, and read the full text of those articles without an internet connection.
By treating the Reading List as a temporary inbox rather than a permanent storage vault like Bookmarks, you can effectively manage your online reading habits and keep your daily tab count under control.