How to Use the Reading List in Google Chrome

We all encounter interesting articles, long-form essays, or tutorials while browsing the web that we simply don’t have time to read at that exact moment. While you could bookmark the page, bookmarks are usually reserved for sites you visit regularly. If you just want to read an article once and discard it, you should use Google Chrome’s built-in Reading List.

The Reading List is a dedicated space to save web pages for later. It keeps track of what you have and haven’t read, and best of all, it syncs seamlessly across your computer, phone, and tablet.

How to Add an Article to the Reading List

Saving a page for later is incredibly quick on the desktop version of Chrome.

1. Open Google Chrome and navigate to the article or webpage you want to save.
2. Look at the right side of the address bar (where the URL is typed).
3. Click the Star icon (the same icon used for bookmarks).
4. Instead of clicking “Add bookmark,” click Add to reading list in the drop-down menu.

Alternatively, if you are reading an article and see a link to another interesting page, you can right-click that link and select Add link to reading list without even opening it.

How to Access Your Reading List

Once you have saved a few articles, you can access them from the Chrome side panel.

1. Click the Side Panel icon located in the top-right corner of the Chrome window (it looks like a square with the right third shaded in, next to your profile picture).
2. Click the drop-down menu at the top of the side panel and select Reading List.
3. You will see a list of all your saved articles, neatly divided into two sections: Unread and Pages you’ve read.
4. Click on any article to open it in your current tab.

Managing and Deleting Saved Pages

The beauty of the Reading List is that it is meant to be temporary. Once you finish reading an article, you should clear it out to keep things organized.

1. Open the Reading List side panel.
2. Hover your mouse over the article you just finished reading.
3. To keep it in your history but mark it as finished, click the Checkmark icon (Mark as read). The article will move to the bottom section.
4. To delete it entirely, click the X icon (Delete).

Using the Reading List on Your Phone

If you save an article on your computer, you can easily read it during your commute using the Chrome app on iOS or Android, provided you are signed into the same Google account.

1. Open the Google Chrome app on your phone.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the corner.
3. Tap Reading List.
4. Tap the article you want to read. (Note: On iOS, Chrome will even save the text for offline reading, meaning you don’t need a cellular connection to read the article once it is saved).